Folder Icon - Change Windows 7 Default Folder Icon

So cool. Worked first time. Thanks! However, with Win 8.1 i was really hoping this would work as well but, alas, no joy it seems Do you know if it should work mate? Maybe i'm being daft (which isn't improbable... ), but i've tried a few times and no luck. Cheers again

Hi Brink,

I followed your tutorials on changing the closed and open folder icons in Windows 7. Could you maybe give me a hint as to why this change is inconsistent on my computer? Particularly in the Start Menu.

As you can see, in some menus, some program folders are changed to the custom icon, while others are not. You can see this in the "Accessories" submenu with "Microsoft Office Tools" and in the "Graphics" submenu with "IcoFX":



Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Start Menu, no icons are changed to the custom one. Like in my "Compression" and "Internet" submenus:



But when I go to the properties of a seemingly unchanged folder itself, or view it in Explorer, the icon is different:



What could be causing this inconsistency? I should let you know, that some of the folders have been customized using their Properties dialogues and/or the freebie program Folderico. That shouldn't create an inconsistency, I don't think, in the Start Menu or for other folders, because the icon is entered in the individual folder's desktop.ini. My start menu looks XP-like because I am using the software Classic Shell to make it look that way, and I'm wondering if I should contact the programmer with this same question.

I did remember to put the registry entries for "3" and "4" in both the 32-bit and 64-bit keys you mentioned.

Is there a problem with my icon (an XP icon linked to from a .dll), with my registry entry (do I need additional ones), or with these programs? What do you think?

The tutorial works great. Much appreciated.

There are a few folders in "My Doscuments" which are not changed with this process though.

Is there a way to change the "My Desktop" folder icon?



For example, "My Music" you can change the folder icon by right clicking: Properties - Customize - Change Icon but the "My Desktop" foldier icon does not have the "Properties" menu tab when right clicking.

Brink said:

Hello Avengement, :)

You could use OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to change the icons of user folders. Be sure to use the download in the yellow tip box under OPTION TWO to be able to change the Desktop folder icon.

User Folders - Change Default Icon

Thank you for the reply.

I tried that already. Like I stated in my previous post, the "Desktop" folder does not have the "Customize" tab when you right click Properties giving you the option to change the folder icon unfortunately:




Another thing that I noticed is that the folder icons change does not apply to the "Save As" explorer window as all of the folders are blank other then the ones that you manually right lick and change yourself:

Avengement said:

Brink said:

Hello Avengement, :)

You could use OPTION TWO in the tutorial below to change the icons of user folders. Be sure to use the download in the yellow tip box under OPTION TWO to be able to change the Desktop folder icon.

User Folders - Change Default Icon

Thank you for the reply.

I tried that already. Like I stated in my previous post, the "Desktop" folder does not have the "Customize" tab when you right click Properties giving you the option to change the folder icon unfortunately:




Another thing that I noticed is that the folder icons change does not apply to the "Save As" explorer window as all of the folders are blank other then the ones that you manually right lick and change yourself:

You tried adding the customize tab as suggested in option two?

I tried it 2-3 times the first round and nothing happened. I just rebooted and applied the reg edit again and this time it was successful. Very odd but that problem is now solved. Thank you.

Is there a similar tweak that can be done to allow the "Fonts" folder located in the "Windows" folder to be changed as well? That folder uses a special icon and does not display a "Customize" tab either.

And then I'm still left with the issue of the folders displaying the blank icon in the "Save As" explorer