Some users on the other hand who switch screen resolutions regularly may want to protect their icons from being moved around whenever they do. The programs can also be handy for users who want to work with multiple desktop icon configurations, e.g. one for work and one for the rest of the day.

I have covered several programs in the past for the job. From the Desktop Icon Manager over Desk Save to the much acclaimed Fences. Most of the programs offer a similar functionality. They can save and restore the desktop layout.

Icon Configuration Utility is a free software for Windows that offers a similar functionality. Users can save and restore desktop layouts in the main program interface. all it takes is a click on save to create a layout save point or restore to restore the icon layout of a previously saved point.

Whenever you save a layout you are asked to enter a name for it and select what the program should do with unknown icons. Unknown icons are new icons that have not been on the desktop during the time the save point was created. These icons can be moved to the top left, off-screen or placed individually per icon.

Each saved layout is displayed with its name, date of creation and the screen resolution. Windows 7 users who run the program with elevated privileges can make use of the right-click context menu integration to quickly switch between different layouts. This has to be installed on the first run.

Windows users can download the Icon Configuration Utility from the developer website. The portable software is compatible with all recent 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Windows however does not automatically move the icons to the right side again when changing the resolution to a higher one. It’s not a big problem if you change the resolution once a year but if you have to do it several times a week it becomes a burden.

Enter the Desktop Icon Manager. This little program saves the current layout of the icons on the desktop in combination with the resolution and can restore the layout with the click of the mouse button.

Supported are the creation of one standard profile that can be restored or individual profiles for each resolution which would come in handy if you work with different resolutions all the time.

Each icon on the desktop is represented by a black dot. Hoovering the mouse over the icon reveals information about that icon.