Is it possible to create an icon on the Desktop for IE without re-installing?

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In IE, under the tools menu entry, Choose "Internet Options".

Click the tab marked: "Advanced"

Find the "Show Internet Explorer on the Desktop" entry in the "Browsing" section.

Check the box.

Click the OK button.

Now the official icon and not a shortcut has been restored.

Now in WXP Home , there doesn't seem to b an iexplore.exe anymore (search cannot find it)

Strangely enough, Start/Run will execute the command iexplore. But I really wanna have a shortcut on the desktop...

None of the comments above are helpful if you have lost your internet explorer icon after upgrading your windows XP to service pack 2. This is because your explorer icon might not actually be in the usual folder for the explorer. This is what you should do:
Go to Start > Search > All Files and Folders. In the topmost box type exactly "IEXPLORE.EXE" and hit "Search." In less than 10 seconds you'll find at least one IE icon. Right click on that icon, go down to "Send to" and choose "Desktop (create shortcut)."
That's it. You can then drag it to your Quick Launch list.

Emil Khekoyan

What all of you are missing is that there is a special Internet Explorer icon for the desktop that is not a "shortcut". When you right-click the icon, you should get the options for Internet Properties (in win xp). You do not get this option with a regular shortcut. You get the shortcut properties instead. So, what happens when the desktop properties refuse to put the internet icon back once it "disappears"?

Right click on any open area of the Desktop > Select Properties > Select Desktop tab > Select Customize Desktop button > Select General tab > In the Desktop Icons section place a checkmark next to Internet Explorer > Click Ok...

thanks TheRightWay at July 16, 2005 09:26 AM !!!

that was the easiest solution, gave me back a real ie icon instead of a shortcut!! much appreciated, i was freaking out

Thank's "The Right Way" you saved me much frustration and I have my explorer icon beck! You are a god send!

Thanks "TheRightWay" - I had the same problem and was going nuts too trying to get my icon back. Thanks to Leo, too, for having this forum. Thanks also to Leo's parents, for having the foresight to procreate. :)

This didn't work for me. I followed instructions and found an IExplore.EXE.MUI file, not an IExplore.exe file, and it was in a subfolder called en-US within the Internet Explorer folder. I tried to use it instead, but my computer would not recognize it. Help please...

OH yea!! I got it!!

Here's how you restore the ORIGINAL IE explorer desktop icon (the one where you can right click and go to properties and have IE options come up):

right click on desktop --> Desktop Tab --> Customize Desktop --> Check off 'Internet Explorer' under Desktop Icons

and this should work (for xp that is :) )

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