Windows 7 - User Folders - Change Default Icon

**Brink**

How to Change the Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons

Information

This will show you how to change the default folder icon with the icon of your choice for all of your personal User folder icons to display with it in both the Start Menu and C:\Users\(user-name) locations in Windows 7.

Tip

If you would prefer to use the Vista user folder icons instead, then see Everlong's post for how.

EXAMPLE: Default Windows 7 Personal User Folders Icons

OPTION ONE

To Change the User Name Profile Folder Icon

1. Open the change Desktop Icon Settings window. (See screenshot below)

2. In the lower box, click on your User Name folder to highlight it in blue. (See screenshot above)

3. Click on the Change Icon button. (See screenshot above)

4. Click on the Browse button and navigate to the folder location of were the icon that you want to use for this user folder is at. (See screenshot below)

5. Select the icon in the lower window box, and click on OK. (See highlighted in blue icon in the screenshot above)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 1)

Tip

If you want to restore the default User Name folder icon, then see OPTION ONE at this link: How to Restore Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons

OPTION TWO

Change User Folders Icons

Note

This option will be for all of the user folders in the C:\Users\(user-name) folder except the User Name folder itself (OPTION ONE).

Tip

To be able to change the Contacts and/or Desktop user folder icon, you can click on the Download button below to download the .reg files that enable the Customize tab in these user folders Properties page. After you download the .reg file, double click on it to merge it. You can then follow the steps in this OPTION below to change the icon.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to merge the REG files below.

To Restore (remove Customize tab) Default Contacts User Folder -

To Enable (add Customize tab) Changing Contacts User Folder Icon -

To Restore (remove Customize tab) Default Desktop User Folder -

To Enable (add Customize tab) Changing Desktop User Folder Icon -

1. Open the C:\Users\(user-name) folder.
WARNING: This must be done at this location. It will not work by opening the user folder from the Start Menu location.

2. Right click on the user folder icon that you want to restore default, and click on Properties. (See screenshot above)

3. Click on the Customize tab, and Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)

4. Click on the Browse button and navigate to the folder location of were the icon that you want to use for this user folder is at. (See screenshot below)

5. Select the icon in the lower window box, and click on OK. (See highlighted in blue icon in the screenshot above)

6. Click on OK. (See screenshot below step 3)

Tip

If you want to restore the default User folders icons, then see OPTION TWO at this link: How to Restore Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

**Corpsecrank** · 07-14-2009

What is the best way to create a new custom icon for use in 7? I was using a really old crappy program to create them in XP but The program will no longer run in a modern OS such as vista and 7.

**Brink** · 07-14-2009

Hello Corpsecrank,

I have always like Axialis IconWorkshop. They have a trial period that you can use to create the Vista 256x256 type icon with.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

**Corpsecrank** · 07-15-2009

I had that but it never worked out quite how I wanted it to.

I am thinking about using visual studio to pack png images into a dll and then load that to choose my icons from. If I did I think I could simply make png images in photoshop and then pack them into the dll and windows should be able to load them from there just fine.

That's the theory I plan to test anyhow.

**Brink** · 07-15-2009

Should work.

**Corpsecrank** · 07-15-2009

If it does I will be creating some common icon packs. I am a graphics designer so I will be all over the Windows 7 customization scene when it gets a final release.

**Brink** · 07-15-2009

I'll be looking forward to seeing your work with that now.

**Corpsecrank** · 07-15-2009

Yeah I got to thinking today and I think I may expand the existing system dll so that you can simply replace the default windows dll with the system icons and then upon changing icons you can choose the originals or hand pick from the customs I add to it.

I think that might be easier than adding a new dll to hunt for.

**Everlong** · 07-28-2009

I didn't like the Windows 7 user icon files, and prefer the Windows Vista ones, so thought I'd write a guide to how I changed them. You can't change the Contacts and Desktop user folder, but as I don't use these, I just set them to hidden instead.

Obtain a Windows Vista imageres.dll file by copying it from a Vista machine (Found in Windows>System32/SysWOW64). Place it in My Documents and rename it to something like imageres2.dll. (The file is too big to upload as an attachment).

To change the desktop user icon, right click on desktop>Personalize>Change Desktop Icons and click your user icon and click the "Change Icon" button.
At the top, it will have a field where you can browse for a source file. Browse to and select the imageres2.dll file. It will open all the Vista icons allowing you to select the Vista user folder.
To customise the other folders, go to C:>User>Username (You can't edit user folder icons by just clicking your folder on desktop).
Right click on all the folders and go to the customise tab and click "Change Icon". Search for the corresponding icon.
Repeat this for all steps. Remember the Contacts and Desktop icon can't be changed, so I just set these to hidden as I don't use them.
Once all the folders are changed, you can set the imageres2.dll file to hidden as well.

Edit: When you're on the Desktop Icon settings, uncheck the box that says "Allow themes to change desktop icons" so when you change your wallpaper or taskbar colour, the icons don't revert to default.

**dw96** · 09-06-2009

Quote: Originally Posted by Brink

I have always liked Axialis IconWorkshop.

I've loved it too, but it's kind of tough to get used to. If you want that useful square sheet pointing out each pixel, though, it's awesome! Right now I use Photoshop CS4 and save the icons I make in PNG format, making sure they're EXACTLY 256X256, then I head over to ConvertICO and upload the image to get it freely converted to an icon. I really love that website.

BTW great tutorial!

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