Windows 10: Microsoft Office Word file icons are not consistent on desktop

I am using Office Professional Plus 2019 on Windows 10 Pro 10.0.19041 Built 19041. Some of my saved Word files are displayed with the Word icon while others show a miniature greeked image of the contents.I want consistency. For example here are two versions of the same file. The file showing the Word icon is the original, and the one showing the greeked image is the Save As version. I would prefer to just have all saved Word files show as the Word icon.



:)

 

Modify Microsoft Office Icons/Tiles


EDIT: only works for icons, not for tiles :/

Ok, I just found a way but it is not really straightforward. It consists in creating a shortcut toward a homonym application for each of the Microsoft Office programs, and then deleting the homonym application and renaming the real Microsoft Office program. If you create a shortcut directly to one of the program, you will not be able to modify the icon.

Step by step:
1. Go in Microsoft Office folder (C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15 for Windows 10 and Office 15)
2. Rename EXCEL.EXE in EXCEL2.EXE, or any other application whose icon you want to edit
3. Create a new text document (or whatever you like) on your desktop, and give it the initial name of the Office application you are working on (EXCEL.exe here)
4. Move the fake file into the Office folder
5. Create a shortcut toward the fake application on your desktop, and change shortcut icon (you will not be able to do it anymore after step 6)
6. Delete the fake file in the Office folder, and give the real Office program its original name
7. Pin your new shortcut to your Start menu

 

microsoft word 2003

Is it just one file, or all your word files?

With the exception of Outlook, I have yet to find a reason to stop using Office 2000, 2003, and 2007. They open all the latest files just fine, and they work just fine.

 

Windows 10 Office 365 cannot open files from: recent file list

Thanks for the tip! I followed all above steps.

So far I can open files from the Recent files list when I enter Word itself, however I still am unable to open any documents using the Word icon pinned to the taskbar:





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