Windows 10: How to rebuild the icon cache in Windows 11

Windows 11 uses the icon cache extensively to display icons of applications and other elements of the operating system. It is designed to speed up the loading and display of icons.

Sometimes, issues may arise. A common issue is corruption of the icon cache. This may lead to the display of wrong, old, duplicate, missing, or broken icons and other issues.

The reason for this, most of the time, is corruption of the icon cache. The solution in that case is to rebuild the icon cache.

This guide explains how that is done on Windows 11. The same method works on Windows 10 as well.

Rebuilding the icon cache in Windows 11




You can rebuild the icon cache using a single command. Here is how that is done:

1. Use the keyboard shortcut Windows-X to display the administrative menu.
2. Select Terminal from the menu.
3. Confirm the security prompt by selecting the option yes.
4. Paste the command "ie4uinit.exe -show" and press the Enter-key.

Note that you do not get a response; this is normal and nothing to worry about.

The Sledgehammer method


If the above command does not fix the icon cache on the Windows 11 system, you may try the following, which is more powerful.

1. Open the Start menu.
2. Type cmd and select Command Prompt to launch it.
3. Paste the command ie4uinit.exe -show and press the Enter-key.
4. Paste the command taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F and press the Enter-key.
5. Paste the command CD %userprofile%\AppData\Local and press the Enter-key.
6. Type del iconcache.db /a and press the Enter-key.
7. Paste the command CD %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\ and press the Enter-key.
8. Type del iconcache* and press the Enter-key.
9. Type start explorer.exe and press the Enter-key.

You probably wonder what some of the commands do.

• taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe - This commands force kills the explorer.exe process. Note that this removes the taskbar among other things when executed. Don't worry, the command start explorer.exe restarts Explorer at the end.
• CD /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local - This command changes the directory to the user's \AppData\Local directory.
• del IconCache.db /a /f /q - This command deletes the file IconCache.db
• del iconcache* /a /f /q -- The command deletes all files that start with iconcache in the folder %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\.

Rebuilding does not resolve all issues related to icons


Rebuilding works if the icon cache has become corrupted. It does not work in some other cases. For example, when an icon file gets moved or deleted on the system.

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post How to rebuild the icon cache in Windows 11 appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

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Safe way to rebuild icon cache in windows 8.1?

Hi people, I've noticed the Task Scheduler icon on my desktop is "low quality"



Now I found this on the internet: How to Purge & Rebuild the Icon Cache in Windows 8/7

How to purge and rebuild the icon cache I would have to go to C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local folder and delete the hidden IconCache.db file.

Is this safe to do this?
I don't want to mess up my system.

Anyone tried this before on windows 8.1?

Thanks!

 

How to rebuild icon cache in windows 11 tried the instructions for windows 10 did not work

Hi Michael, I am Paulo and I'd like to help.

You can check these methods for Windows 11 to rebuild the icon cache

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/rebuild-icon-cach...

(Disclaimer: Elevenforum is a non-Microsoft website but the page provides accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.)

 

Rebuild Icon Cache in Windows 10  


Hello, this method does not seem to work for the displayed icons on the Start Menu programs list, I've tried several times and it stills shows old icons, I think these icons are cached in another way, do you perchance know how to refresh them?

Talking about these:





Thanks in advance!!