disabling Thumbs.db using gpedit.msc - still appear on desktop (not in any other path)

For a project I need to use Windows 10 : I'm using a freshly installed Windows 10 professional 64-bit install (en-US) (version 1703 OS Build 15063.540) + all updates + latest versions of all MS Visual C++ redistribution versions. Also installed is the Win10 SDK. That's basically it, besides some small utilities/archivers.

My question : Using gpedit.msc I enabled the policy setting to disable the creation of Thumbs.db files: * enabled : Local Computer - User Configuration - Administrative Templates - Windows Components - File Explorer : Turn off the caching of thumbnails in hidden thumbs.db files.

This works in every directory I enter, except the desktop, which I use a lot for quick dropping and moving around files, amongst which are also image-files. Once that happens the Thumbs.db - which I expected to be disabled everywhere - pops up, without missing a heart beat.

I cannot remember if this was the case in previous versions of windows as well. Is this a bug? If not, I reckon it could have a base in the shared desktop with the Public profile and that this settings somehow is disabled for the specific Public User SID ? Check all of the GPO I couldn't find an option to disable it. Browsed the registry but cannot see a key which would take care of that. Maybe that key needs to be created ? I'm not sure.

Does anyone know how to disable Thumbs.db creation on the desktop completely?

Found this on answers.microsoft.com

The thumbs.db file is used to store the thumbnails of images and videos. Anytime thumbnails view is enabled or has been enabled in Microsoft Windows the hidden file thumbs.db is automatically created in the same directory as where the thumbnails have been viewed. This file contains the information required by Windows to display the thumbnails for each of the icons and will be placed in every folder thumbnails are viewed.

This file can be safely deleted from any directory, however, it will be automatically recreated if thumbnails view is still enabled and you view that directory again. You can hide it by hiding system files but you cannot get rid of it permanently.

I suggest you that create a .reg file(If you are facing the issue with all the folders only) and do a double click on it by copy pasting these commands in a notepad. This should disable thumbnail caching.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001
"DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer]
"DisableThumbsDBOnNetworkFolders"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001
"DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"DisableThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001
"NoThumbnailCache"=dword:00000001

Registry disclaimer

To do so: Important this section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: How to back up and restore the registry in Windows