Personalising Your Windows 11 Desktop: How to Change App Icons
Getting Started
Find and Right-Click the App Icon
Open the ’Properties’ Window
Click on ‘Change Icon’
Select or Upload Your New Icon
ConvertICO can help you convert it. A good quality icon will make your desktop look sharp rather than pixelated.
Apply and Confirm Changes
F5 to refresh, or restart your PC by pressing Win + R, typing shutdown /r /t 0, and hitting Enter. Weirdly, Windows sometimes needs a restart to apply these tweaks.
Tips for Smooth Icon Customisation
- It’s a good idea to save a backup of the original icon, just in case you want to revert later. Store it somewhere safe like C:\DefaultIcons\.
- Use high-res `.ico` files to keep icons crisp — especially on high-DPI screens. You can find ready-made designs or create your own on sites like IcoMoon.
- If your new icon isn’t showing immediately, a quick system restart often does the trick. Or you can run a PowerShell command:
Stop-Process -Name "explorer" -Force; Start-Process explorer. - There’s plenty of free and paid icon sets online, or you can get creative and design your own for something truly unique.
FAQs About Customising App Icons
Can you change icons for all applications?
Most apps allow it, but some core system applications might resist for stability reasons. Usually, editing the shortcut’s properties or creating new shortcuts with your preferred icon does the trick. For pinned apps on the Start menu, unpinning and re-pinning can work too.
What if the ‘Change Icon’ option is greyed out?
This often indicates a permissions issue or that you’re trying to modify a system-critical app. Make sure you’re logged in as an admin (Windows + X → Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin)). If you’re still having trouble, a tool like Resource Hacker or Rainmeter can sometimes help, but proceed with caution when editing system files.
How do I convert images to `.ico` files?
If you have a favourite picture you want to use, online converters are easiest. Just upload the image to a site like ConvertICO and download the icon file.
Will changing the icon affect how the app runs?
No worries. Changing the icon just affects how it looks — the app’s performance stays the same, so personalise away without concern.
Can I revert to the original icon?
Absolutely. Just go back into ‘Properties,’ click ‘Change Icon,’ and select the default or original icon. If you backed it up earlier, you can load that back in easily.
Quick Summary for Changing App Icons
- Right-click the app’s icon.
- Select ‘Properties’.
- Go to the ‘Shortcut’ tab.
- Click ‘Change Icon’.
- Pick a new icon or upload your own.
- Click ‘Apply’ and then ‘OK’ to confirm.
Settings > Personalisation.
Win + I to open Settings, jump into Personalisation, and start exploring how deep the rabbit hole goes.