Open Folder Icon - Change

How to Change Open Folder Icon in Windows 7 and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to change the active icon used to indicate which folder is expanded or opened in the Windows Explorer Navigation Pane, Start Menu All Programs, and registry folder tree to any custom icon that you want instead in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

   Warning

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

EXAMPLE: Active Open Folder
NOTE: This is the Windows Explorer navigation with the default open folder icon (left screenshot) and a custom open folder icon (right screenshot).

OPTION ONE

To Change Default Open Folder Icon

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

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

3. In regedit, navigate to the location below. (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. (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 an empty space, and click on New and String Value. Type 4, and press Enter. (see screen shot below)

7. Double click/tap on 4 to modify it. (see screenshot above)

8. Type in the full path of the icon that you want to use as the new open folder icon. (See screenshot below)
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.

   Tip

These are some good icon paths to use:

• C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll,-290
• C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll,-246

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

10. Close Regedit.

11. Log off and Log on, or restart the computer to apply the new open folder icon.

OPTION TWO

To Restore Default Open Folder Icon

NOTE: This option assumes that you did OPTION ONE above to change the default folder icon.
1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press click/tap on OK.

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

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons

4. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on 4, and click/tap on Delete. (See screenshot below)

5. Click/tap on Yes. (See screenshot below)

6. Close Regedit.

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

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Change the Windows 7 Default Folder Icon
• How to Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icons using Resource Hacker
• 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 Default Libraries Icon 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 Remove the Lock Icon from Files and Folders in Windows 7
• How to Change, Remove, or Restore the Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Windows

 

[Brink]

I tried a icon path from the tutorial and it still didn't change the folders in the explore but only in the registry editor. I put the "" and I signed out and then back in I even restarted the laptop and I even tried the rebuild icon cache. But the only place there is the icon is on the registry editor. Am I doing something wrong.

I just tested on my system using this below, and both icons show for me.

If you like, upload the icons you are using. I'll test them on my system to see if I see the same as you.

 

[Dawn121988]

There is (2) things about doing this first the icons are only sized 128 X 128 and not the full size I don't know if that is a problem or not. And second I don't know how to upload the icons. Do I just use the paperclip in the "Go Advanced" area? Just wondering how to upload the icons. Plus do you want all the icons or just the icon for the icon I want to use as the "Open Icon".

 

[Brink]

There is (2) things about doing this first the icons are only sized 128 X 128 and not the full size I don't know if that is a problem or not. And second I don't know how to upload the icons. Do I just use the paperclip in the "Go Advanced" area? Just wondering how to upload the icons. Plus do you want all the icons or just the icon for the icon I want to use as the "Open Icon".

The size shouldn't matter since 4 is for a small icon anyways.

Correct. You can use the paperclip to upload, and then select to attach in the post. I would ZIP them, and then upload the ZIP file.

Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

 

[Dawn121988]

I will try to upload the icons I tried to upload them in ico but they would not upload so I will be placing them in a zipped file and then uploading them. I did edit the size of the png icons that also came with the ico files there was 2 separate folders so I went online and changed the size to the full size and selected every size that was included with the converter.



And then I placed them in there own folder and made a set with the full sized icons and then zipped it and then placed it in this message I don't know if I did it correctly though. If the icons don't work the way I fixed them or if I uploaded them wrong please let me know thank you.View attachment Glo Icons.zip Here are the icons.

 

[Brink]

I will try to upload the icons I tried to upload them in ico but they would not upload so I will be placing them in a zipped file and then uploading them. I did edit the size of the png icons that also came with the ico files there was 2 separate folders so I went online and changed the size to the full size and selected every size that was included with the converter.


And then I placed them in there own folder and made a set with the full sized icons and then zipped it and then placed it in this message I don't know if I did it correctly though. If the icons don't work the way I fixed them or if I uploaded them wrong please let me know thank you.View attachment 411145 Here are the icons.

Well, the icons are working just fine for me as below, so that doesn't appear to be the issue.

You might delete the 3 and 4 string values, restart the computer, and try adding them again to see if it may toggle them to work this time around.

 

[Dawn121988]

I'm still having issues with the icons. But I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

(1) I hit Windows Key - R once I do that I open reg editor. While in there I create a shell icon folder in the explorer like I'm told to and I made a (4) in the right hand side with string value and then the location is for the green square arrow I even put "c:\windows\system32shell32.dll,-290" I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I even tried using the icon catch thing and then I restarted the computer and it still wont work correctly in Windows Explorer.


Here are the images of the problem. I hope you can see them correctly and understand my problem.

 

[Brink]

I'm still having issues with the icons. But I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

(1) I hit Windows Key - R once I do that I open reg editor. While in there I create a shell icon folder in the explorer like I'm told to and I made a (4) in the right hand side with string value and then the location is for the green square arrow I even put "c:\windows\system32shell32.dll,-290" I can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I even tried using the icon catch thing and then I restarted the computer and it still wont work correctly in Windows Explorer.


Here are the images of the problem. I hope you can see them correctly and understand my problem.

I must admit that I'm not sure why the open folder icon isn't working in Windows Explorer for you.

Did you make any other customizations that affect Windows Explorer that may also be affecting this?

 

[Dawn121988]

I must admit that I'm not sure why the open folder icon isn't working in Windows Explorer for you.

Did you make any other customizations that affect Windows Explorer that may also be affecting this?

I don't really know how to make changes the only thing I did was look into the folder settings and make sure the thumbnails were turned off.

 

[Brink]

I don't really know how to make changes the only thing I did was look into the folder settings and make sure the thumbnails were turned off.

Thumbnails shouldn't affect the open folder icon since it only shows in a folder tree.

Is this still after reinstalling Windows?

 

[Dawn121988]

Thumbnails shouldn't affect the open folder icon since it only shows in a folder tree.

Is this still after reinstalling Windows?

Yes I reinstalled the windows from a usb flash drive last night and even updated everything that the update area could find.



So I am stumped.



I even tried to make a (3) just to see if that would work and nope. I then deleted (3), (4). And the icons went back to normal. I tried to make the (3) again and nothing. Now there just little white icon looking things.



I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.








This is how it looks.



Is there a way to store all my icons in one place like where the system icons are stored and then just run them from there or something. I have no idea what I'm ding wrong. Or if the settings are even correct. I am just reading the steps and am apparently doing something wrong.

 

[RoWin7]

I have this folder icon tweak on my computers, but I wanted particular often-used folders to stand out. Folder Painter will replace a folder from a library of 294 colored folders in the program, but is not practical for ALL folders, and it doesn't differentiate between open and closed folders. I didn't have to touch the registry.

You might want to use it in the interim.

Folder Painter v1.2

 

[Brink]

Is there a way to store all my icons in one place like where the system icons are stored and then just run them from there or something. I have no idea what I'm ding wrong. Or if the settings are even correct. I am just reading the steps and am apparently doing something wrong.

I'm not seeing anything wrong with your registry settings.

You might try the Folder Painter program RoWin7 posted about a try to see how it works for you instead.

 

[Dawn121988]

I downloaded the program and I plan to place the folder inside 1 folder and then place the none folder icons. So hopefully this will work out for me.


I will be removing the 3 that I made in the regedit and then try the program out.

 

[RoWin7]

As I said, it's not practical for replacing the 10,000 or 20,000 folders on your HD. Probably won't work on system files either. But you can change multiple data folders by holding down the CTL key.

Let us know how this turns out.

 

[Dawn121988]

I'm still working on the folder icons and made a secondary account and it is not a windows account its just a plain administrator account. I added the shell icons in the regeditor on that account and I can see the main folder in the windows explorer but not the selected folder. And in this account which is a windows user account which is also a administrator account I can not see the folder icons I just see little white icons.






And when I try the cache file I downloaded it says in some parts it can't do something correctly and then says it deleted fine. But I don't think it works correctly for me.



I would like to change the folder icons but I don't know what wrong. It looks fine sort of in the editor. But if I open one folder and click on another one even if I don't open it just select it the icon shows for a open folder. Even when its not open. Its weird.

 

[RoWin7]

This is beyond my meager knowledge. You might have some obscure registry entry that's conflicting with this.

Maybe someone else will come along.

 

[RoWin7]

Brink--

I've changed the icons on a 3rd computer this week, and it's always like magic to replace the awful default icons. My new icons are always in the same place in each machine, so how would I save the registry entries as a .reg file so it becomes more automatic? Although there's only a slim chance I'll have a 4th Win7 computer, but it would be a learning experience. I have other .reg tweaks that I apply to each machine.

 

[Brink]

Brink--

I've changed the icons on a 3rd computer this week, and it's always like magic to replace the awful default icons. My new icons are always in the same place in each machine, so how would I save the registry entries as a .reg file so it becomes more automatic? Although there's only a slim chance I'll have a 4th Win7 computer, but it would be a learning experience. I have other .reg tweaks that I apply to each machine.

Hello mate,

The tutorial below can help show you how to export the registry key as a .reg file to have handy to merge as needed.

Export and Import Registry Keys in Windows | Tutorials

This doesn't include the icon .ico file though.

 

[RoWin7]

That's easier than I thought. And my icon folder is always in the exact same place in each machine, because I change all the icons on my desktop shortcuts too. Wish I had thought of it after first computer.

Many thanks.

 

[Brink]

That's easier than I thought. And my icon folder is always in the exact same place in each machine, because I change all the icons on my desktop shortcuts too. Wish I had thought of it after first computer.

Many thanks.

You're most welcome.