custom icons Archives

Winsage

July 12, 2026

How to set custom folder icons in Windows 11 File Explorer

Many users enhance their Windows 11 experience with third-party applications, but the operating system also offers built-in customization options, such as setting custom folder icons in File Explorer. This feature allows users to personalize their navigation experience and improve efficiency. To change folder icons, users can download .ico files, right-click the folder, select Properties, go to the Customize tab, choose Change Icon, browse for the downloaded .ico file, and apply the changes. The process is quick and reversible. For better visual appeal, users can select "View > Extra large icons" in File Explorer. Additionally, the Object Desktop package provides further customization options.

Winsage

July 6, 2026

Microsoft just broke custom folder icons in Windows, and the reason is a bug from 2003

Microsoft has updated Windows to stop trusting untrusted desktop.ini files, a change aimed at addressing a long-standing security vulnerability that has existed since 2003. This decision affects the display of custom folder icons, as Windows will now ignore customization metadata from potentially unsafe sources. Users can still use custom folder icons if the desktop.ini file and icon resources come from trusted locations. A workaround allows users to manually create a desktop.ini file with the desired icon while following new security protocols.

Winsage

June 12, 2026

Microsoft just broke some custom folder icons, and it’s deliberate

Windows 11 users have reported that their custom folder icons have reverted to default settings due to new security protocols from Microsoft. If a desktop.ini file, which defines folder icons, is detected as coming from an untrusted source, Windows will automatically revert to the standard icon without notification. Microsoft has confirmed that 'untrusted' icons will no longer display, and identifies scenarios that classify a source as untrusted, including files downloaded from the internet with a Mark-of-the-Web (MOTW), files copied from certain remote locations, and files on unrecognized network paths. To restore customizations, users can add the source to their Trusted Sites list, enable the "Allow the use of remote paths in file shortcut icons" policy, or remove the Mark-of-the-Web tag from affected files.