Delete after-effects of sorted icons on the desktop

[ChrisGreaves]

Looking for a way to clean up my desktop after sorting the existing icons!

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In the process of Sorting my desktop icons, two extra icons were created and I can't work out how to delete them.

I had but one icon on my Win11 desktop; it pointed to "C:\Program Files\Everything 1.5a\Everything64.exe" and it still does.
The process of making Multiple Instance in Everything starts with creating an extra shortcut for each new instance. I want two new instances, so i copy the shortcut and Properties, General, Rename the two shortcuts so that they reflect my use of the second shortcut for real drives C: and T:; the third shortcut is renamed to reflect my two backup drives Y: and Z:.

I then thought to tidy up the desktop, using Right-click, Sort by, Name.
My icons were placed in name sequence (vertically down the left-hand side of the screen) and I was left with two extra vanilla shortcuts.

OK. Having a minimal knowledge of desktop I used Everything to search for Desktop.INI, found it, deleted it, and returned to the desktop to find my parasites still there.

Nothing stops me! "Right-click, Show more options, Delete" which brings up the following pop-up:-

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Is there a sure-fire way to remove these two useless icons?
I normally run with a desktop completely free of icons, but here I am aiming for a neat screen to include in a manual.

Thanks in advance for any tips.
Chris

[ChrisGreaves]

Looking for a way to clean up my desktop after sorting the existing icons!

About fifteen minutes later : I return to the desktop and those two rogue shortcuts have gone, so panic off.
I do believe that they hung around for at least five minutes.
Does it take Win11 that long to find the brush and dustpan?
Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

Restarting Windows Explorer or Windows would probably have solved the problem too.

[ChrisGreaves]

Restarting Windows Explorer or Windows would probably have solved the problem too.

Thanks Hans. I probably reloaded Explorer.
Chris

[StuartR]

You can often fix issues like this by right clicking and choosing Refresh

[ChrisGreaves]

You can often fix issues like this by right clicking and choosing Refresh

Thank you Stuart.
<F5> Refresh was one of my favorite tricks until the HP15 laptop arrived last March. On this machine the <F5> function "refresh", and all the other single-keystroke shortcuts throughout Windows and Windows-based applications, has become a two-stroke procedure. I have to hold down the <Fn> key with the appropriate function key. Darn!
Also the lettering on the function keys is grey on a silver background. darn! darn!
Too, the lettering on the Function keys is so small that I have applied masking tape to let these old eyes see what is going on.

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The good news is that my screen no longer gradually fades to black when I try to rename (<F2>) or edit a cell in a spreadsheet (<F2> again)

Cheers, Chris

[HansV]

I assume that you know that you can "lock" the Fn key, so that F2 is edit or rename, etc.? See How to Lock or Unlock the Fn (Function) Key on an HP Notebook| HP Support. You want to disable action keys.

[ChrisGreaves]

I assume that you know that you can "lock" the Fn key

Thanks Hans. I think the term here is "incongruous",
The truth is that i didn't know that I can "lock" the Fn key", but of course as soon as i read that I knew that by the time I had read the complete post i soon would know ...

... so that F2 is edit or rename, etc.? See How to Lock or Unlock the Fn (Function) Key on an HP Notebook| HP Support. You want to disable action keys.

BINGO!

My sequence was "Power off; Power on; tap F10 without the Fn key about once per second until the "BIOS" menu system arrived.
Config, Actions. I moved the setting to DISABLED because I want to use the Function keys in the <Fi> mode rather than the "Adjust screen brightness" mode.
<F10> and <Enter> (for yes)

Tada!

I can now use the <F2> key, without the <fn> key to
1. Edit a filename in Windows Explorer
2. Edit a cell in Excel
3. (best of all) Use the <Shift>+<F2> combination to locate the definition of a procedure in VBA

A DAY LATER: I had not realized how much I use the function keys: In Word VBA F2, F3, F4, F5, F7, F8, F9

(signed) "Happiest camper in Bonavista"