Windows 10: Change Library Icon in Windows 10

Discus and support Change Library Icon in Windows 10 in Windows 10 Tutorials to solve the problem; How to: Change Library Icon in Windows 10 How to Change Icon of a Library in Windows 10 [img] Information Libraries gather folders that are... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Tutorials' started by Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017.

  1. Spikeypup Win User

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10


    How to: Change Library Icon in Windows 10

    How to Change Icon of a Library in Windows 10

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Information Libraries gather folders that are stored in different locations so you can browse them in one place. You can add or remove folders and drives to be included in a library as you like.

    This tutorial will show you how to change the icon of a library to any custom icon you like in your account in Windows 10.

    CONTENTS:
    • Option One: To Change Icon of New Library using Properties
    • Option Two: To Change Icon of New Library using File Explorer Ribbon
    • Option Three: To Change Icon of Library using "Library Icon Changer" app
    • Option Four: To Change Icon of Library using its .xml file





    OPTION ONE [/i] To Change Icon of New Library using Properties
    1. Open Libraries in File Explorer.

    2. Right click or press and hold on a new library you want to change the icon of, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    3. Click/tap on the Change library icon button. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    4. Browse to and select the icon you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note You can use any .ico file, or open a Windows .dll file (ex: imageres.dll or shell32.dll) that contains icons to select from.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    5. Click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]






    OPTION TWO [/i] To Change Icon of New Library using File Explorer Ribbon
    1. Open Libraries in File Explorer.

    2. Select a new library you want to change the icon of, click/tap on the Library Tools Manage tab, and click/tap on Change icon in the ribbon. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    3. Browse to and select the icon you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note You can use any .ico file, or open a Windows .dll file (ex: imageres.dll or shell32.dll) that contains icons to select from.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]






    OPTION THREE [/i] To Change Icon of Library using "Library Icon Changer" app
    1. If you have not already, click on the Download button below to download and save the .zip file below to your desktop.
    Download
    2. Unblock the .zip file, open the .zip file, and extract (drag and drop) the LibraryIconChanger.exe file from the .zip file to your desktop.

    3. Run the LibraryIconChanger.exe file.
    NOTE: This is a standalone EXE file that only runs and does not install to your PC.

    4. If you have not already, Windows will need to first download and install .NET Framework 3.5. Run the LibraryIconChanger.exe file again afterwards. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    5. In the right pane, select the library that you want to change the icon of. (see screenshot below step 10)

    6. Do step 7, step 8, or step 9 below for what you would like to do.


    7. To Select Icon from dll for Library

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note By default, the available icons are from the C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll file. If you would like to select an icon from within a different .dll file, then click/tap on the browse
    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    button, and select the .dll file.

    A) In the left pane, select an icon, click/tap on Select Icon from dll button, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below step 10)

    8. To Select New Icon from File for Library
    A) Click/tap on the Select new Icon from file button. (see screenshot below step 10)

    B) Browse to and select an .ico file you want for the library, click/tap on Open, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below)


    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    9. To Restore Default Icon of Library
    A) Click/tap on the Restore default icon button, and go to step 10 below. (see screenshot below step 10)

    10. When finished, you can close the Library Icon Changer (Libraries Icons) app.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]






    OPTION FOUR [/i] To Change Icon of Library using its .xml file
    1. Open Notepad. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    2. Open your %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries or %Public%\Libraries (Recorded TV) folder. (see screenshots below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    3. Drag and drop the library (ex: Pictures) you want to change the icon of into notepad. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    4. Look for the <iconReference> line in notepad, and change the data in the middle for the icon you want to use instead. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note What data to use for icon:

    NOTE: Please feel free to post if you have any questions.
    • You can reference the full path of an .ico file in quotes.
    • You can reference a .dll file with an added comma and number position of the icon in the .dll file. If you like, you can use the free program IconViewer to make knowing what the number position is.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    Default Library Icons:
    • Camera Roll = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1003</iconReference>
    • Documents = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1002</iconReference>
    • Music = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1004</iconReference>
    • Pictures = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1003</iconReference>
    • Recorded TV = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1008</iconReference>
    • Saved Pictures = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1003</iconReference>
    • Videos = <iconReference>imageres.dll,-1005</iconReference>

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    5. When finished, press the Ctrl+S keys, or click/tap on File (menu bar) and Save in Notepad. (see screenshot below)

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    6. Restart explorer to apply.


    That's it,
    Shawn


    Related Tutorials

    :)
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #1
  2. Andre Da Costa, Apr 6, 2017
    #2
  3. Where are all of the Desktop colors?

    I would also like to import from Windows 7 the library of Icons for Folders. The ones in Windows 10 are much uglier (for me at least). For 20 years I have hoped to see this library extended and/or improved (many of the icons have poor definition), in vain
    unfortunately.
     
    JMFJMFJMFJMF, Apr 6, 2017
    #3
  4. Brink
    Brink New Member

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10

    Hello Patrick, *Smile

    Yeah, I'm always updating or adding to the tutorials.

    I've just test Option Four to see if anything may have changed, but it still works as outlined in the steps. You might try Option Four again, but be sure to follow the steps exactly, or it won't work.

    If you still have any issue, then please post back with details about any step or part you may be having trouble with. Be sure that you restart the explorer process (or restart computer) to apply.
     
    Brink, Apr 6, 2017
    #4
  5. Spikeypup Win User
    I can confirm that option 4 does indeed work, but only with new libraires, it doesn't allow me to DnD the existing icon, say Music into Notepad, it gives me the whole DO/NOT donut with bacon laying across it...

    OK HOOOOLLLLDDD UP! I just started making a video to illustrate this issue for you, and I'll be damned if it allowed me to drag and drop it... something earlier must have been preventing it, but I don't know the context and what, strange. I'm going to restart soon anyway, things have been wonky all day.
    Also I'm dumb, I forgot to restart explorer.exe, at the same time, the icons changed with icon changer earlier did in fact finally change, it just took some time. On that note...I often have to wait some time when making icon changes, or for example when I empty the trashcan, the icon I have set for emptied trash doesn't appear for quite some time, unless I F5 the desktop, however, if I use the default icons it's immediate. Any thoughts?

    So the library icons have indeed changed in the path "%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Libraries", however in the photo below you can see it isn't updated in the Navigation Pane within Explorer it hasn't changed, also see the second photo showing those folders, I wonder if they are referenced differently somehow in the OS.... Perhaps there is a refresh interval for these


    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    OK... so I just tried to do it again DnD, and it wouldn't allow the dragdrop. Same DONOT circle thingy and Access Denied error. Something's not right. I will reboot and get right back to you. if I don't, something bad happened... lol

    Edit: I think that the references for those folders eventually refer back to NTFS links right, which lead to C:\documents and settings\user, so I wonder if some of those links represent links, and some represent the NTFS link and that's why some change and some don't? Just a thought before I reboot...
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #5
  6. Brink
    Brink New Member
    You'll have to drag and drop them from that very specific location, or it won't let you drag and drop them. I find it best to copy and paste the location in the step into the address bar of File Explorer and press Enter.

    In your screenshot, the folders under "This PC" in the navigation pane wouldn't be for the libraries if that is what you meant. The tutorial below can help show you how to see libraries in the navigation pane.

    Hide or Show Libraries in Navigation Pane in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Customization Tutorials
     
    Brink, Apr 6, 2017
    #6
  7. Spikeypup Win User
    Ok so weird... YES I'M GONNA REBOOT but check this out... look at the icons if you look at my pc through the Homegroup....weird.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #7
  8. Spikeypup Win User

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10

    I did use precisely that location, so strange, because I tried it again, and now it works. Something is definitely not right. As for the Nav pane maybe I didn't explain it well, but this last post above should show you what I meant, I wanted those references there to look just like it shows my computer in Homegroup, yet the local "This PC" as you see, didn't show them that way...anyway rebooting brb.. Thanks so much for your time btw! I feel like I am chatting with a celebrity! *Smile

    Ooops and I forgot to mention that these folders are what's bugging me mostly too:

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #8
  9. Brink
    Brink New Member
    It's always a pleasure to help. *Smile

    Homegroup in the navigation pane includes the libraries you set to share with the homegroup, so it's normal for their icons to be changed as well.
     
    Brink, Apr 6, 2017
    #9
  10. Spikeypup Win User
    Sorry for the constant posts. I guess what I meant were these in particular, but I just realized obviously they are different than libraries as you eluded to, are these the NTFS links then that I was talking about, so these will probably need a registry change? Anyway any thoughts are appreciated...now I will reboot, see below for what I was talking about, sorry rushing so I didn't crop it after I realized my alt-prtscr was sans the alt lol.

    Change Library Icon in Windows 10 [​IMG]
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #10
  11. Spikeypup Win User
    OK now I'm gonna reboot, just saw your reply, I have tried using that method, it doesn't seem to work for me, but clearly on some items it has. I probably just need a reboot, and for whatever reason my PC takes it's time with icon changes, maybe a cache rebuild is in order? Any quick bat or script or method sir?
     
    Spikeypup, Apr 6, 2017
    #11
  12. Brink
    Brink New Member
    For folders in This PC, it would be best to go ahead and create a new thread in the "Customization" forum to keep this tutorial on topic.
     
    Brink, Apr 4, 2018
    #12
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Change Library Icon in Windows 10

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