How to change icons on Windows 11

While Windows 11 packs a few Customization Options Changing icons on Windows 11 is a great way to customize your Windows PC. So, if you're interested in changing the appearance of folders and shortcuts on your computer, you've come to the right place. If you don't like the default icons in Windows 11 or just want to give your computer a unique look, we'll show you how to change various icons in Windows 11. So, let's get started.

Change desktop and taskbar icons in Windows 11

Let's start withdesktop icons First, you can use the Settings app on Windows 11 to change the icons for your computer, user files, network, Recycle Bin, and Control Panel. Here's how.

Step 1: Open start menu and click gear icon to turn on Settings app.

Step 2: Go to Customization tab On your left and select Features.

Step 3: Scroll down to Settings section Related and open Settings desktop icon.

Step 4: Locate desktop icon which you want to modify and click on Change icon button.

Step 5: In the Change Icon window, select new symbol of Available options. Alternatively, you can also use Browse button To locate any Custom icons downloaded From a third-party website.

Step 6: Once selected, click "OK".

Step 7: Click "Application" ثم "OK" to save the changes.

Repeat the steps above to modify all desktop icons. However, if you want to change a desktop shortcut icon, you'll need to access its properties. Here's how to do it.

Step 1: Right click on desktop icon and select Properties.

Step 2: within Shortcut tab , click the . button Change the icon.

Step 3: Locate new symbol And click "OK".

Step 4: Click on Application to save the changes.

Similarly, you can also change the program icon. Pinned to taskbar By accessing its properties. Here's how.

Step 1: during Press and hold on Shift key , right-click on program icon on Taskbar and select Properties.

Step 2: within Shortcut tab , Click Change the icon.

Step 3: Locate new symbol And click "OK".

Step 4: Click on Application to save the changes.

How to Change Folder Icons in Windows 11

Aside from desktop and taskbar icons, Windows also lets you change folder icons in File Explorer. This process is very similar to changing icons. Desktop ShortcutsHere's how.

Step 1: Click on Windows key + E to turn on File Explorer.

Step 2: Right click Vol and open Its properties.

Step 3: Switch to Customize tab And click Change icon button.

Step 4: Locate new symbol To the folder and click on OK.

Step 5: Finally, tap "Application" to save the changes.

How to Change Drive Icons in Windows 11

While modifying desktop and folder icons is easy, Windows doesn't provide a direct way to change drive icons in File Explorer. Therefore, you'll need to edit the registry.

To change the launcher icon, you will need to download an icon from a third-party website such as  icon-icons Or convert an image to ICO format using an online tool. Once you have your favorite icon, here's how to set it as your drive icon in Windows 11.

A word of caution. Since the Registry Editor contains important settings for the Windows operating system and its applications, it is recommended that you perform a Backup registry files Yours before proceeding to make any changes.

Step 1: Right click on ICO file Downloaded and selected copy as path.

Step 2: Click on Windows key + R , run the command, and type regedit , And press Enter.

Step 3: Use the address bar at the top to navigate to the next key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ DriveIcons

Step 4: Right click DriveIcons key , and select New From the menu, choose a key. Name the new key using the drive letter you want to change.

For example, if you want to change the icon for drive C, name it Key C.

Step 5: Right click the key Newly created, moved to New and select a key. Name it DefaultIcon.

Step 6: Locate DefaultIcon key New and double click on Value (default) On your right.

Step 7: in value data , paste Correct the copied code In step 1, click on OK.

And voila! Your new drive icon will appear in no time.

Bonus: How to Change Icon Size in Windows 11 (Desktop and File Explorer)

Aside from changing desktop and file explorer icons, Windows also allows you to increase or decrease their size.

To change the size of your desktop icons, right-click anywhere on the empty space on desktop , and go to عرض , and select Size which suits you.

Similarly, if you want to change the size of file and folder icons in File Explorer, you can expand the View menu at the top and choose from the available sizes.

Customize your icons

Perhaps the best part of Windows 11 is that it lets you customize every element, right from the Lock screen To start menuAs we just saw, changing icons in Windows 11 isn't difficult either. Use the methods above to start changing icons on Windows 11.