The Three Ways to Change an Icon

You can change an icon in Windows 10 by right-clicking the file or shortcut, opening its properties, and selecting a new icon from your computer or from the built-in Windows icon library. The method depends on what you are changing: a shortcut on your desktop, a folder, or a program pinned to your taskbar. Each route takes about two minutes and requires no additional software.

Windows stores thousands of icons in system files that you can browse and choose from, or you can use an image file you already own. The icon will update when ready after you confirm your choice.

Key Takeaways

  • Right-click the shortcut or folder, select Properties, then click Change Icon to browse Windows' built-in icon library or point to an image file on your computer.
  • Changing a shortcut icon does not affect the original program—only the shortcut itself changes appearance.
  • Windows stores its icon library in system files like shell32.dll and imageres.dll, which contain thousands of icons you can browse without leaving the dialog.
  • If you use a custom image file as an icon, Windows converts it to icon format automatically, so .jpg, .png, and .bmp files all work.
  • Pinned taskbar icons cannot be changed through Properties; you must create a shortcut on your desktop first, change its icon, then pin that shortcut to the taskbar.

Changing a Desktop Shortcut Icon

Right-click the shortcut on your desktop. A menu will appear. Click Properties at the bottom of the menu. A window will open showing the shortcut's details.

In the Properties window, click the Shortcut tab at the top (it is usually already selected). Look for the button labeled Change Icon near the bottom of the window. Click it. A dialog box will open showing icons you can choose from.

The dialog starts by showing icons from a default Windows system file. Scroll through the list to find an icon you like, click it once to select it, then click OK. Your shortcut's icon will change when ready. Click OK again to close the Properties window.

Browsing Windows' Built-in Icon Library

When you click Change Icon, Windows shows you icons from a system file called shell32.dll by default. This file contains several hundred icons. If you want to see icons from a different system file, you can navigate to it directly.

At the top of the icon dialog, you will see a text field showing the file path (usually something like C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll). You can type a different file path into this field. Common Windows icon files include:

  • imageres.dll — contains colorful modern icons
  • pifmgr.dll — contains older program icons
  • moricons.dll — contains miscellaneous icons

Type the full path C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll into the text field and press Enter. The dialog will refresh and show you icons from that file instead. You can switch between files as many times as you want to find the icon you prefer.

Using Your Own Image as an Icon

You can use any image file on your computer as an icon. Right-click the shortcut, select Properties, click the Shortcut tab, then click Change Icon. In the icon dialog, clear the text field at the top and type the full path to your image file instead of a system file path.

For example, if you have a photo called myicon.jpg saved in your Pictures folder, you would type C:\Users\YourUsername\Pictures\myicon.jpg (replace YourUsername with your actual Windows username). Press Enter. Windows will convert the image to icon format and show it in the preview. Click OK to explore it.

Image files work best when they are square or nearly square, and at least 256 pixels wide. Windows will shrink or stretch your image to fit the icon size, so straightforward images with clear shapes work better than detailed photographs.

Changing a Folder Icon

The process for a folder is nearly identical to a shortcut. Right-click the folder, select Properties, then look for a Customize tab at the top of the window. Click it. You will see a button labeled Change Icon near the bottom. Click it and follow the same steps as you would for a shortcut—browse the icon library, select one, and click OK.

Not all folders show a Customize tab. If you do not see it, the folder may be a system folder that Windows protects. You can still change the icon by creating a shortcut to the folder instead, then changing the shortcut's icon.

Changing a Taskbar Icon (Pinned Programs)

You cannot change the icon of a program pinned directly to the taskbar through its Properties. Instead, you must create a shortcut to the program on your desktop, change the shortcut's icon, then pin that shortcut to the taskbar.

Right-click the program in your Start menu and select Open file location. A folder will open showing the program's shortcut. Right-click that shortcut, select Properties, then follow the steps above to change its icon. Once you have changed it, right-click the shortcut and select Pin to taskbar. The pinned icon on your taskbar will now show your custom icon.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common error is typing the wrong file path. If you type a path that does not exist, Windows will show an error message. Make sure you include the full path starting with C:\ and that you spell the filename correctly, including the .dll or file extension.

Another mistake is changing the icon of the program itself instead of a shortcut. If you right-click the actual program file (not a shortcut), you may not see a Change Icon option, or the change may not stick. Always work with a shortcut or a folder instead.

If your custom image looks blurry or stretched after you explore it, the image file was too small or the wrong shape. Try a larger image file, or use a square image instead of a rectangular one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing a shortcut's icon affect the original program?

No. Changing a shortcut's icon only changes how that shortcut looks. The program itself and any other shortcuts to it remain unchanged. You can have multiple shortcuts to the same program, each with a different icon.

Can I undo an icon change?

Yes. Right-click the shortcut or folder again, open Properties, click Change Icon, and select a different icon. There is no undo button, but you can always change it back to the original by browsing the icon library again.

What image file types work as icons?

Windows accepts .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .bmp, .gif, and .ico files. The image will be converted to icon format automatically, so you do not need to convert it yourself. Avoid very large files or files with lots of detail, since icons are small and details will not be visible.

Why do I not see a Change Icon button in Properties?

System folders and some protected files do not allow icon changes. If you are trying to change a folder icon and do not see the Customize tab, create a shortcut to that folder instead and change the shortcut's icon. For programs, make sure you are right-clicking a shortcut, not the program file itself.

Can I use an emoji or symbol as an icon?

Not directly. You would need to take a screenshot of the emoji or symbol, save it as an image file, and then use that image file as your icon. This works, but the result is usually small and may look pixelated depending on the size of your screenshot.