Windows 10: Default Icons Showing up when I pin any shortcut or anything goes into the taskbar.

Hi there,I recently bought this gaming PC around a month ago and have been trying to set up my taskbar for easy access to all the apps I frequently use. I keep pinning apps to my taskbar, through shortcuts or other methods, but they keep returning to the default Windows icon The one with the white rectangle and then the smaller blue rectangle in it. This is super frustrating as it seems I have no way to tell which apps are which. I am curious as to how I should proceed and what can be done so that I can see the apps for the icons they should have.Thanks

:)

 

Icon for pinned taskbar shortcut reverts to target icon when opened

I just created a shortcut to an executable on my home desktop. I changed the icon to the shortcut on the desktop. Then, I pinned that shortcut to my taskbar. When I opened the program from the taskbar, the icon for the taskbar shortcut did not change.

On my work desktop, the taskbar icon changes when I click on it. It goes from the icon I specified to the icon that is "embedded" (for lack of better terminology) in the target .EXE. What is up with that?

 

Blank shortcut icon GPU-Z

I know I am quite late but as I was scrolling through I saw this post which happened to one of friend too. This sometimes happens with Windows. Usually a reboot will solve the problem. However if this doesn't, try setting the icon for the shortcut(right-click pinned icon, right-click program, left-click properties, select "change icon...") or refreshing it by switching to a different icon, applying it, and then reverting back to the original icon. Remove the shortcut from the taskbar and replace it with the start menu shortcut or simply drag the .exe file to the taskbar.

 

Pinned Icons In Taskbar, But No Pinned Shortcut Files Remain

Windows 10, Version 21H1 (OS Build 19043.1466) About a week ago I noticed a pinned file in my taskbar. I right-clicked it and chose delete from the context menu. A white file replaced it. Here I a week later and the file still remains. I intentionally added another this morning, deleted it, and another white file appeared (as pictured).

1. I tried to delete the file a second time by right-clicking and choosing delete. But the file couldn't be found.
   
   
2. I checked %AppData%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar but no files are present.
3. I tried rebuilding the icon cache and restarting. The new white file that appeared this morning did go away. But a single white file still remains. The file disappeared when Explorer.exe was restarted. It did not take rebooting to get it to disappear.
   
   

Any ideas on what I might try next?