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I guess I should have found a duplicate for this question, but my searches keep ending into question like what's the maximum number of files in a folder caused by the limit of NTFS filesystem: Maximum number of files in a single folder: 4,294,967,295

But actually my question is if I can explicitly configure a limit of files that user can place on desktop. eg.: I want to avoid that user place more than 15 files on desktop.

according to this Does the amount of files on desktop affect computer performance? I would try to set this limit in order to improve boot time for the users in our network

lese
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  • "my searches keep ending into question like what's the maximum number of files in a folder. " that is the answer. The desktop is just a folder and you cannot restrict the number of items in a folder ... – DavidPostill Nov 07 '18 at 15:51
  • Thank you for your comment, I probably was not clear in my definition, i mean that I find only the informations of the limit of files that the filesystem have, like in this thread https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-files/what-is-the-maximum-number-of-files-i-can-place/07b62caa-04c7-4c8a-92bb-6ac12b737beb , I understand that desktop is just a filesystem path redered by the GUI – lese Nov 07 '18 at 15:59
  • And it has the answer "Maximum number of files in a single folder: 4,294,967,295" – DavidPostill Nov 07 '18 at 16:08
  • Excuse me, can you read again the question? – lese Nov 07 '18 at 16:09
  • Excuse me, I did. The desktop is a folder. The maximum number of files in a folder is 4,294,967,295. You cannot limit users creating files. What is it you don't understand? – DavidPostill Nov 07 '18 at 16:11
  • And what is it that you don't understand that I want to configure a limit which is lower than a ton of files – lese Nov 07 '18 at 16:13
  • @lese DavidPostill is correct. There is not a built-in method of limiting the number of files on the Desktop because there is not a built-in method of limiting the number of files in ANY FOLDER, which the Desktop is. You COULD programmatically watch a folder and generate a warning or message whenever the number gets too large, but if the question is whether you can "explicitly... limit the number of files... on desktop", the answer is "no", as David has noted. – music2myear Nov 07 '18 at 16:13
  • Please read again my first comment , which clearly says "you cannot restrict the number of items in a folder " What you want to do is not possible. – DavidPostill Nov 07 '18 at 16:14
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    This feels like an XY problem. You assume the number of files on user's Desktops is affecting logon performance. Do you have evidence to confirm this? In my experience, few users Desktops could accommodate more than a few hundred icons before overflowing the screen (which naturally discourages adding more files), and if a few hundred files in a folder is affecting logon performance, you a real problem that limiting the # of files will not solve. – I say Reinstate Monica Nov 07 '18 at 16:31

2 Answers2

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Not within the built-in functions of the Windows OS, you cannot.

It is possible programmatically, perhaps with a scheduled task frequently running a script that counts the number of items inside the Desktop folder and warns and/or takes action if the number exceeds some arbitrary number.

But limiting ourselves to settings that can be configured by Group Policy, the Windows Registry, and other built-in configuration options of the OS no, you cannot limit the number of files that will exist in a given folder.

Going back briefly to your justification though, while the number of files in a folder can slow your computer's access to and display of that folder, and in the case of the Desktop this could cause a perceived slowness in the loading of the desktop, this delay will always be minimal given recent or current hardware, especially when using SSDs and proper amounts of RAM. More effective ways to actually "speed your computer up" include managing the applications that run each time Windows starts, and maintaining proper system images and patching mechanisms and processes.

music2myear
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Again, encouraging equipment upgrades instead of better user system hygiene. I get it from a profit-driven perspective, throw more money/hardware at the problem. Users could simply disable startup programs they don't need running at startup or in the background to improve startup time and also stop committing desktop vomitus clutterus because they are too disorganized and/or lazy to put files in folders

And let's be honest, in the heart of every real computer enthusiast, one can never really have enough RAM or a fast enough SSD.

OblongCircles
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