Folder Icon - Change Default Icon

How to Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icons using Resource Hacker​

   Information

Windows 7 Folders are Live Folders , and they are not a single icon, but a combination of 5 different icons . In imageres.dll's icon group, the numbers of these 5 icons are respectively 3, 4, 5, 6, and 162 . So it is to change all the five icons to change the folder icon's look.

   Note

Tools Required :
1. Resource Hacker
2. System File Replacer

   Warning

To be safe and secured, it is better to http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/663-backup-complete-computer-create-image-backup.html before starting any customization activities. Moreover, I recommend to have manual backup (copy and paste in a secured place) of the files before modifying, so that it may be changed easily to default as and when it is needed.

OPTION ONE

To Change the Default Folder Icon to a Custom Icon

1. Open your resource hacker, Click on file > open ; it will open an window naming "open file continuing resource ...." make it sure that the location of look in box is System 32 . Type the filename "imageres.dll" , click the open button .

2. Click on the plus sign in front of "Icon Group" .

3. Now change 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively with the Custom Icons . (The process is the same as described in http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73191-icons-change-using-resource-hacker.html ; from step 9 to step 13; repeat steps for each number) {Change both 3 and 4 with the same open folder icon, 5 with the back side icon , and 6 with the front side icon}

4. Scroll down to 162, and change it (using the same process, with the icon having some stuff in it) .

:warn:

   Note

During Steps 3 and 4 , if you get a dialog saying "out of system resources", dont worry . Click OK and proceed . As all the resolutions (13 resolution layers are usually required there for system icons; for all the alternative locations) are not found, such a dialog pops up . It wont resist our customization.

5. Now File > Save As . In the "Save File As" window, set the save location to Desktop, give the filename "imageres.dll" and save .

So your custom imageres.dll file is ready . Now it is to apply .

6. Take Ownership of the original imageres.dll file, have a manual backup of it , and place the modded one to C:\Windows\System32 , choose Copy and Replace, if prompted . Otherwise, you may use System File Replacer to do the replacement .

   Information

For a 32 bit system, manual work for changing system resources is completed here, but if you are using a 64 bit system , you are to do the same for the imageres.dll situated in SysWoW64, too (as suggested by Bongo)

So your custom folder icon set is done . Now make it workable .

7. To make the icons take effect , rebuild the icon cache, and delete the thumbnail cache.

8. Restart your Computer . After restarting, you may have another Disk Cleanup, to make the changes perfectly. If the thumbnail Cache is not deleted and Icon Cache is not Rebuilt, no change will take effect at all.

OPTION TWO

To Restore the Default Folder Icon

1. To restore the defaults, you will need your manual backup of the original imageres.dll file, that you have made earlier. Next, follow steps 6, 7 and 8 with it to get back the defaults.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Windows 7 Default Folder Icon
• How to Change the Windows 7 Default User Folder Icons
• How to Change Windows 7 Default Control Panel Icons
• How to Change a Library Icon in Windows 7
• How to Change the Open Folder Icon in Windows 7
• How to Change the Default Libraries Icon in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove Control Panel from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Change the Default Icon of a File Extension in Windows 7
• How to Change a Drive Icon in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Change Windows 7 System Icons Using Resource Hacker
• How to Change a Folder Icon in Vista and Windows 7

 

[Bongo]

Nice tutorial Arc

 

[whs]

Very nice, but if you do not want to work with the registry, you may use this simple method - lokks more involved than it really is.

1. Make a .ico from any picture

For that you use this little program on the web - no installation required (speaking of cloud computing, LOL). The following 4 pictures explain the steps:


2. Apply you new .ico to any folder

The following pictures explain this:

Folder Icon Change - Vista Forums

a) Right click on the folder in question and "Open folder location"


b) Right click on subject folder > Properties > Customize tab

c) Go to "Change Icon" and browse to the folder where you stored your .ico

d) Pick your .ico > Apply and you are done

 

[Arc]

Thanks Jerry It is that one that Shawn told me to post .

Great contribution Wolfgang . This process will give excellent results with thumbnail preview turned off .

 

[whs]

Arc, I had nothing else to do this afternoon - LOL. I hope you do not mind me making such a massive addendum.

 

[Arc]

Arc, I had nothing else to do this afternoon - LOL. I hope you do not mind me making such a massive addendum.

Even the question does not arise at all . It feels nice that you found some lacuna of my works and filled it up . In my opinion, it would be great if it was accompanied with some screenshots, and a statement about the thumbnail cache

 

[tomaskucinskas]

Hi,

what I want to do is to disable "Live folders" and keep thumbnails for pictures and videos. So in step 3 and 4:

3. Now change 3, 4, 5, and 6 respectively with the Custom Icons . (The process is the same as described in Icons - Change Using Resource Hacker ; from step 9 to step 13; repeat steps for each number) {Change both 3 and 4 with the same open folder icon, 5 with the back side icon , and 6 with the front side icon}

4. Scroll down to 162, and change it (using the same process, with the icon having some stuff in it) .

3, 4, 5, 6 and 162 I have changed with the same folder icon and its almost worked But just almost take a look at screen whats happend:



If I understand right each folder has generated unique thumbnail (folder.jpg) and in my case after modified "imageres.dll" its under the folder icon. Maybe its possible to create transparent folder.gif and apply it to ALL folder? Any ideas?

 

[Arc]

Welcome aboard, Tomas

Mate you cannot disable live folders and keep thumbnail preview at a time , coz one automatically confirm the other . As you have changed all the icon imageres files, but your thumbnail preview is enabled, those are messed up. Here you need the different icons as shown in the snip below :



For your query , better you follow the tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11738-thumbnail-previews-enable-disable.html . Moreover, if thumbnail preview is disabled, the best and the easiest way to change folder icons is the tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/23825-folder-icon-change-windows-7-default-folder-icon.html .

Hope it helps

 

[nickdc]

And if i replace back and front icons with a blank one?
because i have only the full icon

 

[Arc]

And if i replace back and front icons with a blank one?
because i have only the full icon

Lol .... you know what will happen as you posted the screenshot above

Getting icons is not tough a lot .... if you need I/we may supply it to you . But is you want to make all folders look essentially same, I have told it earlier that the easiest way is to follow the tutorial http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...lder-icon.html, and with thumbnails preview disabled .

 

[nickdc]

i know that tutorial, just followed it
my goal is to find out a way to keep thumbnails preview enabled, because i want previews of my pics and docs...

but if i cant, i give up

 

[Arc]

As far as I know, you cant . But dont give it up before talking with Brink .

He might have / may find out a solution, if possible .

You can send him a PM /VM asking it .

 

[IMAyNeed]

Why did some folders change and the others didn't?

 

[Arc]

Why did some folders change and the others didn't?

Interesting ! After a restart, delete the thumbnail cache and rebuild the icon cache once again .

My best assumption is that you haven't deleted the thumbnail cache properly .... and so it is happening . Ccleaner can do it nicely .

 

[IMAyNeed]

Why did some folders change and the others didn't?

Interesting ! After a restart, delete the thumbnail cache and rebuild the icon cache once again .

My best assumption is that you haven't deleted the thumbnail cache properly .... and so it is happening . Ccleaner can do it nicely .
View attachment 149089

You are right.
I didn't.
After the restart I forgot it.
Thanks for reminding me that.
(I saved the shortcuts in my bookmarks how to delete the thumbnail cache and rebuild the icon cache, but I forgot to apply).

 

[jasonwuzthere]

I can't seem to get this to work. I have the images.dll, I can open it with reshack and my new icons are there. I have cleaned and rebuilt both caches in different orders, restarted in different orders, everything. I even when in manually and took ownership of the file, and did the cache rebuild through the command prompt (ran as admin.).

I found these folders that would go great with my theme, but can't get them to work.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Bongo]

Arc I just used your tutorial and it works perfect.
I would like to make one suggestion for those using 64-bit they will need to do the same .dll in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 also.
Jerry

 

[mgbeach]

Thanks!

Thank you so much for this fantastic tutorial! I had found some places online which suggested Resource Hacker but didn't go any farther. This worked out perfectly my first time through and I couldn't be happier. Unfortunately now I'm in for quite a few sleepless nights endlessly tweaking my UI.

I definitely second the other user's suggestion of ConvertIcon as a great resource.. a couple little tips in using it though: uncheck any output dimensions larger than your input file. And it works best if you create or crop your input file to the exact dimensions (ie, 512x512)

And finally, here's a killer source of high-quality icons: Icon Archive - Search 282,126 free icons, desktop icons, download icons, social icons, xp icons, vista icons This is where I found the icon set that started me down this road of needing to edit the default folder: Profesional Red Iconset (57 icons) | Tuziibanez

 

[mgbeach]

Arc I just used your tutorial and it works perfect.
I would like to make one suggestion for those using 64-bit they will need to do the same .dll in C:\Windows\SysWOW64 also.
Jerry
View attachment 167592

Hmm.. I have Win 7 Home Premium 64bit and just went through the tutorial myself without seeing this post. But it seems to have worked just fine.. is there something I'm missing?

 

[Arc]

This is where I found the icon set that started me down this road of needing to edit the default folder: Profesional Red Iconset (57 icons) | Tuziibanez

Thanks for the link