If your resolution is set too low (e.g., 800x600 on a 1080p monitor), everything will look bloated. Go to your display settings and ensure it is set to the "Recommended" or "Native" resolution.
For users, the process is equally intuitive. By right-clicking (or control-clicking) the desktop and selecting "Show View Options," a slider appears that allows you to manually adjust the icon size from tiny to large. This menu also offers the ability to change the "Grid spacing," giving you total control over how tightly packed your files appear. how do i make the desktop icons smaller