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![cleanup XP: Disable the automatic desktop cleanup wizard [How To]](http://mintywhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/cleanup.png "cleanup")
Back in the day, when Windows XP was brand new and shiny, one of the New Features was the Desktop Cleanup Wizard. The idea was to help you keep your desktop tidy and un-cluttered.
Personally I never used it. I pride myself in maintaining a strict Desktop Clutter Policy and rarely allow any programs I install to take occupation on my desktop. Therefore I never needed the DCW, and could remove that annoying popup reminder all together.
Here’s how you do it
- Right click an empty area on the desktop.
![desktop cleanup XP: Disable the automatic desktop cleanup wizard [How To]](http://mintywhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/desktop-cleanup.gif "desktop-cleanup")
- Click Properties and select Properties.
- Click the Desktop tab.
- Click Customize Desktop.
- In the Desktop Items dialog box, clear the checkbox labeled “Run Desktop Wizard every 60 days.”
- Click OK to close the dialog boxes.
You can still run the wizard manually should you want to, by clicking “Clean Desktop Now” in the Desktop Items dialog box.
![unused XP: Disable the automatic desktop cleanup wizard [How To]](http://mintywhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/unused.png "unused")
![XP: Disable the automatic desktop cleanup wizard [How To]](http://1.gravatar.com/avatar/38fb7390d7ecf29b2500b97a0b223ba2?s=100&d=http%3A%2F%2F1.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D100&r=G "XP: Disable the automatic desktop cleanup wizard [How To]"){kind=avatar}
About Thomas
Computer geek from the age of 7, which amounts to 30 years of computer experience. From the early days (when every computer company had their own OS) of DOS, Windows 1.0 through Seven...
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