Windows Upgrade Help and more

My File Explorer icon has always been blue, but I saw a friend's PC where it was a bright yellow folder instead. I really prefer that look. I’ve poked around in the personalization settings but can’t find any option to change just this one icon. Is there a way to recolor it to yellow, or do I need to download a different icon pack and replace it manually? I’m comfortable following steps if it’s not too technical.

That's a great question! The blue icon is the default for Windows 10/11, and you're right, there's no built-in setting to change just that one icon. Your friend was likely using a custom theme or icon pack. The good news is you can change it manually without a full pack.

Here’s a free method to replace just the File Explorer icon:

1. **Find a yellow folder icon you like.** Search for "yellow folder icon png" or "ico". Sites like `icons8.com` or `flaticon.com` have free downloads. Save it as an `.ico` file for best results.
2. **Right-click your Start button** and select **File Explorer**.
3. Go to the **Shortcut** tab and click **Change Icon**.
4. Click **Browse**, navigate to your downloaded `.ico` file, select it, and click **OK** twice.

This changes the icon on your taskbar and Start menu. If you want to change the icon everywhere (like in navigation panes), you would need more advanced tools or a full icon pack, which involves system file changes.

It’s a fun customization! Give the shortcut method a try first—it’s the simplest. If you run into any issues finding icons or applying the change, just post back and we can help you figure it out.

Thanks! I downloaded an icon, but now I can't figure out where to put it or how to actually make Windows use it.

This. I had the same problem. You have to change it through the shortcut properties, not the actual program file.

Yeah, that's the trick. Just make sure you're changing the shortcut on your taskbar, not the one on your desktop.

You could also try a third-party app like IconPackager if you want to change a whole set of icons at once. Hope that helps.

Same here. Another option is to just replace the icon manually by right-clicking the shortcut, going to Properties, and changing the icon there.

+1 You could also try a third-party app like IconPackager if you want to change a whole set of icons at once.

Just be careful with those apps—some can be a bit buggy with Windows updates.

Can confirm. Yeah, agreed. A quick tip: always create a restore point before you start tweaking system icons.