Windows 10: Change Icon By File Type (not by Application)

This is the scenario. I have a music collection that I want all my music files to be played in the same player.

I want to be able to look at a file and tell if it is an MP3 or a WAV or a MP4 or an OGG by looking at the ICON

(Yes I know I can enable windows to show extensions but if you are looking in icon view the file names are usually to long to see the extension)

I am comfortable modifying the registry if that is what it takes.


Is there a way to change windows explorer icons by file types?


Thank you in advance.

:)

 

Custom File Icons?


I've got a program that creates various file types; some of these are associated with the program and display its icon. Is it possible to keep the file association, but change the icons for some of the associated types so they stand out in a listing?

If so, then ideally I'd like to extract the icon from the exe, make three slightly different versions, and make these display (at all scales) for the three main file types. Any suggestions for tools to do this? I have Photoshop CS5.

 

Change Save As File type

Hi Patrick,

Thank you for writing to Microsoft Community Forums.

1. What type of files are you trying to save?
   
2. What type of File formats are you referring to?
   
3. Are you facing this concern with all Websites?
   

However, Try the below suggestions to change the default programs & File associations in Windows 10.

Method 1. Choose a Default Program for specific file types (extensions).

1. Right click on the Start menu and then choose
Control Panel. Set the View by to Small icons and then choose
Default Programs.

2. At Default programs options, choose
set your default programs.

3. At the left pane select the application that you want and then click:

a. Set this program as default to make the selected application as the default application to open all files types that it can handle, or

b. Choose defaults for this program to choose which specific file types the selected application can open by default.

b1. If you select the Choose defaults for this program option, then a new window will open that lists all the extensions (types of files) that the selected program can handle (open). Look at the list
of extensions and select any other extensions (files types) you want to be opened by the selected program. After making your changes, click
Save.

Method 2. Associate a specific file type (extension) to open with a default program.

The second method is to choose a default program by extension.

1. Go to Control Panel >
Default programs and select Associate a file type or protocol with a program.

2. From the list of file extensions, select the extension that you want to change the default program to open with and then click
Change program.

3. Finally select from the suggested programs or select
More apps to find another program on your computer, to open files with the selected file extension.

Hope it helps,

Muralidhar

Microsoft Forum Moderator

 

Change File Type Icon in Thumbnail Preview


I use Google SketchUp a lot and each new model/file I create, SketchUp makes a .skb back up file of the last save. I was able to create a subkey in the registry to associate a different icon file for the .skb files but it does not change the icon if the folder view is set to medium, large, or extra large icons and gives a thumbnail preview of the file contents.

Examples of the same files in the same folder below.







Notice how in the thumbnail preview all the file type icons are red and in the detailed list view the .skb file icons are black and the regular .skp files are red, like I want them.

In this particular folder it does not matter, just an example. But when navigating through other folders that contain many image files as well as the .skb & .skp files it can be confusing to tell which is which and I don't want to edit the wrong one. The thumbnail preview can be very helpful so I am trying to avoid changing the folder views.

If anyone has an idea of how to change that icon in the thumbnail view it would save me a lot of time and confusion, thanks in advance.