Folder Icon Change

How to Change a Folder Icon in Vista and Windows 7​

   Information

This will show you how to change a folder icon to any icon you would like.

   Note

You will not be able to change a protected system folder icon. For example: C:\Windows, C:\Program Files, C\Windows\System32, etc...

   Tip

• To fix the User Folders instead, see: How to Fix a Personal User Shell Folder Displayed as a Standard Yellow Folder Icon in Vista
• To change all of the default yellow folder icons, you can change the Folder key's default icon full path to one you want instead using step 6 on in this tutorial.

   Warning

If you change the folder icon, the folder will no longer show a thumbnail preview of it's content. It will show your icon instead.

EXAMPLE: Before and After Icon Change

​

​

Here's How:

1. Right click on the folder and click on Properties.​

​

2. Click on the Customize tab. (see screenshot below)​

​

3. To Change the Folder Icon​

A) Click on the Change Icon button.​

​

​

​

​

B) Select a icon and click on OK to apply. (see screenshot below)​

​

NOTE: Some common icon locations in both Vista and Windows 7. ​

• C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll (Recommended one to use)
• C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll
• C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

​

​

​

OR​

​

C) Click on Browse to choose a icon of your own. (see screenshot above)​

NOTE: For the best icon size results, use a 256x256 pixel .ico (Icon) file.​

​

D) Navigate to where you have the icon saved. (see screenshot below)​

​

E) Select the icon and click on Open.​

​

​

​

​

F) Click on OK to apply. (see screenshot from step 4 above)​

​

4. To Restore the Default Folder Icon​

A) Click on the Restore Defaults button. (see screenshot below step 3A)​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• 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 See the Folder Size in Vista
• How to Hide a Folder or Shortcut Icon in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Change a File Extension Type Icon in Vista
• How to Change the Vista Default Folder Icon
• How to Change the Windows 7 Default Folder Icon
• How to Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icons using Resource Hacker

 

[claustrawberry]

hey, how to change documents folder, or pictures folder or download folder?
because it doesnt have a folder icon option like in this tutorial

 

[Brink]

Hi Claustrawberry,

If you look at the properties for these folders from the C:\Users\(User Name) location instead of from the Start menu, you will see the same Customize tab as in the tutorial. It should change the folder icon at both locations though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[claustrawberry]

thanks alot shawn..
yipiiee... finally i can change my icons..

 

[Brink]

LOL, your welcome Claustrawberry.

If you ever wanted to changed them back to the default icons again, then this tutorial will show you how to if needed.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90705-personal-user-shell-folders.html

 

[Tiggy]

How can I change the icons for apps such as itunes, which don't offer an icon change option on the personalization pop-up?

 

[Brink]

Hello Tiggy, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If you mean just for the iTunes program file, then you can create a shortcut of it and change the shortcut icon to whatever you like then.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Tiggy]

Thanks, I think that should sort it out. Will that work for other programs like my internet security thingy, which has the ugliest icon ever? And while I'm at it, I'm not sure how to make my trash can icon change either, I'm sure I'm just being stupid, but can you help?

 

[Brink]

No problem Tiggy, (See my signature about questions )

Yep, it will work on any shortcut that you create.

For the Recycle Bin, you can use this to change the icon.

 

[Tiggy]

Thanks! My desktop looks prettiful now.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Tiggy. I'm happy to hear that you got your desktop how you like it now.

 

[spoiled1379]

That works for regular folders but I am trying to change the icon for the Music folder. For some reason the icon for my Music folder defaulted to a yellow folder icon instead of the blue with a cd/music note. Is there any way to change this back without doing a system restore.

I am not really sure when the folder icon changed I just noticed it one day so I am not sure if I installed something that changed it or what happened.

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Spoiled,

As per the yellow TIP box at the top of the tutorial, you can use the tutorial below to fix a user folder.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90705-personal-user-shell-folders.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[knoughtyd]

Is there a way to make a SYSTEM WIDE CHANGE to the yellow folder icon in vista?? It would be impracticle to change the icons one by one.

 

[Brink]

Hello Knoughtyd,

Yes. This tutorial was just for changing one folder's icon.

You can change the Folder key's default icon full path to one you want instead using step 6 on in the tutorial below to do so.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/178915-file-extension-type-icon-change.html

You may need to have the full path like this example though for it work.

C:\full path of icon,0

instead of

C:\full path of icon

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Andyk119]

Hi there,
the tutorial is brilliant!
But when i right click my 'Videos' folder there isnt an option to change the icon :S

 

[Brink]

Hello Andy, and welcome to Vista Forums.

For User Folders, you will need to unhide the Protected Operating System Files first. Next, open the Desktop.ini file inside the Videos folder. Now, change the icon full path location to the icon that you want to use instead.

IconFile=fullpath of you icon

Click on File and Save in Notepad. It should be changed now. Sometimes you will need to log off and log on to apply though.



If you ever wanted to restore it back to the default icon, then this will show you how to.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/90705-personal-user-shell-folders.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Andyk119]

Wouldn't it just be easier to create a new folder, change the icon of that to the default video icon, and then copy all of the stuff to that folder?

 

[Brink]

Andy,

Sorry, but no. User folders use a symbolic link with the C:\Users\(user name) folders and the other locations like in the Start Menu. If you were to just create a new folder, it would not be linked with the C:\Users\(user name) folder location.

For the default Icon, you can use the download at that link though instead for that folder.

 

[Andyk119]

Oops, i did that with my 'Downloads' folder, and then deleted it, now there're all muddled up What do i do?

Edit:
it's ok now, i solved the problem, i just fiddled around with it for a bit... now trying to sort out other folder

 

[MRBurn86]

Hi,

I'm new to the forums, and have been searching for a guide to change my folder icons. I'm aware of how to change each folder individually, but is there a way to change the master default? Basically, I want to change EVERY folder at once, and default it so that when I make a new folder, it is also already the new icon that I want. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.

Burn

*edit: Forgot to add: I'd like to customize an empty folder icon and not empty folder icon separately, as I've created two separate icons for each. I'm know I'm a pain, but I'm a little particular like that. Thanks again in advance.