The phrase "minimize a folder on my desktop" can have two common meanings: making the icon of the folder appear smaller on the desktop, or minimizing the window of a folder that you currently have open. Based on the provided reference, we can address the first interpretation regarding icon size.
Making Desktop Folder Icons Smaller
If you want the visual representation of a folder (its icon) on your desktop to take up less space, you can adjust the overall size of your desktop icons. The provided reference, "How To Make Your Windows Desktop Icons Smaller Or Bigger," highlights that this is a common action users take to customize their workspace.
Here's how you typically make desktop icons, including folder icons, smaller in Windows:
- Right-Click anywhere on an empty area of your desktop.
- Hover your mouse cursor over the "View" option in the context menu that appears.
- Select "Small icons" from the submenu.
Alternatively, you can often hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse. Scrolling down with the scroll wheel while holding Ctrl will typically make desktop icons smaller.
Adjusting the icon size affects all icons on your desktop simultaneously, including application shortcuts, files, and folders. The reference points out that knowing how to make desktop icons smaller or bigger is a useful customization technique.
Minimizing an Open Folder Window
If you have opened a folder from your desktop and its window is currently displayed, "minimizing" it means sending it down to the taskbar. This action hides the window from view but keeps the application (File Explorer, in this case) running in the background, allowing you to quickly restore it later.
To minimize an open folder window:
- Click the Minimize button in the upper-right corner of the folder window. This button looks like a horizontal line (—) next to the maximize/restore button.
- Press the Windows key + Down Arrow keyboard shortcut. If the window is maximized, you might need to press it twice.
The provided reference discusses changing the size of desktop icons and does not cover the action of minimizing open application windows.
In summary, while "minimize a folder" could refer to two different actions, making the desktop icon smaller is related to adjusting the size of all desktop icons, as mentioned in the provided reference. Minimizing an open folder window is a standard window management function.
