Как поменять иконки на ноутбуке windows 11 — Ваш верный помощник с OS Windows

Applies ToWindows 11 Windows 10

Support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025

After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11.

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Your desktop is the first thing you encounter when you sign in to Windows, and having it organized to your liking can significantly enhance your productivity and overall experience. This article describes how to customize the default desktop icons, add new shortcuts, adjust their size to suit your preferences, and show or hide all icons as needed.

Customize the default desktop icons

By default, Windows includes the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. Essential icons that you can customize include:

This PC: Provides access to the computer’s drives and connected devices
Recycle Bin: Where deleted files are temporarily stored
Network: Allows you to view and connect to network resources
User’s Files: A shortcut to your personal folders

Additional shortcuts can be added to suit individual preferences and enhance productivity.

To customize the default desktop icons:

In the Settings app on your Windows device, select Personalization > Themes or use the following shortcut:

Themes
Select Desktop icon settings
Select the icons you would like to have on your desktop, then select OK

Note: The option Allow themes to change desktop icons allows or prevents themes from changing the icons used for common desktop shortcuts such as This PC, User’s Files, Network, and Recycle Bin. By default, themes are allowed to change these icons. However, if you have customized these icons to your preference, you might not want them to be altered whenever you change your theme.

Screenshot of the desktop icon settings in Windows.

Add shortcuts to your desktop

By placing frequently used applications, files, and folders directly on your desktop, you can access them quickly without navigating through multiple menus or folders. This can save time and reduce the effort needed to perform routine tasks.

To add shortcuts to your desktop, you can use one of these options:

Right-click on an empty area of the desktop
Select New > Shortcut
Follow the prompts to create a shortcut to a specific file, folder, or web page

Screenshot of right-click data-lazy-src=

New.» width=»756″>

Select Start and select All to display a list of all installed applications
Scroll through the list to find the app for which you want to create a shortcut
Drag and drop the app you want to create a shortcut for to the desktop

Navigate to the file or folder you want to add
Right-click on the file or folder and select Show more options > Send to > Desktop (create shortcut)

Open your web browser and navigate to the web page you want to add
Click and drag the padlock icon (next to the URL) to your desktop

Resize the desktop icons

Resizing desktop icons can be useful for improving accessibility and organization. For example, if you have a high-resolution monitor, the default icon size might appear too small, making it difficult to identify and click on the icons. By increasing the icon size, you can make them more visible and easier to interact with. Conversely, if you have many icons on your desktop and want to fit more on the screen without scrolling, reducing the icon size can help you manage your workspace more efficiently.

Right-click on an empty area of the desktop
Select View and then choose between Large icons, Medium icons, or Small icons to adjust their size.

Tip: You can also use the scroll wheel on your mouse to resize desktop icons. On the desktop, press and hold Ctrl while you scroll the wheel to make icons larger or smaller.

Screenshot of the contextual menu on the desktop that appears when you right-click.

Show or hide all desktop icons

Hiding desktop icons can be useful in various scenarios. For instance, if you’re giving a presentation or sharing your screen during a meeting, hiding desktop icons can help create a cleaner and more professional appearance. It can also be beneficial if you want to focus on a specific task without the distraction of numerous icons cluttering your desktop.

Right-click on an empty area of the desktop
Select View, and then uncheck Show desktop icons. This will temporarily hide all icons, and you can easily show them again by rechecking the same option.

Tip: If you hide your desktop icons and need to access the desktop, you can do so through File Explorer. Simply open File Explorer , and select Desktop in the navigation pane.

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Источник

В Windows 11 для различных элементов: значков «Этот компьютер» и «Корзина», папок, файлов, дисков и других элементов используются привычные и стандартные значки, слегка обновленные по сравнению с предыдущими версиями системы. При желании, эти значки (или иконки) можно поменять.

В этой пошаговой инструкции подробно о том, как изменить значки для различных элементов в Windows 11, а также кратко о том, где взять файлы для значков/иконок.

Изменение значков системных элементов рабочего стола: Этот компьютер, Корзина, Папка пользователя, Сеть

На рабочем столе Windows 11 могут размещаться системные значки, не являющиеся папками или ярлыками: самые часто используемые — Этот компьютер (Мой компьютер) и Корзина. Изменить иконки для них можно в параметрах значков рабочего стола.

Шаги будут следующими:

Откройте параметры значков рабочего стола, для этого можно нажать правой кнопкой мыши по кнопке «Пуск», выбрать пункт «Выполнить» и ввести desk.cpl ,5 (пробел перед запятой обязателен) или перейти в Параметры — Персонализация — Темы — Параметры значков рабочего стола. Подробнее на тему: Как включить значок компьютера на рабочем столе Windows 11.
Выберите нужный элемент, иконку которого вы хотите изменить и нажмите «Сменить значок».

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Выберите нужный значок из файлов ICO, библиотек DLL или файлов EXE. Подробнее о том, где раздобыть значки — в конце инструкции.

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Примените сделанные настройки.

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Аналогичным образом вы можете поменять другие системные значки, например, установить свои иконки полной и пустой корзины.

Как изменить значки папки или ярлыка

Изменение значков папок и ярлыков Windows 11 выполняется почти одинаково, необходимые шаги:

Нажмите правой кнопкой мыши по папке или ярлыку и выберите пункт «Свойства» в контекстном меню.

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Если это папка, то перейдите на вкладку «Настройка» и нажмите кнопку «Сменить значок». Если это ярлык, то перейдите на вкладку «Ярлык» и нажмите кнопку «Сменить значок».

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Выберите нужный значок из файлов иконок (ICO) или содержащих значки библиотек DLL и файлов EXE, примените настройки.

В результате значок выбранного элемента будет изменён. Если этого не произошло, нажмите клавишу F5 на рабочем столе (если значок располагается на нём) или в нужной папке, чтобы обновить отображаемые значки. В контексте темы может пригодиться: Как убрать стрелки с ярлыков Windows 11.

Изменение значков дисков Windows 11

В отличие от выше рассмотренных элементов, изменение значков дисков выполняется не столь очевидными методами. Для выполнения этой задачи придётся использовать редактор реестра:

Нажмите правой кнопкой мыши по кнопке «Пуск» и выберите пункт «Выполнить», введите regedit и нажмите Enter для открытия редактора реестра.

Перейдите к разделу реестра

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons

Нажмите правой кнопкой мыши по разделу DriveIcons, выберите «Создать» — «Раздел» и создайте раздел с именем, соответствующим букве диска, например, C.
Внутри созданного подраздела создайте ещё один с именем DefaultIcon.
Выберите созданный подраздел и в правой панели редактора реестра дважды нажмите по значению «По умолчанию».

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В поле «Значение» укажите путь к файлу иконки (ICO) в кавычках, либо к индексу иконки в файле DLL без кавычек (пример: C:\Windows\system32\imageres.dll,-55).

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Примените сделанные настройки. Может потребоваться перезапуск проводника.

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В результате, когда вы повторно откроете проводник, вы увидите изменённый значок диска. Есть и другие способы сделать это, более подробно в инструкции Как изменить значок (иконку) диска или флешки в Windows.

Изменение значков для типов файлов

При необходимости вы можете изменить значки для типов файлов. Ранее это была сравнительно простая задача, которая выполнялась почти так же, как смена значков для дисков в реестре: путем замены значения по умолчанию DefaultIcon для типа файла. Сегодня, когда для стандартных типов файлов многие иконки берутся из приложений Microsoft Store, выполнение задачи в реестре возможно, но трудоёмко.

Я рекомендую использовать бесплатную утилиту NirSoft FileTypesMan — в ней достаточно будет дважды нажать по нужному типу файла и задать нужный значок в пункте «Default Icon», как на изображении ниже.

Останется лишь применить настройки, чтобы значок всех файлов с указанным расширением изменился на выбранный.

Где взять значки для Windows

Значки для Windows 11 можно найти как в системе, так и скачать из Интернета или даже сделать самостоятельно.

В папке C:\Windows\System32 есть несколько библиотек DLL с хорошими наборами системных значков: imageres.dll, shell32.dll, ddores.dll. Для определения индекса иконок в DLL можно использовать утилиту NirSoft IconsExtract.
Файлы значков с расширением .ico можно найти в Интернете.
Файлы PNG с прозрачным фоном можно найти в Интернете, а при необходимости — нарисовать самостоятельно, после чего использовать любой онлайн-конвертер PNG в ICO
Есть программы для создания и редактирования иконок, причем в одном файле ICO могут быть значки с разными разрешениями. Можно обойтись и без программ, а с помощью онлайн-сервисов, например, xiconeditor.com

Если у вас остаются вопросы, касающиеся изменения значков различных элементов в Windows 11 — задавайте их в комментариях, не исключено, что решение найдётся.

Источник

Windows 11 offers a fresh and visually appealing interface, but you might still want to customize it further by changing the default icons. Whether you want to personalize your folders, desktop icons, app shortcut icons, or even drive icons, this guide will walk you through the step-by-step process.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to give your Windows 11 system a unique touch that reflects your personal style.

How to Download Custom Icons for Windows 11

Custom icons can add a touch of personality and flair to your Windows 11 system. Before you change icons in Windows 11, you’ll need to find and download the best custom icons you want to use.

Follow these steps to download custom icons:

1. Open your web browser and visit a trusted website that offers custom icon packs. There are several websites available, such as IconArchive, DeviantArt, and WinCustomize, where you can find a wide range of icon collections.

2. Use the search function on the website to look for icon packs compatible with Windows 11. Remember, Windows OS supports the “.ico” format only. You can also browse through different categories to find the perfect icons for your customization needs.

3. Once you find an icon pack you like, click on the download button or link provided. Make sure to save the file to a location on your computer where you can easily access it later.

4. Extract the downloaded icon pack if it’s in a compressed format like ZIP or RAR. Most icon packs are already in a ready-to-use format, so extraction may not be necessary.

Congratulations! You now have a collection of custom icons ready to be applied to various elements in Windows 11.

How to Change Folder Icons in Windows 11

Changing folder icons in Windows 11 allows you to visually distinguish between folders and give them a more appealing look.

Follow these steps to change the icons of your folders in Windows 11:

1. Right-click on the folder you want to customize and select Properties from the context menu.

2. In the “Properties” window, navigate to the Customize tab.

3. Click on the Change Icon button located at the bottom of the window, under the “Folder icons” heading.

4. A new window will appear, showing a list of available icons. Select one of the available icons you like.

5. To use a custom icon, click the Browse button and locate the icon file you downloaded earlier.

5. Select the desired icon and click OK to confirm your selection.

6. Back in the “Properties” window, click Apply, and then OK to save the changes.

How to Customize Desktop Icons in Windows 11

Customizing your default desktop icons (This PC, Recycle Bin, etc.) can help you create a more visually pleasing and organized workspace.

To change the icons of shortcuts and files on your desktop, follow these steps:

1. Press Windows + I to launch Windows 11 Settings.

2. Scroll down and under “Related settings,” click the Desktop icon settings.

3. Select the icon you want to modify and click the Change Icon button.

4. Choose the new icon from the defaults or browse for the downloaded one. Click OK.

How to Change App Shortcut Icon in Windows 11

If you want to give your app shortcuts a unique appearance, for example, changing the Discord app icon, you can change their icons in Windows 11. Follow these steps to customize the icons of your app shortcuts:

1. Right-click on the shortcut whose icon you want to change.

2. From the context menu, select Properties.

3. In the “Properties” window, navigate to the Shortcut tab.

4. Click on the Change Icon button.

5. Similar to the previous method, a window with a list of available icons will appear. Either select one of the default icons or click the Browse button and locate the custom icon file you downloaded.

6. Choose the desired icon and click OK.

7. Finally, click Apply and then OK to save the changes.

How to Customize Drive Icon in Windows 11

You can change the icons of your drives in Windows 11 to help you easily identify and differentiate between different storage devices.

To give your drives a unique icon in Windows 11, follow these steps:

1. Copy and paste the icon you want to set as the drive icon at a specific location.

2. Navigate to that location, select the intended icon, click the three dots at the top bar to see more options, and select Copy path. Keep it safe somewhere.

3. Now, press Windows + R to launch Run Comand Box.

4. Type regedit in the command box and hit enter to launch the Registry Editor window.

5. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons

6. Right-click on the DriveIcons folder and select New->Key. Name the key to the drive letter you are changing the icon for. For example, if you are changing the icon of drive E, name the key E.

7. Now, right-click on the newly created key and select New->Key. Name this key DefaultIcon.

8. Under the DefaultIcon key, double-click the (Default) registry string to launch its properties window.

9. Under “Value data,” paste the path of the icon you copied and click OK.

10. Close the Registry Editor window.

11. Launch the File Explorer, and you will notice that the drive icon has changed.

FAQs

Can I revert back to the default icons in Windows 11?

Yes, you can revert to the default icons by following the same steps as changing icons, but instead of selecting a custom icon, choose the original icon associated with the element.

Are there any risks involved in changing icons in Windows 11?

Changing icons in Windows 11 is a safe and reversible process. It doesn’t affect the functionality or stability of your system.

Can I create my own custom icons for Windows 11?

Yes, you can create your own custom icons using image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or free online icon editors. Just make sure to save the icon files in a compatible format, such as ICO or PNG.

Summing Up

Customizing icons in Windows 11 allows you to infuse your personality into the operating system’s appearance. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you now possess the knowledge to download custom icons, change folder icons, modify desktop shortcuts and app icons, and even give your drives a fresh look. Embrace your creativity and make Windows 11 truly your own!

Источник

What to know

Change icons from a file or a folder’s Properties > Customize tab > Change icon. You can also use custom or downloaded icons using the ‘Browse’ option.
To change desktop icons, navigate to Settings > Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings.
Various third-party apps, such as 7tsp, also let you customize and change icons.

Windows 11 brings along numerous UI changes that have been welcomed by users for the most part. However, you no longer get previews of the contents of a folder when viewing icons and some find the new quick access icons to be misaligned.

If you too are in the same boat and would like to change your icons then here’s all you need to know about it.

When changing your icons natively, some items allow you to change your icons, and then some items don’t allow you to change your icons.

Follow the different methods below to change icons on Windows 11.

Method 1: Changing icons for supported apps

Find the item whose icon you wish to change and right-click on the same. Select ‘Properties’ from the context menu. Alternatively, you can also select the item and hit Alt + Enter on your keyboard.

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Switch to the ‘Customize’ tab.
Now click on ‘Change icon…’.
Select an icon from the selection on your screen. If you wish to use a custom icon, then you can click on ‘Browse…’ and select the same from your local storage.
Note: Windows File Explorer only supports .ico format for icon files for now.
Click on ‘OK’ once you are done.
Click on ‘OK’ again.
And that’s it!

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You will now have changed the icon for the selected item in File Explorer.

Note: You can only change the icon for such apps while they are in the File Explorer or added to your desktop. Pinning these items to your taskbar or Start menu will revert them to using their default icons.

Related: How to Create Start Menu Folders in Windows 11 and Rename Them

Method 2: Change system icons not supported natively

Press Windows + i on your keyboard and click on ‘Personalization’ on your left.

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Click on ‘Themes’.

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Scroll down and click on ‘Desktop icon settings’.

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Click and select the desired system icon from the list on your screen and click on ‘Change icon’.
Note: For system items unavailable in this panel, you can skip to the next section.
Select an icon from the list on your screen. If you wish to use a custom icon then you can click on ‘Browse…’ and select the same from your local storage.
Once selected, click on ‘OK’.
Click on ‘OK’ and you will have now changed the selected system icons on your PC.

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Related: How to Search in Windows 11 [4 Ways Explained]

Method 3: Change other icons not supported natively

Press Windows + R on your keyboard, type in the following, and press Enter on your keyboard: shell:AppsFolder

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You will now have a list of most system icons as well as user-installed apps on your PC. Find the one you wish to change and right-click on the same.

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Select ‘Create shortcut’.

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You will now be notified that a shortcut cannot be created in the same, location. Click on ‘Yes’ to create the shortcut on your desktop instead.

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Close the folder and select the new icon on your desktop. Press Alt+ Enter on your keyboard once selected.

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Now click on ‘Change Icon…’.
Select the icon you wish to use from the list on your screen. You can click on ‘Browse…’ instead if you wish to use a custom icon.
Now click on ‘OK’.
Click on ‘OK’ again.
The icon for the selected item should now have been changed.

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Related: 6 Ways to Shutdown Windows 11 Without Updating [Works 100%]

Method 4: Using a third-party app called 7tsp

Third-party apps can help you change icons across your PC with a single click. Sadly most haven’t been updated in a while but 7tsp seems to work great on Windows 11. Follow the steps below to help you along with the process.

Warning: We highly recommend you backup sensitive data and close all running apps before following the guide below. Additionally, we highly recommend you create a system restore point on your PC in case anything goes wrong.

Note: You will need a DeviantArt account for this process. If you don’t already have one, you can use this link to sign up for one before proceeding with the steps below.

7tsp | Download Link

Open the link above and click on the ‘Download icon’ to download 7tsp to your PC.

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Extract the archive to a convenient location and right-click on the file with the .ee extension.

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Rename the extension to ‘.exe’. You can select the icon from the context menu toolbar at the top.

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Once renamed launch the application and click on ‘Add a Custom Pack’.

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Now select the desired icon pack you wish to use. We will be using the icon pack from ‘Proma’ for this guide.

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Now click on ‘Start Patching’.

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Note: While 7tsp does create a system restore point for you, it is known to not be available or readable in some cases. So make sure you create your own restore point beforehand.
Let 7tsp create a restore point on your PC. This will help you revert to your original icons in case something goes wrong.

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Once your files are patched, you will be prompted to restart your system. We recommend you restart your system at the earliest.

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The icons in Windows 11 should now be changed as shown below.

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Related: How to Stop Pop Ups on Windows 11

How to install updates after changing your icons

Updating Windows can be a bit finicky once you’ve changed your icons in File Explorer. Depending on your preferred method above, here’s how you can install updates after changing your icons in Windows 11.

Method 1: If you changed your icons natively

If you changed your icons natively then you do not need to worry about a thing.

Windows updates are always compatible with native icon changes. You can simply go ahead and update your Windows normally without facing any issues

Note: In some cases when receiving updates for Microsoft products or OEM apps that you have changed the icons for, the changes might be reset once the update is installed. In such cases, you will have to change the icons again for such items. This usually happens when the installation structure or the directories for a program get changed with an update.

Method 2: If you used a third-party app to change your icons

If you used a third-party app like 7tsp to change your icons in Windows 11 then it is highly recommended that you restore the default icon pack before applying a Windows update.

Windows stores its icons in .dll files instead of a .ico library. This forces 7tsp to patch these files to change icons across the File Explorer. However, these modified files can cause issues with future Windows updates that are yet to be configured. Thus when using such apps, it is highly recommended that you revert to default icons before updating Windows.

Once you have updated Windows, you can install the pack and patch your files again depending on the compatibility. Here’s how you can restore the default icon pack using 7tsp on your PC.

Open 7tsp on your PC and the currently applied icon pack should already be listed on your left. Click on ‘Restore’ in the bottom right corner of your screen.

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Select ‘Restore modified system files to before 7tsp was used’.

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Now click on ‘Ok’.

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Click on ‘Yes’ to confirm your choice.

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Restart your PC once you are prompted.

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And that’s it! Changes should now be reverted on your PC.

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You can now install a Windows update on your PC as usual. Once the update has been installed, then you can patch your files again to add your custom icon pack to Windows 11.

Related: Switch Out of S Mode Not Working? How to Fix

How to clear your icon cache and restart Windows Explorer

Clearing the icon cache can help you apply custom icons to icons that refuse to show the necessary change. Additionally, this can help solve graphical issues and glitches when used in conjunction with restarting Windows Explorer on Windows 11. Here’s how you can do both on your device.

1. Clear your icon cache

Here’s how you can clear your icon cache in Windows 11, follow the guide below to help you along with the process.

Press Windows + R on your keyboard, type cmd and then press Ctrl + Shift + Enter on your keyboard.

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This will launch the command prompt as an administrator on your PC. Enter and execute the commands below one by one on your PC.

ie4uinit.exe -show

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taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F

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DEL /A /Q "%localappdata%\IconCache.db"

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Your icons should be refreshed once restarted. And that’s how you can rebuild your icon cache in Windows 11.

2. Restart Windows File Explorer

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to open the task manager. Now find Windows Explorer in the list, select it, and click on ‘Restart task’ at the top.

And that’s it! Windows File Explorer should now be automatically restarted on your PC.

Related: How to Check Windows 11 Version

Bonus: Change Folder icons on Windows 11

Here are our various guides to changing the folder icons on Windows 11 in different ways.

Method 1: Change the icon of a regular folder
Method 2: Change a Desktop icon
Method 3: Change the icon of a Shortcut
Method 4: Change drive or disk icon using Registry
Method 5: Change the icon using a third-party app

FAQs

Changing icons can be quite intimidating at first. Thus here are a few commonly asked questions that should help you get up to speed. Let’s get started.

What happens if my icon cache is messed up?

If your icons seem to be messed up or you’re facing bugs that hinder your productivity, then you can easily revert your changes using the System Restore point that we had created earlier.

In case you used 7tsp, you can also use the same to restore your original icons. Once your original icons have been restored we recommend you try using another icon pack or the latest version of 7tsp to help fix this issue.

Is it safe to clear your icon cache?

Yes, it’s completely safe to clear your icon cache and rebuild the same. Windows will automatically rebuild the cache once it detects the old files no longer exists. This usually happens once your PC restarts itself.

Will changing icons impact performance?

Yes, changing icons will impact your performance but this will be negligible when changing your icons natively. However, if you used 7tsp then the performance impact can be noticeable depending on the icon pack you use.

If you face high CPU usage, we recommend you switch to an icon pack compatible with your OS version. In case you can’t find one, we recommend trying one that is at least compatible with Windows 10 1909 or higher.

We hope this post helped you easily change and customize icons on Windows 11. If you face any issues or have any more questions, feel free to reach out to us using the comments section below.

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Источник

Quick Links

Where Can You Find Icons?

How to Change Your Desktop Icons on Windows 11

How to Change the Icon of a Folder or Shortcut

How to Change the Icon of a Folder

How to Change the Icon of a Shortcut

How to Select and Apply an Icon to a Folder or Shortcut

How to Change Icon by File Type

Summary

Customize your desktop icons on Windows 11 by opening the Settings app, navigating to Personalization > Themes > Desktop Icon Settings > Change Icon, and selecting a new icon.
To change the icon of a folder or shortcut, right-click it, select Properties, and then click on the Customize or Shortcut tab.
You must use a third-party program like Nirsoft’s FileTypeMan to change icons representing entire file types.

One of the best things about Windows is the freedom it gives you to customize your user experience. There are dozens of programs available to change the user interface. Here are some ways to customize your icons with the default options in Windows, and some third-party tools.

Where Can You Find Icons?

There are tons of icons freely available on the internet. Just exercise some caution — plenty of sites prey on people looking for things like icon packs, and will install malware or potentially-unwanted-programs (PUPs) if given the opportunity.

Individual icons will typically be an ICO file if they were designed for use with Windows. That said, it isn’t unusual to download an icon in another image format, like PNG, SVG, or ICNS if it was designed to work with multiple operating systems. PNGs and SVGs are especially versatile since they can be readily converted into an icon for any operating system out there.

You should expect icon packages to come in some kind of archival file, like a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file. The archive file should contain typical icon formats. Like before, if you see an executable or anything like one, stay clear.

There are a handful of big sites that have icons you can download:

IconArchive
DeviantArt
IconFinder

If you’re looking for more specific icons, like those specific to a fandom or in a particular style, try a social media group on Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit dedicated to that topic. You might find some intrepid artist has already created what you’re looking for already.

If you can’t find an icon (or icons) that you like, don’t worry: You can make your own!

Make Your Own Icons

You’re always able to make your own custom icons if you don’t want to download an icon or icon pack from the internet. There really is no limit to what you can do here except your imagination — free tools like GIMP and Inkscape are completely up for the task.

You can even make an icon out of an image if you wanted to — all you need is GIMP and a bit of spare time.

How to Change Your Desktop Icons on Windows 11

The major desktop icons — like «This PC,» «Recycle Bin,» «Network,» and a few others — are the easiest icons to change. Windows 11 has options built right in to do just that.

Right-click empty space on your desktop and click «Personalization.»

Scroll down a bit and select «Themes.»

Scroll down again, then click «Desktop Icon Settings.»

Select the icon you’d like to change, then click «Change Icon.» This example will replace the «This PC» icon.

When you click «Change Icon,» you’ll see a whole bunch of other Windows icons you probably recognize. You’re viewing the contents of Imageres.dll, which contains several hundred default Windows icons. You can pick from any of those if you want, or you can load in other icons by clicking «Browse.»

Click "Browse" to navigate to additional icons.

Navigate to wherever you saved your icon, click it, and then click «OK.»

Navigate to the folder with your new icon, select it, then click "OK."

Once you hit OK, there is a preview that’ll show you what the icon will look like. If you like the change, click «Apply.» Otherwise, click «Restore Default.»

That is it — the icon should change immediately. If it doesn’t, right-click empty space on your desktop and hit «Refresh,» or restart your computer. You can return to the Desktop Icon Settings window at any time and hit «Restore Default» to undo any of your customizations.

How to Change the Icon of a Folder or Shortcut

Maybe you don’t want to change one of the major desktop icons. Maybe you want to change a specific program’s shortcut, the icon of a shortcut you made, or the icon for a folder you have. You’re in luck — it is even easier to change those kinds of icons than it is desktop icons.

There is a small difference between shortcuts and folders. You’ll use the «Shortcut» tab on shortcuts of any kind and the «Customize» tab for folders.

Find the folder or shortcut you want, right-click it, and then click «Properties» in the right-click context menu. What you do after varies slightly depending on what icon you’re changing, so we’ve broken them into sections.

How to Change the Icon of a Folder

If you’re changing the icon of a folder, select the «Customize» tab along the top of the Properties window, then click «Change Icon.»

How to Change the Icon of a Shortcut

If you’re changing the icon of a shortcut, right-click the shortcut, select «Properties,» then click on the «Shortcut» tab. Click «Change Icon,» then select from the icons you have available, or point it to your custom icon.

How to Select and Apply an Icon to a Folder or Shortcut

The popup will open to whatever folder, DLL, or EXE contains the current icon. If you’re changing a default Windows icon, it’ll probably be shell32.dll or imageres.dll. If you’re changing the icon for a specific program, it’ll almost always be the program’s executable.

Click «Browse,» navigate to the icon you want, select the desired icon, then click «OK.»

In this case, we just used the green-blue folder icon found in imageres.dll. There is no reason that your replacement has to be one of those icons.

Click "Browse," select the icon you want, then click "OK."

Once you click «OK,» the Properties folder will display the new icon you’ve selected. Click «Apply» to commit the change, then close out the Properties window.

If you’re customizing a shortcut, this will look a little different, but don’t worry. The step is the same. Just click «Apply.»

You cannot move an ICO file to a different location if it has been used to change the icon of a folder without breaking the new icon. It’ll revert to the old one automatically if you do. Make sure you put your icon somewhere it can stay indefinitely. A hidden folder in your main C:\ directory might be a good place.

The change should take immediately. If it doesn’t, right-click empty space on your desktop and click «Refresh.» You could also just restart your PC.

How to Change Icon by File Type

We’ve covered how to change the main desktop icons and how to change the icon of any particular application, shortcut, or folder. What if you want to change the icon that is used to represent all files of a certain type?

There really isn’t a convenient way to do that built into Windows 11, but it is easily doable with Nirsoft’s FileTypesMan tool. Just be sure to grab the 64-bit version of the program, since all Windows 11 installations are 64-bit. The download will have a special name or label, like «x64» or «64-bit» attached to it.

You should always be leery of downloading strange programs off of the internet. However, in this case, you don’t need to worry. Nirsoft has been around for almost as long as Windows has, and their programs are reliable.

Unzip FileTypesMan from its ZIP file wherever you want. It doesn’t install, and it doesn’t care where you run it from either. Just double-click «filetypesman.exe.»

You’ll see a list of every file type your PC «knows about» as soon as FileTypesMan launches.

All of the file extensions are listed in FileTypesMan.

Scroll down through the list until you find the file type you want. Right-click the file extension, then click «Edit Selected File Type.» For this example, we’ll replace the default REG file icon with a quick green recolor we made in GIMP.

Right-click the file extension of the file type you want to change, then click "Edit Selected FIle Type."

Make sure you note where the original icon is stored. There isn’t an easy «Reset To Default» button that’ll fix it automatically for you. If you change it and decide you don’t like it, you’ll have to change it back to the original icon yourself.

Look for the line titled «Default Icon» and click the three-dot button on the far right side of the Window.

Find the line named "Default Icon" and click the three-dot menu button to the right,

Click «Browse» in the corner of the popup, navigate to your new icon, click it, then click «OK.»

Finally, click «OK» at the bottom of the «Edit File Type» window, and you’re done — all of the icons for that file type will have changed.

If you move or delete the new icon, every single instance of that icon will be replaced with a generic white rectangle instead of the new one you chose or the original icon. If you’re going to install custom icons, make sure you put them somewhere where you won’t accidentally delete them. A hidden folder in the main C:\ directory might be a good place.

Источник

Customize the default desktop icons

Add shortcuts to your desktop

Resize the desktop icons

​​​​​​​Show or hide all desktop icons

Need more help?

Want more options?

Изменение значков системных элементов рабочего стола: Этот компьютер, Корзина, Папка пользователя, Сеть

Как изменить значки папки или ярлыка

Изменение значков дисков Windows 11

Изменение значков для типов файлов

Где взять значки для Windows

How to Download Custom Icons for Windows 11

How to Change Folder Icons in Windows 11

How to Customize Desktop Icons in Windows 11

How to Change App Shortcut Icon in Windows 11

How to Customize Drive Icon in Windows 11

FAQs

Summing Up

What to know

Method 1: Changing icons for supported apps

Method 2: Change system icons not supported natively

Method 3: Change other icons not supported natively

Method 4: Using a third-party app called 7tsp

How to install updates after changing your icons

Method 1: If you changed your icons natively

Method 2: If you used a third-party app to change your icons

How to clear your icon cache and restart Windows Explorer

1. Clear your icon cache

2. Restart Windows File Explorer

Bonus: Change Folder icons on Windows 11

FAQs

What happens if my icon cache is messed up?

Is it safe to clear your icon cache?

Will changing icons impact performance?

Quick Links

Summary

Where Can You Find Icons?

Make Your Own Icons

How to Change Your Desktop Icons on Windows 11

How to Change the Icon of a Folder or Shortcut

How to Change the Icon of a Folder

How to Change the Icon of a Shortcut

How to Select and Apply an Icon to a Folder or Shortcut

How to Change Icon by File Type

Show or hide all desktop icons