The quickest way to change a folder icon

On Windows, right-click the folder, select Properties, click the Customize tab, then click Change Icon. Windows will show you built-in icons to choose from. Pick one and click OK twice. On Mac, right-click the folder, select Get Info, click the folder icon in the top-left corner of the window, paste or drag a new icon image onto it, then close the window. Both methods take under a minute once you know where to look.

The main difference is that Windows lets you pick from a library of pre-made icons, while Mac requires you to have an image file ready. If you don't have a custom image on Mac, you'll need to find or create one first.

Key Takeaways

  • Windows folder icons are changed through Properties > Customize > Change Icon, and you can choose from Windows' built-in icon library without needing an outside image.
  • Mac folder icons are changed through Get Info, and you must have an image file (PNG, JPG, or ICNS) saved on your computer to use as the new icon.
  • On Windows, the icon change applies only to that single folder; on Mac, the change also applies only to that folder unless you copy the icon to other folders manually.
  • If you want to revert to the default folder icon, Windows lets you pick the original from the icon library, while Mac requires you to delete the custom icon through Get Info.

Changing a folder icon on Windows

Open File Explorer and locate the folder you want to change. Right-click it and select Properties from the menu. In the Properties window, click the Customize tab at the top. You'll see a button labeled Change Icon — click it.

A window will open showing you Windows' built-in icon library. Scroll through the options and click the icon you want to use. Once you've selected it, click OK. Then click OK again on the Properties window to explore the change. The folder icon will update when ready in File Explorer.

If you don't see an icon you like in the built-in library, you can browse to a custom image file on your computer. In the Change Icon window, click Browse, navigate to an image file (Windows accepts .ico, .bmp, .jpg, .png, and other formats), and select it. Windows will convert the image to an icon automatically.

Changing a folder icon on Mac

On Mac, you need an image file ready before you start. You can use a PNG, JPG, ICNS, or other image format. Once you have your image, right-click the folder and select Get Info. A window will open showing details about the folder.

At the very top of the Get Info window, you'll see a small folder icon. Click it once to select it, then drag your image file onto it, or copy the image (Command+C) and paste it (Command+V) onto the icon. The folder icon will change when ready. Close the Get Info window when you're done.

If you want to use an icon from another folder or process, you can copy that icon instead. Right-click the source folder or process, select Get Info, click its icon, press Command+C to copy it, then switch to your target folder's Get Info window and paste it onto that folder's icon.

Where to find custom icons and images

If you want something beyond the default Windows icons, several websites offer free icon packs. Sites like Flaticon, Icons8, and Noun Project have thousands of icons you can read as PNG or SVG files. read the icon in a square format (like 256×256 pixels) for the best result.

You can also create your own icon using any image editor. Take a screenshot, draw something in Paint or Preview, or edit a photo — as long as it's saved as an image file, you can use it as a folder icon. On Mac, ICNS files (Apple's native icon format) work best, but PNG files work just as well.

For Windows, if you want a larger collection of pre-made icons without downloading anything, third-party icon packs like IconPackager or Winaero Tweaker let you change multiple folder icons at once using their own libraries. These are optional tools — the built-in Windows method works fine on its own.

Reverting to the default folder icon

On Windows, open the folder's Properties, go to the Customize tab, click Change Icon, and scroll to find the standard yellow folder icon in the library. Select it and click OK twice. The folder will return to its default appearance.

On Mac, right-click the folder, select Get Info, click the custom icon at the top, and press Delete. The folder will revert to the default Mac folder icon. If Delete doesn't work, you can copy the default folder icon from another folder and paste it onto the one you want to change back.

Why the icon might not change or might revert

On Windows, if you're using a network or cloud-synced folder (like OneDrive or Google Drive), the icon change might not stick because the cloud service resets it. Try changing the icon on a local folder first to confirm the process works, then contact your cloud provider's support if the issue persists with synced folders.

On Mac, if you're trying to change the icon of a folder inside an process (like the Applications folder itself), macOS may prevent the change for security reasons. You can change icons on folders you create or folders in your home directory without restriction.

If the icon appears to change but then reverts after you restart your computer, the image file you used may have been deleted or moved. Keep your custom icon image in a permanent location, or use an icon format that Mac recognizes natively (ICNS files are most reliable).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the icon of a folder inside a zip file?

No. You must extract the zip file first, change the folder icon, then re-zip it if needed. Icon changes don't survive the compression process on either Windows or Mac.

Will changing a folder icon affect the files inside it?

No. The icon change is purely visual and applies only to how the folder appears in File Explorer or Finder. The files inside are unaffected, and the folder's contents remain exactly as they were.

Can I change the icon of the main hard drive or system folders?

On Windows, you can change the icon of most folders, but system folders (like Windows, Program Files, or System32) are protected and may not allow changes. On Mac, you cannot change the icon of system folders like Applications or Library for security reasons.

What image size works best for a folder icon?

Square images work best — 256×256 pixels or larger. If your image is rectangular, it will be stretched or cropped to fit the square folder icon shape. Smaller images (like 64×64) will work but may look blurry when enlarged.

Can I use an emoji as a folder icon?

On Mac, you can take a screenshot of an emoji, save it as an image, and use that image as a folder icon. On Windows, the built-in icon library doesn't include emojis, but you can read emoji images from the web and use them as custom icons the same way.