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Windows 10 comes with many customization options to make your device feel an extension of yourself. While the stock icons seem okay and do the job, the icons haven’t received any update in a while. This makes them feel monotonous and boring.
In this article, we shall discuss everything there is you can do with icons, including customizing Windows 10 taskbar icons and how to change an icon on Windows 10. Hang out till the end of the article to check out how to customize app icons for an added personal touch.
We have shown a VIDEO walk through at the end of the post for easy solution.
(Also read: System Tray Icons missing)
In the earlier versions of Windows, the taskbar icons were not customizable. The Windows 10 taskbar icons were automatically added and removed depending upon the app that you were running, or the service you were using.
With Windows 10, this all changed as users can now customize what icons show up in the taskbar. This is a very welcome change among the community, as users can now remove the icons that they do not want to see in the taskbar.
In terms of the application icons, you are very limited in what you can do. Let us take a brief look at what you do to change taskbar icons.
- Show Search icon: shows or hides the search icon
- Show Cortana button: adds or removes the Cortana icon in the taskbar.
- Show task view button: adds or removes the task view button.
Apart from this, you can pin individual applications to the taskbar itself, or pin contextual options to the right click additional menu as shown in the image below.
To add or remove system icons from the taskbar notification area, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app using the keyboard shortcut Win + I.
- Go to the Personalization section.
- From the left pane, select Taskbar.
- In the right column, you will have to scroll down to the Notification area section.
- Here, first select the ‘Select which icons appear on the taskbar’ option.
- You will be able to select which apps and services can display icons on the taskbar, and which icons will be moved to the extended notification area. Simply turn the toggle according to your needs.
- Next, go back to the previous screen and select the ‘Turn system icons on or off’ option.
- Here, turn the toggle towards off for the icons that you do not want to see on your taskbar notification area.
As simple as that, you can change the Windows 10 taskbar icons according to what you wish to see on your screen.
How To Change An Icon On Windows 10?
The icon customization is a bit complex in Windows 10. Let us discuss the entire process in brief, so that you can change any icon on your Windows 10 desktop.
First, you will require an image or an icon pack, that you will apply to your Windows 10 PC. In Windows 10, the supported extensions for icons are .ico, .dll, and .exe formats. You can get some amazing icon packs from IconArchive, GraphicBurger, FlatIcon, etc.
If you want to customize your PC using your own images, there is a way to use .png images as icons for your applications. To do this, you will have to make use of an online .png to .ico converter like ConvertICO to convert your images to icon packs.
Once you have your icons ready, follow these steps:
- Right click on the desktop shortcut for the app you want to customize. If a desktop icon does not exist, you will need to go to the installation folder and create one.
- Select Properties from the context menu that appears.
- Make sure you are on the Shortcut tab, and click on the Change icon… button near the end of the Properties window.
- In the Change Icon dialog that appears, click on the Browse… button.
- Navigate to the icon pack that you downloaded or created using the converter.
- Click on Open to add all the icons in the icon pack to your computer.
- Select the icon that you wish to set for the application and select OK.
- Finally click on Apply to finalize your changes.
Wrapping Up
So there you have it. Now you know how to manipulate the Windows 10 taskbar icons, and how to change an icon on Windows 10 using the method provided above. Comment below if you found this useful, and to discuss further the same.
When customizing Windows 10, it’s easy to forget about the icons on your taskbar. Whether an app icon is ugly and outdated, or you’d rather set them all to use a consistent theme, it’s possible to add a fresh coat of paint.
We’ll show you how to change the icons on the taskbar in Windows 10. Just keep in mind that these instructions only work for traditional desktop programs, not apps from the Microsoft Store.
How to Change Taskbar Icons in Windows 10
To change an icon, you should first pin it to the taskbar so it sticks around after you close it. Otherwise, you’ll have to repeat this process every time you open the app, which is a waste of time.
Simply open an app (you can search for it using the Start menu to do this easily) and it will appear on the taskbar. Once it’s there, right-click the icon and choose Pin to taskbar to keep it around all the time.
Now, you can actually change the icon that appears on the taskbar. Right-click the program again and you’ll see a list of options, which differs depending on the app. Above Unpin from taskbar, you should see the app name listed again. Right-click on this name to show another list of options and choose Properties there.
This will open a window to the program’s properties panel, on the Shortcut tab. There, click the Change Icon button at the bottom. In the new window, you’ll be able to select a new icon for the program on your taskbar.
Some apps, such as Google Chrome, have alternate icons to choose from in a gallery here. You can pick one of these if you like. Otherwise, click Browse to locate a new icon on your PC. When you’re happy, click OK twice to save your changes.
To easily remove the custom icon in the future, just right-click on the app and choose Unpin from taskbar. When you pin the app again, it will use the default icon. Take care not to unpin it accidentally, or you’ll need to repeat the above process.
If You Don’t See the New Taskbar Icons
After you make this change, you might not see the new icon reflected on your taskbar yet. If that’s the case, right-click on an empty space in the taskbar and choose Task Manager, or press Ctrl + Shift + Escape, to open that utility. If you see the basic interface, click More details at the bottom to show the full window.
On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer in the list. Right-click it and choose Restart. This will close and reopen the Explorer process, meaning you’ll see your taskbar and other Windows elements disappear briefly.
Once it restarts, your icon should be updated. If you still don’t see the new icon on your taskbar, log out and back into your account, or reboot your PC, to force an update.
Where to Get Custom Windows Taskbar Icons
Unless an app has extra icons built-in, which isn’t the case for most programs, you won’t be able to change the taskbar icon easily. And chances are that you don’t have suitable icons just sitting around on your computer.
Thankfully, it’s not difficult to find cool icons online and put them to use. Check out our list of the best Windows 10 icon packs for some ideas to get you started. Those will let you grab a bunch of similar icons so your Taskbar has a consistent theme.
If none of the icon packs work for you, it’s pretty straightforward to turn any image into an ICO file that Windows can use as a program icon. Follow our guide to customizing all icons in Windows for more information about how this works. You’ll also learn how to change the desktop shortcuts and other icons.
How to Change the Start Icon in Windows 10
We’ve looked at how to change the icons for any program pinned to your taskbar. But there’s one major icon that you can’t change by default: the Start button. This Windows staple has a flat look in Windows 10, but if you prefer something else, you can turn to third-party tools.
Have a look at the best Start menu replacements if you want to change the Start button. In addition to offering a whole new Start experience, these let you change the look of the Start icon. You can go for an older Start button look, or try something fresh.
If you want to make further changes to the taskbar, see our complete guide to Windows taskbar customization. There you’ll learn how to hide or adjust the default icons if you like. In most cases, it’s not possible to change then like you did for app icons above, but you at least have some way to adjust them.
Change Your Taskbar Icons for a Personalized Desktop
While it’s a small touch, having custom taskbar icons makes your Windows computer feel unique and fresh. Whether you want to apply a custom color scheme or go wild with unique icons, all it takes is a bit of time and effort.
There are a lot of ways to customize your taskbar, so don’t feel like you have to stop at personalized icons.
Image Credit: SSilver/Depositphotos
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Windows makes it easy (although not obvious) to customize the Taskbar with custom icons. You don’t need a third-party app, just the icon files to replace the defaults. If you’re theming your desktop, it won’t feel complete until the taskbar meshes with the rest of the look.
Everything You Need
Technically, the only thing you need to swap the default app icons on the taskbar are the icon files. Some apps come preinstalled with extra icons that you can use. Most don’t, so you’ll have to find custom icon files online, put them all in a folder, and then individually change the app icons.
You’ll need to find the shortcuts for every app that’s going to be pinned on the taskbar, and place them all on the desktop.
Depending on your chosen theme, you can create a theme pack for the taskbar that matches the overall design. This is what my selection looks like.
To break it down simply, you need two things:
- A folder with all the icon files for your taskbar apps. The file has to be in ICO, EXE, DLL, or ICL format.
- Move all the taskbar app shortcuts to the desktop.
Where to Get the Icons
You can download the icon files from any number of online libraries, some paid, others free. Icons8 and IconsScout are two free libraries. But there are dozens more available online.
Whichever source you pick, be sure to download the icons in one of the recommended file formats. The most popular format is ICO, and that’s the format in which I’ve downloaded the icons. Once you have downloaded all your icon files, place them in one folder for easy access.
Secondly, you want to get the app shortcuts in one place. I’ve collected them on the desktop for ease of use. If the shortcut isn’t already on the desktop, just create a new one.
Search the app name (press the Windows key on the keyboard or click the button in the corner). Click “Open File Location” and find the EXE file in the directory. Right-click on the EXE file and select “Send To” and pick “Desktop.” It should pop up on the desktop right away.
After that, your shortcuts and icon files are good to go.
Changing Taskbar Icons
Now you’re ready to replace the icons on your taskbar. Right-click on a desktop shortcut and click “Properties.” Head to the “Shortcut” tab and click “Change Icon.”
Here you’ll be able to upload a new icon file that replaces the original. Click “Browse” and locate the folder where you’ve saved all your custom icon files. Select the right icon and click “Open.” Click “OK” on both windows after that, and the desktop icon should change.
Repeat these steps for all the desktop icons. When you’re done, the desktop shortcuts should look something like this (except you’d be replacing them with your own icons).
When you’re done, right-click on the desktop shortcuts one by one, select “Unpin from Taskbar.” Then right-click again and select “Pin to Taskbar.”
After you’ve changed the desktop icons and repinned the taskbar icons, you’re all done. Here’s what my taskbar looks like after the changes.
You can repeat these steps with other ICO files to get different results. You can also change the taskbar color.
Revert Changes
Reverting the changes and restoring the original icons is just as easy. Once again, right-click on the desktop shortcut and select “Properties.” In the “Shortcut” tab on the properties panel, you’ll find a button labeled “Open File Location.” Click it and copy the program address (you’ll need it later).
Now go back to the «Shortcut» tab under Properties and click “Change Icon” and then “Browse.” Paste the directory you copied earlier in the Explorer address bar. Select the EXE file, click “Open.” You’ll be presented with the default available icons. Pick one and click “OK.”
To change the icon in the taskbar, we’ll use the same trick. Right-click on the desktop shortcut, click “Unpin from the Taskbar.” Then right-click again and click “Pin to Taskbar.” The taskbar icon should change right away.
Repeat these steps for the remaining taskbar icons to get back to the default look.
That’s all you need to know to replace the boring old taskbar icons with personalized ones.
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Home » Windows 10 » How To Change Taskbar Icons For Programs In Windows 10
Most PC users prefer pinning their favorite programs to the taskbar for quick and easy access. In addition to mouse, programs pinned to the taskbar can also be launched using keyboard shortcuts.
Icons for some of the programs out there are outdated and they don’t look nice on a modern operating system like Windows 10. Also, users who have heavily customized their Windows 10 desktop might also want to change the taskbar icons for pinned programs to match the desktop.
Changing taskbar icons of programs is relatively easy and can be done without the help of third-party applications.
Please note that it’s not possible to change the icons for apps pinned to the taskbar at this moment. You can change the taskbar icons for classic desktop programs only. We will update this guide if and when we come across a way to easily change taskbar icons for apps.
Complete the given below directions to change the icon of a program pinned to Windows 10 taskbar.
Step 1: Pin your favorite programs to the taskbar. To do so, when a program is running, simply right-click on its taskbar icon, and then click Pin to taskbar option.
Step 2: Next is changing program’s icon on the taskbar. Right-click on the program’s icon on the taskbar to see the jump list.
Step 3: On the jump list, right-click on the name of the program and then click Properties (refer to the picture). This will program’s properties.
Step 4: Under the Shortcut tab, click Change Icon button to open Change icon dialog.
NOTE: If you cannot see the Shortcut tab, it’s likely because you have not pinned the program to the taskbar as mentioned in Step 1 of this guide.
Step 5: Click the Browse button to browse to the icon file that you would like to use as program’s taskbar icon, select the icon file and then click Open button. Click OK button.
Remember that the icon that you would like to use must be in .ico format. If you have an image file, use free online services or tools to convert images to .ico format.
Step 6: Finally, click Apply button to change the taskbar icon of the program. If the old icon is still appearing, please sign out and then sign in or reboot your PC once.
To restore the original icon for the program, simply unpin the program from the taskbar and then pin it again. Simple as that!
Don’t forget to check our 13 ways to customize Windows 10 taskbar guide.
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By Linda | Follow |
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Are you sick of the Windows 10 default icons? Do you want to customize them? If so, you should read this post, in which MiniTool shows you how to change Windows 10 default icons, including desktop icons, shortcut icons, taskbar icons, and folder icons.
Why Change Windows 10 Default Icons?
With time going on, the default appearance of Windows 10 becomes boring. The basic way to make Windows 10 charming again is customizing Windows 10 themes, desktop, and taskbar. But you can take this customization to a whole new level by changing the default Windows icons.
Changing the default Windows icons can give your PC a personal spin, make your environment look catchy and trendy, make your system more user-friendly, highlight the importance of a particular icon by making it look unique, and allows you to locate an important icon immediately from a huge crowd of icons.
In this post, I will take you through the different ways to change any icons on Windows 10, including desktop icons, taskbar icons, folder icons, and shortcut icons. Please read on to get them.
How to Change Windows 10 Default Icon?
1. Find New or Custom Icons for Windows 10
Before you start changing icons on Windows 10, you should find some new icons to replace the existing ones. You can do that through the following three ways:
- Use alternative icons built in Windows 10. But these icons might not be that great.
- Search icons online. Some online resources like FlatIcon, Findicons, IconArchive, DeviantArt, or GraphicBurger, will offer millions of high-quality impressive icons. You can free download or buy icons as you like.
- Make icons by yourself, if you can’t find the icon of your choice.
After preparing icons, you can begin to change these default icons.
2. Change Desktop Icons
Desktop icons include This PC, Network, Recycle Bin, and your User folder. To customize them, please perform the following steps:
Step 1: Press “Windows + I” keys to open Settings window. Click Personalization and then click Themes. Then, scroll down to locate Desktop icon settings.
Step 2: Click the Desktop icon settings and a separate Desktop Icon Settings window will appear. In this window, check the checkbox corresponding to the specific item whose icon you wish to customize and then click the Change Icon button.
Step 3: After clicking the Change Icon button, a list of different in-built icons will appear on the screen. If you want to use these in-built icons, just select one and hit the OK button. If you want to use a custom icon, you should click Browse and navigate to the icon file to upload on the Windows icon list. Then, select the uploaded icon and click OK button.
Step 4: Click the Apply button and then the OK button to save your settings.
Now, your desktop icons are changed. To reverse the change, you should go back to the Desktop Icon Settings window, and hit Restore Default button, Apply button, and then Ok button.
3. Change Shortcut Icons
Most of you may like to add a shortcut for folders and applications. In this part, I will show you how to alter shortcut icons in Windows and this works for all sorts of shortcuts including a shortcut to an app, folder, or even Command Prompt command. Just follow the steps below:
Step 1: Right-click the shortcut whose icon you wish to change on the Desktop and then select Properties.
Step 2: On the Properties window, locate Shortcut tab and click Change Icon. Then, a Change Icon window will appear. Click Browse and follow the same steps to upload and choose the new icon.
4. Change Taskbar Icons
The icons pinned to your taskbar are also shortcuts and you can customize these in nearly the same way that you customize any shortcut icon. Just hold the Shift key and right-click the app icon to choose Properties. Then, you can follow the same steps to change the icon.
However, before you customize the icon, you should close the app and ensure that it is not running currently.
5. Change Folder Icon
Step 1: Right-click the folder and select Properties in the context menu. Then, select Customize tab and hit Change Icon in the Properties window.
Step 2: Follow the similar steps to choose a new icon and save the changes.
About The Author
Position: Columnist
Linda has been working as an editor at MiniTool for 5 years. She is always curious about computer knowledge and learns it crazily. Her articles are simple and easy to understand. Even people who do not understand computer can gain something. By the way, her special focuses are disk management, data recovery and PDF editing.