How to change your desktop icons
You can change a desktop icon by right-clicking it, selecting properties or get info, and choosing a new image file from your computer. The steps differ slightly between Windows and Mac, but both let you pick any image you already own or download from the internet. The process takes a few minutes and doesn't require any special software.
Desktop icons are the small pictures that represent your files, folders, and programs. Changing them is purely visual — it doesn't affect how the file or program works, and you can change them back anytime.
Key Takeaways
- Right-click any desktop icon and open its properties to find the option to change the image.
- You need an image file saved on your computer — common formats are .png, .jpg, and .ico files.
- Windows and Mac have slightly different steps, but both take less than five minutes.
- Changing an icon doesn't affect the file or program itself, only how it looks on your desktop.
- You can revert to the original icon anytime by following the same steps and selecting the default image.
Changing icons on Windows 10 and 11
Right-click the icon you want to change and select Properties from the menu. In the Properties window, click the Shortcut tab at the top. Look for the Change Icon button near the bottom of the window and click it.
A dialog box will open showing icons built into Windows. You can select one of these, or click Browse to find an image file on your computer. Navigate to wherever you've saved your image, select it, and click Open. Then click OK to apply the change. The new icon will appear on your desktop immediately.
If you're changing the icon for a folder rather than a shortcut, the process is similar but the button location differs. Right-click the folder, select Properties, then click the Customize tab. At the top you'll see a preview of the folder icon with a Change Icon button below it.
Changing icons on Mac
Right-click the icon you want to change and select Get Info from the menu. At the top of the Get Info window, you'll see a small preview of the current icon. Click on it once to select it, then press Delete or Backspace to remove it.
Next, find an image file on your computer that you want to use as the new icon. Drag that image file and drop it onto the icon preview area in the Get Info window. Mac will automatically convert the image to an icon and apply it. Close the Get Info window and the change takes effect immediately.
If you want to use an icon from the internet, download the image file first, then follow the same drag-and-drop process. Mac works with common image formats like .png and .jpg, and also with .icns files (Apple's native icon format).
Where to find icon images
You don't need to create icons from scratch. Many websites offer free icon downloads in formats that work with both Windows and Mac. Search for "free icon download" or "icon pack" and look for sites that let you download individual files rather than requiring software installation.
You can also use any image you already own — a photo, a screenshot, or a graphic you've created. Windows and Mac will automatically resize and format it to work as an icon. The image doesn't need to be square, though square images look best since icons display in a square space.
If you want to create a custom icon, simple image editors like Paint (Windows) or Preview (Mac) can save files in the right format. You don't need expensive design software.
Reverting to the original icon
If you change your mind, you can always go back to the original icon. On Windows, follow the same steps to open Properties and click Change Icon, then select the default icon from the list that appears. On Mac, open Get Info, click the icon preview, press Delete, and the original icon returns.
Changing icons doesn't create a backup of the original, but Windows and Mac both keep the default icons stored in system files. You're not deleting anything permanent by making a change.
Troubleshooting icon changes that don't work
If you right-click an icon and don't see a Properties or Get Info option, it's likely a system file or built-in Windows/Mac icon that the operating system protects. Try creating a shortcut to the file instead — right-click the file, select Create Shortcut (Windows) or Make Alias (Mac), and change the shortcut's icon instead of the original.
If an image file won't work as an icon, the file format might be the issue. Try converting it to .png or .jpg using a free online converter, then try again. Very large image files sometimes cause problems too — resize the image to under 1 MB before using it as an icon.
On Windows, if the Change Icon button is grayed out, you're likely trying to change a system icon. Create a shortcut to the program or file instead, then change the shortcut's icon.
Icon files and file formats
Windows prefers .ico files but also accepts .png, .jpg, and .bmp. Mac works best with .icns files but handles .png and .jpg well. Both systems will convert other formats automatically, so you don't need to worry too much about getting the exact right format.
If you download an icon pack, it usually comes as a .zip file containing many individual icon files. Extract the .zip file first, then navigate to the extracted folder when you're choosing a new icon image. Icon packs often include matching icons for multiple programs, so you can create a consistent look across your desktop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the icon for a program itself, not just a shortcut?
On Windows, you can only change the icon for a shortcut to a program, not the program file itself. Create a shortcut to the program, then change the shortcut's icon. On Mac, you can change the icon for the application itself by opening Get Info on the app and dragging a new image onto the icon preview.
Will changing an icon affect how the program or file works?
No. Changing an icon is purely visual and doesn't alter the file, program, or any of its functions. The program will run exactly the same way, and the file will open in the same application it always did.
What if I want to use an emoji as a desktop icon?
Emojis don't work directly as desktop icons because they're not image files. You can take a screenshot of an emoji, save it as an image, and use that image as your icon instead. Some icon websites also offer emoji-style icons that you can download as regular image files.
Can I change multiple icons at once?
No, you have to change each icon individually. There's no batch tool built into Windows or Mac for changing multiple icons at the same time. If you want a matching set, download an icon pack where all the icons already match, then apply them one by one.
Do I need administrator permission to change desktop icons?
On Windows, you usually don't need administrator permission to change shortcut icons. On Mac, you don't need special permission either. If you're trying to change a system icon and it won't let you, create a shortcut or alias instead.