Icon Size Registry Tweak

reghakr · 08 Jul 2009

To change the size of the on icons on the desktop, you can use this tweak to make them larger, The default setting is 32

If you change this to 36, your icons will be slightly larger, the higher the number, the larger the icons will appear.

First you want to go to Start > Run, and type Regedit. navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control panel > Desktop > WindowsMetrics. Click on the WindowsMetrics key and choose File > Export from Regedit's menu. Save the .reg file as windowMetricsoriiginal.reg. In case you don't like the changes, you can double-click on this file to restore the settings to their default value.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"Shell Icon Size"="36"

Cindy · 08 Jul 2009

Hi :)

This works in Windows 7 RC1 build 7100 > Click an empty space on your desktop > Press Ctrl on your keyboard > roll your mouse wheel and all desktop icons change size (and stay at the size you desire)

reghakr · 08 Jul 2009

Excellent!

Can't try that one as my cheap $399.00 E-Machibne has no wheel

YupYup · 08 Jul 2009

Cindy said:

Hi :)

This works in Windows 7 RC1 build 7100 > Click an empty space on your desktop > Press Ctrl on your keyboard > roll your mouse wheel and all desktop icons change size (and stay at the size you desire)

It has been like that since vista, i have no idea why anyone would want to alter the registry for this.

reghakr said:

Excellent!

Can't try that one as my cheap $399.00 E-Machibne has no wheel

Then right click desktop > view

mrquickly · 10 Feb 2010

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"Shell Icon Size"="36"

This doesn't work for me.

I'd like to have small instead of medium icon on the desktop.

reghakr · 10 Feb 2010

mrquickly said:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics]
"Shell Icon Size"="36"

This doesn't work for me.

I'd like to have small instead of medium icon on the desktop.

Then change the number to 16

mrquickly · 15 Feb 2010

I set the icon size of the desktop icons to medium. Then i set the value to 16 and restarted the machine, but nothing changed. The icons are still in medium size.

reghakr · 15 Feb 2010

Open regedit to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics

See what the value is for icon size.

If it's something other than 16, modify the Shell Icon Size value

NOTE: Make sure to export the key before making any changes.

mrquickly · 15 Feb 2010

If tried this. This key isn't changed when I switch between big, middle oder small icons.

reghakr · 15 Feb 2010

This key isn't changed when I switch between big, middle oder small icons

Where are you changing this information?