Best Free Software To Organize Desktop Icons

Nimi Places

Nimi Places is a free software to organize desktop icons in various customizable containers, or boxes. It lets you organize your icons by adding folders to the desktop as boxes. These boxes can be customized in different rectangular dimensions, themes, and you can freely place them anywhere you want. You can use a folder to form these boxes, such as: Desktop, My Computer, or any other folder. The special features of this desktop icon organizer are:

Directly access media from the boxes. You can preview JPEG, PNG, PDF, PSD, and other image files in the boxes. Play audio right in the folder box. Click on the play button on audio file to play it.
Drag the edges of the box to re-size them in any dimension.
Right click on the box, go to Appearance> Theme, and select a theme to change the appearance. There are 6 different options to choose from.
Customize the icon size, sort the files n different ways, move the boxes freely, and there's much more to do.

This desktop icon organizer keeps your desktop clean, and you can also create boxes for different file formats, and purposes.
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SideSlide

SideSlide is another good software to organize desktop icons. Keep your desktop clean and managed with the help of this free desktop icon organizer. It is a readily configurable software where you can add your desktop icon, and several other useful things, like: notepad, files, folders, reminder, URL, shortcut, etc. The GUI of this freeware is retractable, and hides to not interfere you unless you actually need it. You can place it at either sides of your desktop. It can hold almost all Icons from your desktop. Hover over an image file to preview it. You will find containers, which are like small boxes where you can put your content/icons/folders. Drag the containers out of the GUI, as they can float on desktop as well. It has various other interesting features also, like:

Mouse and Keyboard support.
RSS news feed functionality.
Hotkeys for various functions.
Special effects, and themes.

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Stick

Stick is a free software which contains your desktop icons in retractable tab. These tabs expand as customizable windows, where all your desktop icons are displayed. Simply add a Tab with desktop icons, and hide the original icons on the desktop. Deleting Icons from the desktop will delete the icons from the Tab as well, so simply hide the Icons. To hide icons, right click on desktop>view>hide desktop icons. You can add other retractable tabs, like: Notes, Navigator, and Task Bar Tab. These tabs can be customized as:

Pin to any side of the screen, at any position.
Change name.
Change theme. 5 different themes to choose from.
Set transparency.
Autohide, Autoshow, Always on Top, and other features.
Change Icon size, add/remove file, share file, etc.

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FSL Launcher

FSL Launcher lets you keep you desktop organized and clean. This desktop icon organizer can be customized, resized, and placed anywhere on the desktop. It is divided into four different tabs: Applications, Internet, Games, and Utilities. This feature lets you allocate applications, files, and folders according to categories (groups) they fall in. You have the liberty to add new groups, or remove any existing group. Click on Group Menu to manage the groups. Visit the Menu to change the setings, like:

Stay on Top.
Hiding options.
Start with Windows (autostart).
Show close button.

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ToolBox

ToolBox lets you create boxes on your desktop to organize icons. Create, customize, and add program/files, and folders to ToolBox. These boxes have a limited number of tiles on which you can place the icons. Add icons to the toolbox, and place the box freely anywhere on the desktop you like. You can create more than one box, and define the following parameters:

Name.
Rows and Columns.
Tile height and width.
Cell Spacing.
Border Spacing.
Transparency and Tint.
Icon Size

This desktop icon organizer is one of the best software to keep your desktop clean and clutter free. Moreover, you can create different cells for programs/files/folders which fall in same category. Right click on the box>New> and select from Application, Drive, Folder, Control Panel Application, Music, Pictures, Videos, etc.
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Iconoid

Iconoid is a multipurpose tool to organize and change properties of desktop icons. With the help of this freeware you can do the following:

Change Colors: Change Icon text color, Icon background color, and enable drop shadows.
Hiding: Set icons and taskbar to hide after a defined time. You can also define the time.
Positions: Set icon position, and save the positions. Click on Restore to restore the saved icon position.
Other: Change desktop and tray options, like colors, aspect ratio, Hiding options, etc.

This software works perfectly for almost all versions of Windows.
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Real Desktop

Real Desktop is a virtual desktop organizer, which lets you arrange your icons in 3D environment. It looks like a real desktop with 3D elements. You can change the viewing angle of your desktop to any angle manually. The Icons are 3D elements as well, and can be moved freely anywhere on the desk. Go to the Camera tab to change the angles. Go to the Design tab to change the desk color. Check out the design tab to add new materials on your table. You can always add new files, and folders to the desk, and place them anywhere, in any angle you like.
The game section provides 3 free games to play in case you are bored. This software to organize desktop icons works fine up to Windows 10 computers.
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Wincmder Shellex

Wincmder Shellex is a free Windows Shell extension to help you clean up your desktop, cluttered with icons. It lets you view the content of a folder just by a right click. Place the files, or applications into folders, and install this application to get going. The files present in a folder are displayed in form of list. If you want to access the context menu, click Shift Key and then right click the mouse. This is light, but very useful application to organize your desktop icons.
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Icon Configuration Utility

Icon Configuration Utility restores your desktop Icon pattern when it gets rearranged. Usually the icon pattern looses its pattern when you change the screen resolution, so you can set an Icon pattern for different resolutions with the help of this desktop icon arranger. This freeware also lets you define position to move unknown, or newly added icons on desktop. This is a perfect tool for users who constantly need to change their screen resolution.
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Rainmeter

Rainmeter is a highly customizable desktop tool which can be used to organize desktop icons. It is an open source software available for free. You will find free and paid customizable desktop skins, Icon organizers for Rainmeter at Deviant Art. Icon organizers, or icon docks can be found easily. Most of these icon organizers are available to use as you install them, but some of these require editing. Follow the simple instructions that come along with the extensions for customization. This helps you to keep your desktop organized and clean. The above picture only displays one of the many skins, and an Icon organizer.
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RocketDock

RocketDock can easily help you to organize your desktop Icons. This is another free tool with lots of skins, icons, and docklets. Make your desktop clutter free, and arrange icons with the help of this free Desktop Icon Organizer. You can place the dock anywhere on the screen you want, and customize the GUI as you like. Choose from many themes, icon designs, set icon size, spacing, opacity, and much more. Download free addons to further customize your desktop. Add as many icons you want to this freeware. The dock hides after a defined time, if you want to keep your desktop clear.
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MyFolders

Clear up your desktop with the help of MyFolders. You do not need to pile up important files, and folders on your desktop anymore. Use this freeware to keep files and folders, right at your fingertips. Right click on the desktop, or any folder to access this time saving freeware in the context menu. You can add n number of folders to this software, that you visit frequently.
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Launchbar Commander

Launchbar Commander lets you arrange your desktop icons at same place. Avoid the pile up of icons on your desktop. Access defined folders directly from this awesome software to organize desktop icons. Almost all settings are available in the My Computer icon, and all applications can be directly accessed from here. You can also customize this app to add a direct shortcut to programs, files, or folders.
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Krento

Krento is another good desktop organizer which can be used to organize desktop icons. This is basically a dock, which includes all the major tools, folders, programs, etc. You can even customize the list of tools, programs, and files. Change the appearance too make your desktop look more attractive.
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