Using Icon Sepherd, you can remember & restore Windows desktop icon layout. When the arrangement is lost, it can restore even if you add, delete, rename an icon.

In essence, Microsoft offered a PowerShell script for IT pros (just designed for English users), but it only restores Start menu app links, and doesn't restore Desktop or Taskbar app links.

A: Those little white boxes with the arrow in them indicate that the icon is a shortcut, a representation of a file that is not actually stored on the desktop.

Microsoft has officially validated the workaround for the mayhem caused by Defender yesterday. The company has published a fix but has confirmed it can't restore the deleted shortcuts for you.