Change Folder Icon in Windows 10  

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    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10

    How to Change Icon of a Folder in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    03 Oct 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Change Icon of a Folder in Windows 10


    This tutorial will show you how to change the icon of a folder in File Explorer to any icon you like in Windows 10.

    When you change the icon of a folder, the folder will no longer show a thumbnail preview of its content until you restore the default folder icon.



    Here's How:

    1) Right-click or press and hold on the folder you would like to change, and click/tap on Properties.

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-17-.png

    2) Click/tap on the Customize tab.

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-18-.png

    3) Click/tap on Change Icon.

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-19-.png

    4) Browse to an icon library, click/tap on an icon, and click/tap on OK.

    You can also find more icons at C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll. Also, if you have a custom icon pack you can select 'Browse' to find your custom icons and then apply them. However, once you have done that you shouldn't move the custom icons. If you do, the folder using the custom icon will go back to the default folder icon and you will have to go through the entire process again.

    You can click/tap on the Restore Defaults button and click/tap on OK to restore the default icon of this folder.

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-20-.png

    5) Click/tap on Apply.

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-24-.png

    6) And now you're done! :)

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-21-.png


    Thanks for reading!
    -Chuck






  1. Posts : 10,731
    Windows 11 Workstation x64
       #1

    Lots of good icons in C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 17,136
    macOS Big Sur
    Thread Starter
       #2

    z3r010 said:
    Lots of good icons in C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll
    Thanks, John! I didn't know about those.

    I like these blue one's..

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-screenshot-27-.png
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 27,157
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #3

    Good one Chuck! Might want to add a section for custom icons, using Browse, and once installed the Icon pack position should not be moved or changed, or else you have to redo everything.:)
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 17,136
    macOS Big Sur
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Good point, Cliff. I'll edit it and see if I can add that in.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 home 64bit
       #5

    Didn't work for me


    I just acquired a new laptop running Windows 10 and am trying to change the icons of the folders in the StartUp "Program" folder so that they would stand out a little better. I used my admin account and followed all the steps listed above, but when I clicked on "Apply", nothing happened. The same basic windows folder icon remained attached to the folder. I also tried to go into Properties and capitalize some of the folder names, but that didn't work either. Looks like something is protecting them, but I cannot figure out what it is much less how to get around this blockage, Any suggestions?
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #6

    Hello psbecker, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)

    Items in the Startup folder would be shortcuts instead. Did you try different folder views to see if they show with a different icon size?

    If so, then please go ahead and post a screenshot showing this to see if it may reveal a cause.

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...en-forums.html
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 2
    Windows 10 home 64bit
       #7

    Thanks for the quick and thorough reply. Unfortunately, I guess that I was posting too late last night because I did not explain my problem accurately. I used StartUp when I should have said "Start Menu" when referring to the folder name. Anyway, let me try again.


    In the the "Start Menu" folder -- "C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Widows\Start Menu" -- there is a folder called "Programs" that contains several folders that do hold the shortcuts for various programs on my system. It is these folders in Programs, not the shortcuts, that I want to change the Icon to something more definitive than the default folder icon. However, the system won't let me make the change. I go through all the steps including Apply, but when I am done, the original icon is still there.

    Any suggestions would be appreciated.

    Sorry for the confusion.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,543
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #8

    I'm not aware of a way to change the folder icons in Start.
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #9

    Not possible, (yet!)
    (I'm workin on it)

    Change Folder Icon in Windows 10-000058.png
      My Computer


 

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