documentation/docs/user-guide/gnome_desktop_icons.md

Gnome Desktop Icons

By default Gnome does not show any more icons on the desktop since version 3.

This guide will show how to bring them back. To make it default for all users of the system please check the Gnome Extensions Guide.

Enable Desktop Icon Extension

Start the "Tweak" tool (note in RHEL9+ this functionality moved to the "Extensions" tool):

Therein select "Extensions" on the left:

Now the second entry "Desktop icons" on the right allows you enable them.

Now you can close the tool.

Allow to Launch Desktop Files

By default the *.desktop files in the ~/Desktop folder are not executed, they are presented like normal textfiles instead. To change this right-click onto the .desktop file and select "Allow Launching":

After you can start them with a click: