1. Open the
C:\Users\(user-name) folder.
WARNING: This must be done at this location. It will not work by opening the user folder from the Start Menu location.
2. Right click or swipe down on the user folder icon that you want to restore to default, and click/tap on
Properties. (See screenshot above)
3. Click/tap on the
Customize tab, and click/tap on the
Change Icon button. (See screenshot below)
4. Click/tap on the
Restore Defaults button. (See screenshot below)
5. Click/tap on
OK. (See screenshot below step 3)
6. If the user folder icon has still not been restored to the default icon, then do
Method Two below.
.
1. Press the
Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog.
2. Type in the
Shell command (see table below) for the User folder icon that you want to restore to default, and press
Enter.
NOTE: This will open the personal user folder.
User Folder |
Shell Command |
Contacts |
shell:Contacts |
Desktop |
shell:desktop |
Documents |
shell:Personal |
Downloads |
shell:downloads |
Favorites |
shell:Favorites |
Links |
shell:Links |
Music |
shell:My Music |
Pictures |
shell:My Pictures |
Saved Games |
shell:SavedGames |
Searches |
shell:Searches |
SkyDrive (Windows 8.1) |
shell:skydrive |
Videos |
shell:My Video |
3. In Folder Options, set
protected operating system files to show.
NOTE: Use step 4 in OPTION ONE at the link in this step. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this step.
4. Click/tap on the
Download link below to download the default
Desktop.ini file, in a ZIP file, for the
User folder icon that you want to restore to default.
NOTE: The Desktop.ini file is a .txt file that contains the user folder settings in it.
5. Save the
ZIP file to your desktop.
6. Extract and open the folder in the ZIP file.
7. Right click or swipe down on the
Desktop.ini file in the extracted folder, and click/tap on
Properties, click/tap on
General tab, the
Unblock button, and click/tap on
OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: If there is not an Unblock button, then it already is unblocked. Proceed to step 8.
8. Right click or swipe down on the
Desktop.ini file, and click/tap on
Copy.
9. Right click or press and hold on an empty space in the main part of the user folder window from step 2 above, and click/tap on
Paste.
10. If prompted, click on
Copy and Replace, then close the user folder window from step 2. (See screenshot below)
11. Open a
command prompt in
Windows 7 or
Windows 8.
12. In the command prompt, type the
command below for the user folder icon that you want to restore to default. (See table below)
NOTE: This will set the user folder as Read-only. You can Copy and Paste these to make it easier for you.
WARNING: If you had
changed the default location of your
user folder, then you will need to type the full path of it's new location after
attrib +r instead of the default %USERPROFILE% location below. For example,
attrib +r D:\New location
User Folder |
Command |
Contacts |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Contacts /S /D |
Desktop |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Desktop /S /D |
Documents |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Documents /S /D |
Downloads |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Downloads /S /D |
Favorites |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Favorites /S /D |
Links |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Links /S /D |
Music |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Music /S /D |
Pictures |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Pictures /S /D |
Saved Games |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%"Saved Games" /S /D |
Searches |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Searches /S /D |
SkyDrive (Windows 8.1) |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\SkyDrive /S /D |
Videos |
attrib +r -s -h %USERPROFILE%\Videos /S /D |
13. Close the command prompt.
14. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.
15. Confirm that the folder icon is back to normal.
16. In Folder Options, set
protected operating system files to be hidden again.
NOTE: Use step 5 in OPTION ONE at the link in this step. You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this step.
17. You can now delete the downloaded files (step 4) on your desktop if like.