Folder Icon - Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icon

How to Change the Windows 7 Default Folder Icon​

   Information

This will show you how to change all of the default yellow folder icons in Windows Explorer to any custom icon that you want instead in Windows 7.

User Folder icons will not be affected by this.

   Note

If you have thumbnails turned on, then only empty folders will have the new icon displayed in Windows Explorer when the folder view is set to anything other than Small icons, Details, or List. Otherwise the folders will have a thumbnail preview icon when the folder is not empty instead. When the folder view is set to Small icons, Details, or List, then all folders will display the new icon since they are small icons.

If you have thumbnails turned off, then all folders will have the new icon display no matter what the folder view is set to in Windows Explorer.

   Warning

• You can only do this while logged in to a administrator account.
• This will affect all user account's folder icons on the computer.

EXAMPLE: Folder Icon
NOTE: This is Windows Explorer with the default folder icon (left screenshot) and a custom folder icon (right screenshot). This is with the folder view is set to Details.

OPTION ONE

Change the Default Folder Icon

1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search line and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In regedit, navigate to: (See screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

4. In the left pane, right click on the Explorer key, and click on New and Key in the context menu. (See screenshot above)

5. Type Shell Icons and press Enter. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If Shell Icons is already here, then you can skip steps 4 and 5.

6. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on a empty space, and click on New and String Value. Type 3 and press enter. (See screenshot below)

7. Right click on the number for the folder type, and click on Modify. (See screenshot above)

8. To Use a Custom Icon of Your Own

   Note

• Be sure to unblock the icon file.
• Be sure save the icon file in a location that all user account's can access (ex: c:\Users\Public\My Pictures) so the icon will be able to be viewed in their account as well.
• You must use a 256x256 pixel icon .ico file for it to display properly in all icon sizes in Windows Explorer.

A) In the Modify window, type in the full path of the icon that you want to use within quotes and click on OK. (see screenshot below step 9E)
NOTE: If you change the icon's location (path), then you must also change the location here in step 8 as well for the folder to still display that icon in Windows Explorer.
"full path of the icon file with file extension"
FOR EXAMPLE:
"G:\Windows 7 PNG Files\My_Folder.ico"
B) Go to step 10.
9. To Use another Icon Included in Windows 7
A) Download and install the free program IconViewer for your 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7.
NOTE: This program will add a Icons tab to files (ex: imageres.dll) that contain a icon library in them so you can see the icons available in it.

B) In Windows Explorer, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll and right click on imageres.dll, click on Properties, and click on the Icons tab.
NOTE: You can use any of the Windows 7 files that include icons in them that you want though. This is just the most common one.

C) Scroll through the icons and make note of the icon number of the one you want to use to replace the default folder icon with, then close the properties window. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: For example, icon number 190 for the green folder icon.

D) In the Modify window, type in the location below, and click on OK. (see screenshot below)
(full path of the Windows 7 file with file extension),-####
FOR EXAMPLE:
C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll,-190


10. The registry will now look similar to this with your icon path under the Data column in the right pane instead. (See screenshot below)

11. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

   Note

To also change the default folder icon in the "Open" and "Save as" type dialog windows as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step and continue on to step 12 instead.

A) In Regedit, go to the location below:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer
B) Repeat steps 4 to 10 above using the same settings you used with the location from step 3.
12. Close Regedit.

13. Log off and Log on, or restart the computer to apply the new folder icon.
NOTE: Since you changed the default Folder icon, you might would like to change the Open Folder icon as well in the navigation pane to have them all changed.

OPTION TWO

To Restore the Default Folder Icon

NOTE: This option assumes that you did OPTION ONE above to change the default folder icon.
1. Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search line and press Enter.

2. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.

3. In regedit, navigate to: (see screenshot below)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons
4. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on 3 and click on Delete. (see screenshot below)

5. Click on Yes. (see screenshot below)

6. If you have 64-bit Windows 7 Installed

   Note

To also restore the default folder icon in the "Open" and "Save as" type dialog windows as well in 64-bit Windows 7, you will also need to do this step.

If you have a 32-bit Windows 7 installed, then skip this step and continue on to step 7 instead.

A) In Regedit, go to the location below:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Shell Icons
B) Repeat steps 4 and 5 above.
7. Close Regedit.

8. Log off and Log on, or restart the computer to restore the default yellow folder icon.
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• 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
• How to Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icons using Resource Hacker
• How to Enable or Disable Explorer Thumbnail Previews in Windows 7 and Windows 8

 

[Jack8530]

Brink Folder thing

Can you give me the location of the default icon is supposed to be?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jack,

The default folder icon path used in Windows 7 is C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll,3 (3rd icon in the shell32.dll file.

Unfortunately you would need to use a program like resource hacker to change the icon path in the shell32.dll file. The tutorial below may be able to help you check the shell32.dll file to see if it as the correct folder icon for the 3rd one.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/73191-icons-change-using-resource-hacker.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[fantasysuper]

Um can you help me
how do i Navigate and if i try to navigate i cant find
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons
can you help me?

 

[Brink]

Hello Fantasysuper, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The Shell Icons key is added in steps 4 & 5 of OPTION ONE when the folder icon was changed. If you do not have it, then you didn't use OPTION ONE to change the default folder icon.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Jack8530]

Hey Brink

this is what happens when i click on a folder do you know how to change the icon down the bottom left?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jack,

Since you do not know what program you used to change it with, then you might consider a repair install to fix it. Otherwise it's just a guess.

 

[Jack8530]

Brink

can you post me a video on how to fully wipe or restart the HDD and reinstall windows 7?

Thanks Jack

 

[Brink]

Jack,

Here you go.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[Jack8530]

Brink

Thanks very much for your help

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Jack.

 

[BuzzFuzz]

Guys i have a small problem...
I was change default folder style into "image folder", i mean my ex folder is not looking as small image. (256x256 ico file)

But after reboot or if i just delete created ico from desktop my "image folder" is gone and default is back

How to permanent...?

 

[Brink]

Hello BuzzFuzz,

I'm not sure if I understand what you meant. Could you give more details please?

Do you mean that you are trying to keep the folder displayed as a larger icon using folder views?

OR

Do you mean that you used this tutorial on the first page to change the default folder icon, and it reverts back after you delete the .ico file used? If so, the .ico file will need to stay saved at the location you used in step 8 so Windows 7 will be able to use it. I would recommend to have the .ico file somewhere other than on your desktop instead, and use that path instead in step 8 to avoid accidentally deleting it by mistake.

 

[BuzzFuzz]

Aaa problem is reverting...
So ico file must be saved somewhere on local disk. Strange Windows 7

Thx

 

[Brink]

You're welcome BuzzFuzz. I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted.

 

[Cienico]

Can you post more pictures of what's the outcome after doing that....by the way thank's for the helpful post.

 

[Brink]

Hello Cienico, and welcome to Seven Forums.

I'm not sure what you need more pictures of since the screenshots in the NOTE box and EXAMPLE is what happens to the folder icons. Just substitute the examples with the icons you wanted to use instead. Please let me know if there was anything specific that you were wanting, and I'll see what I can do.

 

[enzo52]

hi from Italy

i have a problem with sub-folders...i made all that you told in your tutorial, but only the empty folders icons are changed, all the folders that have others folders inside did not change! can you help me?
thanks in advance

P.S.
sorry for my American

 

[Brink]

Hello Enzo, and welcome to Seven Forums.

The NOTE box at the top of the tutorial can help show you how to have all folders have the new icon be turning off thumbnails.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[enzo52]

thanks

...thank you so much Brink..it was my fault...you are great!! )

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Enzo. No problem.