The fastest way to change a desktop icon

Right-click the icon you want to change, select Rename, type a new name, and press Enter. That changes the label. To change the image itself — the picture that represents the icon — right-click it again, choose Properties, click the Shortcut tab, then click Change Icon. Windows will show you built-in icon options. Pick one and click OK twice.

If you want to use a custom image file instead of Windows' built-in icons, you can point to any .ico, .exe, or .dll file on your computer. In that same Change Icon window, type the full path to your file (for example, C:\Users\YourName\Pictures\myicon.ico) and press Enter. Windows will display the icons stored in that file.

For app tiles on your desktop that came from the Microsoft Store, the process is slightly different — you cannot change those icons the same way. You can only rename them or unpin them and create a shortcut instead.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click any desktop icon, choose Properties, click the Shortcut tab, then Change Icon to pick a new image from Windows' library.
  • You can rename an icon by right-clicking it and selecting Rename, then typing a new name.
  • Custom icon files must be in .ico, .exe, or .dll format, and you enter the full file path in the Change Icon window.
  • Microsoft Store app tiles cannot be customized the same way — you can only rename or unpin them.
  • Changes take effect when ready; you do not need to restart Windows.

Where Windows stores its built-in icons

When you click Change Icon, Windows opens a dialog showing icons from shell32.dll, a system file that holds hundreds of standard images. You can scroll through these without downloading anything — they come with Windows 10. If none of them match what you want, you can browse to a different file on your computer.

Common places to find icon files are your Pictures folder, your Downloads folder, or any folder where you have saved custom images. Some programs also store their own icon files in their installation folder (usually under C:\Program Files or C:\Program Files (x86)). If you know the program name, you can search for its folder and look inside.

Using custom icon files you read

Icon packs are available free from websites like DeviantArt, IconArchive, and Flaticon. read a pack, extract the .zip file to a folder you can remember, and note the full path. Then use the Change Icon dialog to point to that folder.

Make sure the file you read is actually an icon file (.ico) or a program file (.exe or .dll) that contains icons. Some downloads are image files (.png or .jpg) instead, and Windows cannot read those as icons in the Change Icon dialog. If you have a .png file you love, you can convert it to .ico format using free online tools like CloudConvert or Convertio, then use the converted file.

Changing icons for folders and shortcuts

Folder icons work the same way as shortcut icons: right-click the folder, choose Properties, click the Customize tab, then Change Icon. The process is identical. You can pick from Windows' library or point to a custom file.

If you create a shortcut to a program or file (by right-clicking and selecting Create shortcut), that shortcut icon can be changed using the Properties method. The original program's icon stays the same — only the shortcut changes.

What happens if you delete a custom icon file later

If you change a desktop icon to point to a custom file, then delete that file from your computer, Windows will show a blank or broken icon on your desktop. The shortcut itself still works — clicking it will still open the program — but the image disappears.

To fix this, right-click the broken icon, go to Properties, click Change Icon again, and pick a different file or use one of Windows' built-in icons instead. Always keep custom icon files in a folder you do not plan to delete, or back them up before removing them.

Restoring default icons

If you change an icon and want to undo it, right-click the icon, choose Properties, click Change Icon, and select a different image. There is no single "restore default" button, but you can always pick the original icon from Windows' library if you remember what it looked like.

For system icons like This PC, Recycle Bin, or Control Panel, the process is the same. Right-click the icon on your desktop, choose Properties, and use Change Icon. If you cannot find Properties in the menu, the icon may be a pinned tile from the Start menu rather than a true desktop shortcut, and you will need to unpin it and create a shortcut instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the icon for a program I installed?

Yes, if you created a shortcut to it on your desktop. Right-click the shortcut, choose Properties, click Change Icon, and pick a new image. The program itself stays unchanged — only the shortcut icon changes. If the program is pinned to your Start menu or taskbar instead, you cannot change its icon that way.

What if the Change Icon button is grayed out?

This usually means you right-clicked a file or folder that does not support icon changes, or you are looking at the wrong tab in Properties. Make sure you are on the Shortcut tab (for shortcuts) or Customize tab (for folders). If it is still grayed out, try creating a new shortcut to the same target and changing that one instead.

Can I use PNG or JPG images as desktop icons?

Not directly in the Change Icon dialog — Windows only reads .ico, .exe, and .dll files there. If you have a PNG or JPG you want to use, convert it to .ico format first using a free online converter, then point to the converted file. The result will be a true icon file Windows recognizes.

Do I need to restart Windows after changing an icon?

No. Icon changes appear when ready on your desktop. If an icon does not update right away, try pressing F5 to refresh your desktop view, or click somewhere else on the desktop and click back.

Can I change icons for files, not just shortcuts?

Not in the traditional sense. Individual files like documents or images do not have changeable icons — they display the icon of the program that opens them. You can change the icon of a shortcut that points to a file, but not the file itself.