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How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows

This wikiHow teaches you how to change a desktop icon's appearance on Windows, both by changing the icon to a different system icon and by downloading or creating your own icon. You can also add your own custom shortcuts to the desktop,...
Method 1 of 6:

Changing System Desktop Icons

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 1How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 1
    Open Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 2How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 2
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press the ⊞ Win key.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 3How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 3
    Click Settings
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 4How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 4
    . It's in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 5How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 5
    Click Personalization. This is the monitor-shaped icon on the Windows Settings page.
    1. You can also access this page by right-clicking a blank space on the desktop and then clicking Personalization in the drop-down menu.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 6How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 6
    Click Themes. It's a tab on the left side of the Personalization window.
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 7How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 7
    Click Desktop icon settings. This link is in the upper-right side of the Themes page. Clicking it opens the Desktop Icon Settings window.
    1. If you haven't edited your theme at all, this link will be in the middle of the page beneath the "Related Settings" heading.
    2. You can also click Get more themes in the Store below the "Apply a theme" heading to browse desktop themes. Some themes will change your desktop icons' appearances.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 8How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 8
    Click an icon you want to change. This will select the icon.
    1. For example, you might click This PC or Recycle Bin.
    2. You can also check the box next to a desktop icon's name at the top of the window to make it appear on your desktop, or uncheck the box to remove it from the desktop.
    3. Check the "Allow themes to change desktop icons" box on this window to enable theme-related icon changes.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 9How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 9
    Click Change Icon. It's near the bottom of the window.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 10How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 10
    Select an icon. You can select two different types of icons:
    1. System icon - Click an icon in the window.
    2. Custom icon - Click Browse, then click the folder that your custom icons are in on the left side of the window. Select the icon you want to use, then click Open.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 11How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 11
    Click OK. This will assign your selected icon to the desktop program.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 12How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 12
    Click Apply, then click OK. Doing so confirms your decision and changes the desktop program's icon to your selected icon.
Method 2 of 6:

Changing Shortcut and Folder Icons

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 13How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 13
    Open Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 14How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 14
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press ⊞ Win.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 15How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 15
    Click the File Explorer
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 16How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 16
    . You'll find this icon on the far-left side of the Start window.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 17How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 17
    Click Desktop. It's a folder in the left-hand column of options in the File Explorer window.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 18How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 18
    Click a shortcut or folder icon. Shortcut icons have a white box with an arrow in their lower-left corners.
    1. You cannot change the icons of specific files (e.g., Notepad files or .exe files) using this method.
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 19How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 19
    Click the Home tab. It's in the upper-left corner of the File Explorer window. Doing so will open a toolbar at the top of the window.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 20How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 20
    Click Properties. This is a white box with a red checkmark in the "Open" section of the toolbar.
    1. You can also right-click on the icon on your desktop and then click Properties to get to this menu.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 21How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 21
    Open the icon's "Change Icon" window. This process will vary depending on the type of icon you're editing:
    1. Shortcut - Click the Shortcut tab at the top of the Properties window, then click Change Icon near the bottom of the window.
    2. Folder - Click the Customize tab at the top of the Properties window, then click Change Icon near the bottom of the window.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 22How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 22
    Select an icon. You can select two different types of icons:
    1. System icon - Click an icon in the window.
    2. Custom icon - Click Browse, then click the folder that your custom icons are in on the left side of the window. Select the icon you want to use, then click Open.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 23How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 23
    Click OK. This will assign your selected icon.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 24How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 24
    Click Apply, then click OK. Doing so confirms your decision and changes the original icon to your selected icon.
Method 3 of 6:

Downloading Icons

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 25How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 25
    Open a web browser. Microsoft Edge is the official Windows 10 browser, though you can use Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, or Internet Explorer as well.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 26How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 26
    Search for Windows icons. Type download windows desktop icons into your browser's address bar and pressing ↵ Enter.
    1. You can narrow your search by entering the program's name (e.g., windows my computer icon) or by using the icon file type (e.g., ICO.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 27How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 27
    Download the icons you want. You can do this by opening a site that has your icons and clicking the Download button. Doing so will save the icons to your computer.
    1. If you download multiple icons at once, you may have to extract the icons to a regular folder before continuing.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 28How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 28
    Open File Explorer
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 29How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 29
    . You can do this by opening Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 30How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 30
    and clicking
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 31How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 31
    .
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 32How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 32
    Click Desktop. This folder is on the left side of File Explorer.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 33How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 33
    Click your icons folder. Doing so selects it.
    1. If you just downloaded one icon, select the icon instead.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 34How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 34
    Click Home. This tab is in the upper-left corner of the File Explorer window.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 35How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 35
    Click Move to. It's in the "Organize" section of the toolbar at the top of the File Explorer window.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 36How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 36
    Click Pictures. This folder is near the middle of the pop-up window.
    1. You can select any folder on your computer if you don't want to place your icons in Pictures.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 37How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 37
    Click Move. This will send your icons to a folder where you won't move or delete them.
  11. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 38How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 38
    Change a program's icon using your downloaded icon. You'll use the Browse method and then select an icon from within the Pictures folder to do this.
Method 4 of 6:

Creating Icons

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 39How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 39
    Open Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 40How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 40
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press ⊞ Win.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 41How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 41
    Type paint into Start, then press ↵ Enter. Make sure you don't press ↵ Enter until the Paint icon, which resembles a paint palette, appears at the top of the Start window.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 42How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 42
    Click File. It's a blue button in the upper-left corner of the Paint window.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 43How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 43
    Click Open. This option is in the File menu. Doing so opens a window where you can open a file location.
    1. If you'd rather create your own icon by drawing in Paint, skip this step and instead create your drawing.
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 44How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 44
    Select a picture. You may have to click a location on the left side of the Open window (e.g., Pictures) to find the picture you want to open.
    1. Skip this step if you're drawing your own icon.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 45How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 45
    Click Open. This will open your image in the Paint window.
    1. Skip this step if you're drawing your own icon.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 46How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 46
    Click File again. It's in the top-left corner of Paint.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 47How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 47
    Select Save as. This option is near the top of the File menu.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 48How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 48
    Click BMP picture. It's an option to the right of the Save as button. Doing so opens a Save As window where you can name your file.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 49How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 49
    Type in your file's name followed by .ico. This will ensure that your file is saved as an icon file.
    1. For example, you might name your file "shortcut.ico".
  11. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 50How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 50
    Click a folder to save your file in. Do so in the left-hand pane of the Save As window.
    1. The Pictures folder is a safe place to save your shortcut file.
  12. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 51How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 51
    Click Save. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will save your icon in your selected folder.
  13. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 52How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 52
    Change a program's icon using your created icon. You'll use the Browse method and select your custom icon from the folder where you saved it.
Method 5 of 6:

Adding Shortcuts to the Desktop

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 53How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 53
    Open Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 54How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 54
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press ⊞ Win on your keyboard.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 55How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 55
    Click File Explorer
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 56How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 56
    . It's in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 57How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 57
    Click the Desktop folder. It's on the left side of the File Explorer window.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 58How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 58
    Click the Home tab. You'll find this tab in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window.
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 59How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 59
    Click New item. It's in the "New" section of the tool bar at the top of the window.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 60How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 60
    Click Shortcut. This option is in the New item drop-down menu. A window with options for your new shortcut will appear.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 61How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 61
    Click Browse. It's in the middle of the page. Doing so opens a pop-up window.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 62How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 62
    Scroll down and click the program's or file's folder. For example, if the program or file is in the Documents folder, you'd click My Documents.
    1. You may have to click through several different folders to find the program or file for which you want to create a shortcut.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 63How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 63
    Click OK. Doing so sets the desktop shortcut's target as your selected item.
    1. If you rename the desktop icon or move it to a new folder, your shortcut will no longer work.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 64How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 64
    Click Next, then enter a name. The default name for the shortcut is the same name as the program itself.
  11. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 65How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 65
    Click Finish. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. This will create your shortcut in the folder you selected.
Method 6 of 6:

Removing Arrows from Shortcut Icons

  1. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 66How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 66
    Open Start
    How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 67How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 67
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press ⊞ Win.
  2. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 68How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 68
    Type regedit into the Start window. This will bring up the "regedit" program at the top of the window.
  3. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 69How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 69
    Click regedit. It's a blue group of blocks at the top of the window.
  4. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 70How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 70
    Click Yes when prompted. This will open the Registry Editor.
  5. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 71How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 71
    Navigate to the Explorer folder. To do so:
    1. Expand HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE by clicking V left of it. This folder is in the top-left side of the Registry Editor window.
    2. Expand SOFTWARE.
    3. Expand Microsoft.
    4. Expand Windows.
    5. Expand CurrentVersion.
    6. Click Explorer.
  6. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 72How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 72
    Click Edit. It's in the top-left corner of the Registry Editor window.
  7. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 73How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 73
    Select New, then click Key. Doing so creates a new "key", which resembles a folder, in the column of folders below the Explorer folder.
  8. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 74How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 74
    Type Shell Icons into the key's name, then press ↵ Enter. Doing so renames the key.
    1. Make sure you type this name exactly as it appears here.
  9. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 75How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 75
    Click the Edit tab. It's in the upper-left corner of the window.
  10. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 76How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 76
    Select New, then click String Value. This creates a new code item in the Shell Icons key.
  11. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 77How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 77
    Type in 29, then press ↵ Enter. Doing so renames your string value.
  12. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 78How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 78
    Double-click the 29 string value. This opens the Edit String window.
  13. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 79How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 79
    Type %windir%System32shell32.dll,-50 into the Value data field. This field is at the bottom of the "Edit String" window.
  14. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 80How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 80
    Click OK. Doing so saves your edit to the registry.
  15. How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 81How to Change or Create Desktop Icons for Windows Picture 81
    Restart your computer. Once your computer reboots, you should no longer see the icon arrow in the bottom-left corner of your deskto
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