How to Change Desktop Icon Horizontal and Vertical Spacing in Windows 8 and 8.1

Icon horizontal spacing is for how wide (left/right) the desktop icon will be. The wider it is, the more text that will display for the icon's name without it having to be highlighted.
Icon vertical spacing is for how much vertical (up/down) empty space there is inbetween the icons on your desktop to separate them with.
This tutorial will show you how to change the horizontal and vertical spacing of the icons on your desktop to what you want in Windows 8.
Icon vertical spacing is for how much vertical (up/down) empty space there is inbetween the icons on your desktop to separate them with.
This tutorial will show you how to change the horizontal and vertical spacing of the icons on your desktop to what you want in Windows 8.
EXAMPLE: Desktop Icon Horizontal and Vertical Spacing
NOTE: This is just an example to help show what your desktop icons can look like with different horizontal and vertical spacing settings when highlighted and not highlighted. The settings you use below will determine how much more or less space your icons will have.
Here's How:
1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK.
2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes.
3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshots below steps 4A and 5A)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics
4. To Change the Desktop Icon "Horizontal" Spacing
A) In the right pane of WindowMetrics, double click/tap on IconSpacing to modify it. (see screenshot below)
B) Type in a value between -480 to -2730, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The default setting is -1125. The minimum amount of space is -480, and the maximum is -2730.
5. To Change the Desktop Icon "Vertical" Spacing
A) In the right pane of WindowMetrics, double click/tap on IconVerticalSpacing to modify it. (see screenshot below)
B) Type in a value between -480 to -2730, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The default setting is -1125. The minimum amount of space is -480, and the maximum is -2730.
6. When finished, close regedit.
7. Sign out and in of your user account to apply.
8. You may need to repeat the tutorial a few times until you have each of the desktop icon horizontal and vertical spacing values set just how you like it.
That's it,
Shawn
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