File Extension Type Icon - Change

How to Change a File Extension Type Icon in Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to change the default icon for a file extension type of your choice to whatever icon you want it to be displayed as in Windows Explorer instead.

   Note

This will change all of the icons for that file extension type in Vista, not just the shortcuts of them.

To see what the file extension is for a file, see: How to Show and Change a File Name Extension in Vista


Some Common Default Icon Registry Locations:

• Unknown file icon - HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Unknown\DefaultIcon
• Folder icon - HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder DefaultIcon

   Tip

You can also use the free configuration utilty program named Types to easily change a file extension icon to what you like in a easy to use window instead of through the registry.

   Warning

• You will need to use a 256x256 pixel icon that was made for Vista for them to display properly at all of the available icon view sizes in Vista. For more about Vista icons, see: Icons in Windows Vista
• Some programs may automatically reset the default file extension icon back to the default one it uses even after you have changed it. This tutorial will not work for these programs.
• If you change the default program for what opens the file extension, it will also change the icon of the file extension to be whatever it is for the program you selected uses.

EXAMPLE: The Default .txt File Extension Type Icon

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Here's How:
NOTE: For this tutorial, I am going to use just the file extensions .txt and .mp3 as an example. You can change any other files extension you like. Just substitute the file extension you want to change in the steps below instead.

1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​

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3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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4. If Using the Default Program in Vista to Open With​

NOTE: You would use this option if you are using the default program that Vista uses to open the file extension.​

A) In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: Substitute .txt with the file extension you want to change instead.​

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt​

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B) In the right pane of the file extension, look at the Data value to the right of (Default). (See screenshot above)​

NOTE: For example it is txtfile for the .txt file extension type.​

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C) Go to step 6.​

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5. If Using a 3rd Party Program as the Default Program to Open With​

NOTE: You would do this option if you have changed the program used to open the file extension to a 3rd party program instead of the one Vista used by default.​

A) In regedit, go to: (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: Substitute .mp3 with the file extension you want to change instead.​

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.mp3\UserChoice

NOTE: If you do not have the UserChoice key, then in the left pane, right click on the file extension (ex: .mp3) and click on New and Key. Type UserChoice and press Enter.​

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B) In the right pane of UserChoice, look at the Data value to the right of Progid. (See screenshot above)​

NOTE: For example it is WMP11.AssocFile.MP3 for the .mp3 file extension type by default. Your value will vary depending on the default program you have to open this file extension.​

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6. In regedit, scroll down past all the file extensions and keep going until you see: (See screenshots below 7)​

NOTE: Substitute txtfile with the Data value from step 4B or 5B for the file extension you want to change instead.​

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\txtfile ​

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7. Click on the arrow next to txtfile to expand the key (folder).​

NOTE: Substitute txtfile with the Data value from step 4B or 5B for the file extension you want to change instead.​

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8. To Backup the Default File Extension Type Icon Settings​

NOTE: To restore the default file extension type icon settings from this created backup below, right click on the .reg backup file and click on Merge. Next, approve the merge and log off and log on to apply the change.​

A) Right click on DefaultIcon and click on Export. (See screenshot below step 9)​

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B) Select a location to where you want to save the backup (reg file) at. (See screenshot below)​

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C) Type in a name and click on the Save button.​

NOTE: Be sure to type in a name that is easily recognized by you for that file extension.​

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9. In the right pane of DefaultIcon, right click on (Default) and click on Modify. (See screenshot below)​

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10. Select Option One or Option Two below for what icon you want to replace the file extension icon with.​

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OPTION ONE

Change File Extension Type Icon to a Saved Icon

A. Download and save a icon of your choice to a location you wish to store this icon at.​

NOTE: See the Warning box at the top of this tutorial for about what kind of icon to use. The icon must stay at this location for as long as it is being used for the file extension.​

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B. After step 9 above, type in the full path of the icon file location from step A and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: For example, I used a icon file on my desktop. Sometimes you will need to add ,0 (number zero) at the end of the full path for it to work. For the example below, C:\Users\User-Name\Desktop\txt file.ico,0​

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C. The registry will now look similar to this. (See screenshot below)​

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D. Go to step 11 below Option Two.​

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OPTION TWO

Change File Extension Type Icon to another Vista Icon

A. Download and install the free program IconViewer.​

NOTE: This program will add the Icons tab to files (ex: imageres.dll) that contain a icon library in them so you can see the icons available in it.​

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B. In Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll and right click on imageres.dll and click on Properties.​

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C. Scroll through the icons and make note of the icon number of the one you want to use to replace the file extension icon with. (See screenshot below)​

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D. After you had made note of the icon number, close the Properties window and the Windows Explorer window.​

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E. After step 9 above, change the number after - at the end to the icon number in step C and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: For example, I wanted to change the icon for the .txt file extension to be icon number 19 from step C instead. If you do not have %SystemRoot%\system 32\imageres.dll,-### in Modify, then change it to this with the number (ex: 19).​

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F. The registry will now look similar to this. (See screenshot below)​

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G. Continue to step 11 below.​

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11. Close Regedit.​

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12. Log off and log on, or restart the computer, to apply the changes.​

NOTE: For the .txt file extension example, the left screenshot below is for after Option One, and the right screenshot is for after Option Two.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Change a Folder Preview Picture in Vista
• How to Change a Shortcut Folder or File Icon in Vista
• How to Change the Open Folder Icon in Vista
• How to Change a Icon in the Control Panel in Vista
• How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as a Standard Yellow Folder Icon in Vista
• How to Change a Drive Icon in Vista
• How to Restore and Change a Desktop Icon in Vista
• How to Change the Desktop Control Panel Icon in Vista
• How to Rebuild the Icon Cache in Vista
• How to Hide a Folder or Shortcut Icon in Vista
• How to Change a Folder Icon in Vista
• How to Associate a Individual File Extension Type With a Program in Vista
• How to Unassociate a File Extension Type in Vista
• How to Show and Change a File Name Extension in Vista
• How to Add "Show/Hide Known File Extensions" to Context Menu in Vista and Windows 7
• Restore Default Vista File Extension Type Associations
• How to Change the Vista Default Folder Icon

 

[Brink]

Nice addition Mr.T. Let me know when it is out of beta, or when you believe it is 100% stable. I will add it to the free software list.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[MrThunderbird]

It's stable right now actually, 'you cannot load many extensions at one run though, because it will get a crash exception. (working on it atm, it gives me a generic GDI+ error).

 

[MrThunderbird]

Well, I'm finished with it! (there will be updates of course, new features and such! )

Extension Manager v1.0!

This tool makes it very easy to manage extensions' icons, and even descriptions with a few clicks.
Now also has functions like changing drive icons, changing OEM logo and info, and registration info!

v1.0 - 23.10.08

- Bugfix #9 - Finally fixed the biggest bug of them all, when you try to load too many extensions in one run
- Added 'Edit Templates'
- Added 'USB Drive Icons'
- Added 'Change Registration Info'
- Added 'Change OEM Info'
- Added icons
- Some UI changes
- Should be stable now!

Download:
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting

More Info here: Extension Manager - Mr. Thunderbird's Hideout

 

[Brink]

Thank you Mr.Thunderbird.

It has been added to the free software list under E.

Shawn

 

[MrThunderbird]

Thanks Brink

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.

 

[c627627]

Unfortunately, v1.0 of the program crashes when started on my system.


The problem with the original explanation was that it doesn't work if you change the default program you open the extension with.

 

[Brink]

Hello c627627,

I'm sorry, but what program are you referring to? This tutorial does not have a program mentioned in it.

Shawn

 

[c627627]

Let's say you wish to change the icon for .mp3 extension.

The icon is changed as long as .mp3 files are opened with Windows Media Player 11.

As soon as you change the default program for .mp3 files, the icon for them changes... but the .mp3 registry entry for Default will still point to WMP11.AssocFile.MP3... so now where do you go to change the icon, since WMP 11 no longer opens .mp3 files.

 

[Brink]

Ok, I see now what you meant.

You would just scroll down further until you see WMP11.AssocFile.MP3 listed in the left pane (step 7). From there you would change the default icon as in step 9. It will down past the other file extensions a bit.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[c627627]

Yes, and when you change the DefaultIcon there, the change will only be effective if .mp3 files are opened by default with WMP11, not if they are opened by default with another program.

 

[Brink]

As in the warning box at the top of the tutorial, some 3rd party programs will just not let you change the file extension icon when they are set as the default program. I do not know of any way around it.

Sorry,
Shawn

 

[c627627]

Thank you Shawn, you run a great place here.

Searches for the type of problems Vista users face lead here, it would be worth it for Microsoft Corporation to look at the complaints and solutions found here.


It turns out that registry edit often fails to change the icons for extensions that are no longer opened with programs they are set to be open at Windows install.

Freeware [MY EDIT: It's not freeware, sorry ] here Creative Element Power Tools allows the icon change regardless of this. You start the program > scroll down where it says in blue: Start File Type Doctor now... and then you can change the icons.


Off topic: If you CTRL+A in Vista, the Status Bar will show the total file size in the right corner of that folder just like it used to in earlier Windows versions. Can you confirm that there is no registry hack to enable this by default in Vista?

 

[Brink]

To bad the program is only a trial evaluation version though, but it is a nice program for this.

I do not know of any registry hack to enable the CTRL+A by default.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[c627627]

Oh my bad, I thought it was freeware, if anyone knows of freeware that can do this, please posts since I suppose we're in agreement this can't be done fully just by registry hacks.

 

[Brink]

No problem c627627.

I agree.

 

[c627627]

Brink, I think I got it, time to edit the guide if confirmed:


Let's say you change the program that opens your .mp3 extension, then you go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.mp3\UserChoice

and there simply double click on Progid which reveals the XXX.AssocFile.mp3File

Now just do a search for XXX.AssocFile.mp3File and you'll be able to change the DefaultICon found under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\XXX.AssocFile.mp3File\DefaultIcon





Now let's figure out how to display CTRL+A info in the right bottom corner every time you enter a Vista folder I'll also try to figure out if COPY PASTE CUT etc. buttons can be used in Vista with a mod.

 

[Brink]

Very nice c627627. I will update the tutorial for this shortly.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[c627627]

I also appear to have found freeware (this time for real): types 1.2.5

Types

 

[Brink]

Very nice c627627. I will add as TIP box at the top of the tutorial, and to the free software list.

Thank you,
Shawn