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

 

[Wighty44]

After following the instructions for OPTION ONE:Change File Extension Type Icon to a Saved Icon, I'm not getting any icon change.

- Download and save a icon of your choice to a location you wish. I downloaded a nice ZIP file of Vista icons (both in .png & .ico formats [128x128, 32 bit color], and stored them in c:\users\user-name\icons\Folders [15 icons in this folder].

- Using regedit, I went to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\DefaultIcon and in the right pane changed %SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,3 to c:\user\user-name\icons\Folders\Folder.ico

- After closing Regedit, I restarted the computer, to apply the changes - or so I thought. All the folder icons in Win explorer show the same Vista default icon.

Does anyone see what I may have done incorrectly? Perhaps this tip does not work on x64 systems?

 

[Brink]

Hello Wighty,

It works with the 32-bit and 64-bit Vista. Here are some items to check and try:

• Unzipped the files in the folder
• Turn off Windows Explorer thumbnails
• Try quotes around the file path - "c:\user\user-name\icons\Folders\Folder.ico"
• Try different icon sizes in Windows Explorer

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Dwarf]

Hi Wighty,

I think that I might have spotted where the problem lies:

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 will automatically reset the default file extension icon back to the one it uses even after you have changed it. This will not work for these.
• If you change the default program for the file extension, it will also change the icon for it to whatever the program you selected as the new default uses.

I downloaded a nice ZIP file of Vista icons (both in .png & .ico formats [128x128, 32 bit color]

Your icon file has 128 x 128 instead of 256 x 256 pixel icons. As a result, they will not display properly (see above).

What happens when you click on Views to cycle through the different display layouts?

 

[Wighty44]

Thank guys, I appreciate the help...

I tried all of Shawn's suggestions, but still no icon change (BTW, the .ico files were already unzipped in the \icons folder)

Onto Dwarf's thoughts. I know I said the icons were 128x128x32, but on closer inspection they may actually be 256x256x32. The icon source is a ZIP file named Aeon_Icon_Pack.ZIP from vistaicons.com. As I rechecked that website, it states, "Aeon Icon Pack contains 150 high quality (256x256 pixels) icons; PNG and ICO formats." So I did not proper identify their size in my earlier post. Sorry to mislead anyone.

In case anyone would like to see my "trial" icon, a copy is attached to this post - maybe test it on your system?

Although this isn't a critical issue, I know this TIP should work, and it's quite annoying (to me) that I'm unable to make use of these hi-quality icons...

 

[Brink]

Wighty,

You might give one of these programs a try to see if can change it for you.

Change Vista icons, Change folder icons, Remove shortcut arrows

or

Folder Icon Changer - folder icon,change folder icon,extract icon,free icon,icon resource

 

[Wighty44]

Tried both programs. File Icon Changer allows me to change a single icon, but not any of the file type defaults on a global level.

As a paid program, I guess I expected more from Microangelo On Display. Its capabilities were quite limited. Most of what it could do can be done through the Vista's Personaliztion interface. And yet, it also did not provide a means to change file type defaults on a global level.

However, I appreciate your continuing help... I know there's a registery answer somewhere.

 

[Brink]

Wighty,

Here's another one for you to try.

Tweak and Optimize your Windows Vista - Vista Manager

 

[Agent47]

Hi,

This is in regards to my issue stated here

Anyway thought I would just reply here.

Ok I followed your steps for manually changing the icon for .xml files but when I go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml, I don't see the DefaultIcon folder so how do I go about changing the icon? I have tried manually creating the DefaultIcon folder and inserting the value: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\Dreamweaver.exe,459 in this case 459 being the icon number for the xml file, but that doesn't seem to work after restarting the machine. I have also tried putting C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\Dreamweaver.exe,-459. No luck in that. Also tried putting quotes like this "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\Dreamweaver.exe",459. Still no luck.

Am I missing something? I desperately need your help as I have no idea what to do next and the xml file showing a blank paper icon is starting to piddle me off. Please help

Looking forward to some positive feedback.

 

[Brink]

Hi Agent47,

In step 4 for .xml, you will notice that you will need to go to the .xmlfile next in step 6. There you will find the DefaultIcon folder to change the icon.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Agent47]

Hi Brink,

OK I managed to find the DefaultIcon folder for xmlfile. I tried the following values:
1. "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico"
2. C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico
3. "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico",0

Note: I created the xml.ico from the IconViewer you suggested in your tutorial.

Restarted my machine, but still no change in icon. It still shows the blank paper icon. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Agent47,

See if these may work for you instead.

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico"

OR

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico,0"

OR

C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS4\xml.ico,0

 

[Agent47]

Hello Brink,

Thanks for all your patience and support.

Unfortunately your values didn't work.

OK lets start from the beginning. I installed Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 and realized that xml files don't show the Dreamweaver icon. The wierd thing is that all other Dreamweaver related icons show properly like .css, .js files. Anyway for simplicity I have created an xml.ico icon from the IconViewer and placed it under my drive E: (E:\xml.ico). The "Opens with" it set to Adobe Dreamweaver CS4.

I go to the registry and find HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\xmlfile\DefaultIcon and try the following values and restart my laptop:

1. "E:\xml.ico",0
2. "E:\xml.ico"
3. "E:\xml.ico,0"
4. E:\xml.ico,0
5. E:\xml.ico

Apparently none of the values seem to be working. The annoying blank paper icon is still showing. Viewing the xml.ico in Extra Large icons, shows perfectly, so I don't think size of the icon could be the problem.

My case is probably the wierdest so if there is no solution to this I guess I will just have to live with it unless you find some other means that can help me fix this issue.

I'm still open to any other suggestions and hopefully get a solution.

By the way I noticed that when I view the xml files in Details view, I don't see the Type field. It's blank, however when I change the "Opens with" to something else like say Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, the Type field says XML Document. So I am assuming that the problem could be that it can't detect the Type field when set to open with Dreamweaver.

Thanks once again,

Wasim

 

[Brink]

Wasim,

As a test, try OPTION TWO with a default Vista icon for it to see if it may be the icon that you are using, or that the program may not allow it to be changed.

 

[Agent47]

Hello Brink,

I have now used %SystemRoot%\system 32\imageres.dll,-102 which is a txtfile icon but still it doesn't change the icon of the xml file. I think it could be that the Type field is not detected with Dreamweaver. Any idea how to fix the Type issue? May be that could then fix the icon issue.

Thanks

 

[Brink]

Sorry, but when the program overrides the icon change, there is nothing that can be done that I know of.

 

[Agent47]

oh well I guess I will just have to live with the curse

Thanks anyway for all the trouble.

 

[shalimar]

Can somebody help?

I am trying to change my default Vista folder icon (yellow folder) but it is not working.

Steps:
1) Navigated to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT > folder > DefaultIcon
2) Modified the registry file with my 256*256 icon
3) Closed RegEdit and Restarted

I have tried:
"C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico,0"
C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico,0
"C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico"
C:\Users\Bob\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico

I even turned thumbnail preview on and off to see if that was problem.
I have tried 128 and 256 icons and changed the size on the desktop.

Thank you for the help.


S.

 

[Brink]

Hello Shalimar,

Try the combinations with this below to see if it may work for you.

%UserProfle%\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico,0
%UserProfle%\Documents\Icons\Circlebowl.ico

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Soulfinger]

Alrighty Shawn,
Hope your well? Back again? Think this will be an easy one for you? I’m trying to change the WinRAR icon to a nice shiny one? (Now you can tell I’m board? Lol)

Followed your instructions – create a new key called Default icon then in the properties of that key on the right put the location of the new file – but no joy.

It’s in the registry at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.rar
In there was just one Key called ShellNew and in there is
Default - (value not set)
FileName - C:Program Files (x86)\WinRAR\rarnew.dat

Thought rarnew.dat might have something to do with the icon but not sure.

I have tried right clicking on a rar file but no options to change the icon

Apologies if this has already been mentioned.
Thanks again Shawn.

 

[Brink]

Hi Soulfinger,

Since you are using the program WinRAR, you would need to use step 5 instead to see if the RAR is there.

Hope this helps,
Shawn