Very Simple... Yet Very Effective Prank (Computer Prank)

by Shadow Dragon

11K613

Intro: Very Simple... Yet Very Effective Prank (Computer Prank)

This Instructable is VERY simple, yet VERY effective! What will happen is:
You hide all of the icons on the victim's desktop. The victim will freak out when they see the computer after you do the prank. This cannot harm the computer in any way at all. Please vote if you like it! =D

STEP 1: Icon Wipe Out

First, you are going to simply hide the icons on the desktop. Right click on an empty space on the desktop and hover over "Arrange Icons By" and then click on "Show Desktop Icons". Make sure that the check next to "Show Desktop Icons" is now unchecked. Don't freak out when the icons disappear. :P You are now done with the first step!

STEP 2: Wait for Victim to Arrive

Now you just wait for the victim to arrive and freak out! Make sure you are watching because it will be HILARIOUS! I will show you how to undo it in the next step.

STEP 3: Undo

After about 2 minutes, you should let the victim know what happened. It is just as easy to undo it as it was to do it. Just right click on the desktop, go to "Arrange Icons By" and then click on "Show Desktop Icons". The check mark next to "Show Desktop Icons" should now have a check next to it. Have fun with this! =D

13 Comments

dag4415 11 years ago

I'm a little late to the game but...

I did the hide the icons, replaced it with the screen shot of the desktop. Final nail in the coffin, I but a wireless mouse receiver in the back USB slot and the " extra" mouse in my pocket. When the victim was at the computer asking me to help fix the frozen icons I would wiggle the mouse in my pocket to give the illusion someone had taken over their computer. I even had our IT department involved. They called to report the problem and the IT person said it was "evil" hackers and yelled, Turn it off, turn it off!!! As they shut it down I opened a word document with the extra mouse in my pocket that said. APRIL FOOLS. Oh forgot one thing, before they got back to their computer I activated the web cam. Great reactions captured!

zapper067 12 years ago

I disabled context menus on desktop.

imjustasteph 14 years ago

Okay, this is pretty cool. But.....try this one. Before you hide the icons, do a screen capture. (You know, print screen.) Open it in Paint. Save it. Set it as the desktop background. Make sure you have the real icons hidden. Now watch your victim try to click on the pictures of his icons in his new desktop background.

Shadow13! 14 years ago

Maybe try replacing some of the shortcuts with one of those programs that says its a virus or shuts the computer down. What would be really great would be if you got the person being pranked recorded by the computers web-cam or some sort of hidden camera. Then you could post it for all of us evil geniuses to enjoy.

Kobravenom 14 years ago

Here is the same trick, but with a simple twist.

simply take a screenshot of the whole desktop, and save it as an image in paint.

Set the new image as the background, hit ctrl+alt+delete ---> processes ---> End Process to Explorer

This will simply cause their desktop to become useless, while still having the appearance of icons. To fix it simply restart the computer.

Kobravenom 14 years ago

Just figured something out

An easier way to fix it is to:

ctrl+alt+delete ---> Applications - Then type explorer. This will make the computer completely usable again :)

Madrias357 15 years ago

Better to Screen-shot the icons and put that up as a desktop, you ask me.

Bert99 15 years ago

You need a newer prank. This one is okay though.

munchman 15 years ago

I think I speak for most of the people here when I say... Haven't we had enough of these? either with or without the desktop changing.

rabbitkillrun 15 years ago

yep... finding a good prank is impossible now because of the millions of screencap the desktop and hide the icons "instructables"... <_<

bylerfamily 15 years ago

Cool!I think I might try this...