Windows 7: Icon Cache Size - Change in Windows

   Information

When an icon is loaded for the first time it is cached in the iconcache.db file. The cached icons load faster than icons loaded directly from the source resource files. If the limit of the cache file is reached and overridden, you could experience incorrect or corrupted icons. Increasing the icon cache size helps to prevent icons from reloading from the source or being corrupted.

This tutorial will show you how to change the maximum size of the icon cache (iconcache.db) file to be more or less than it's default 500KB size for all users in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.

   Note

The icon cache is located at the hidden system folder location below for each user:

C:\Users\User-Name\AppData\Local\IconCache.db

OPTION ONE

To Automatically Reset or Change Icon Cache Size using VBS File

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.

Change_Icon_Cache_Size.vbs

2. Save the .vbs file to your Desktop.

3. Double click/tap on the downloaded .vbs file to run it.

4. Click/tap on Open and Yes (UAC) when prompted.
NOTE: If you like, you can stop getting the Open prompt by unblocking the downloaded .vbs file.

5. Follow the instructions in the prompts by the VBS file for what you would like to do. (see screenshots below)

A) To Set a Custom Icon Cache Size

B) To Reset Icon Cache Size Back to Default
NOTE: This restores the default 500KB icon cache size.

6. Be sure to restart the computer to apply.

7. When finished, you can now delete the downloaded .vbs file if you like.

OPTION TWO

To Manually Reset or Change Icon Cache Size using Registry Editor

1. Press the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and click/tap on OK.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes (Windows 7/8) or Continue (Vista).

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

4. Do step 5 or 6 below for what you would like to do.

5. To Set a Custom Icon Cache Size

A) If you have not already, in the right pane of Explorer, right click or press and hold on an empty area, click/tap on New and String Value, type Max Cached Icons, and press Enter. (see screenshot below step 3)

B) Double click/tap on Max Cached Icons to modify it. (see screenshot below step 3)

C) Type in a number for how many kilobytes (KB) you want the maximum icon cache size to be, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: (1024KB = 1 MB) Setting this to 8192 KB (8 MB) gives good results. Your millage may vary, but you can always adjust the size to your needs at anytime.

D) Go to step 7 below.

6. To Reset Icon Cache Size Back to Default
NOTE: This restores the default 500KB icon cache size.

A) In the right pane of Explorer, right click on Max Cached Icons and click/tap on Delete. (see screenshot below step 3)

B) Click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)

C) Go to step 7 below.

7. Close regedit, and restart the computer to apply.