Beyond some high-profile modifications (which have not always benefited the operating system), the traditional sections of Windows haven't altered their appearance much in recent years, especially when it comes to icons. Fortunately, Windows 10 still retains some ability to change icons for shortcuts, folders, and desktop items. Today we'll teach you how to do it, and we'll recommend two small applications to replace the icons of drives and specific file types.
Yes, many users prefer the spartan and efficient look of the classic Windows configuration. In fact, I am among those users, and I think my resistance to all this "Metro"-"new Start menu"-"Windows as a service" chaos is evident. My first act of rebellion is to install OpenShell, formerly Classic Start, which brings back the conventional Start menu.
The second thing is to change colors on the taskbars, install new wallpapers, and if necessary, disable the transparencies. Finally, I proceed to change icons on Windows 10, which is usually simple, but we must know where to look. After all, the 'new' interface complicates things a bit...
How to Change Icons on Windows 10
First, the essential desktop icons: Computer, Network, Recycle Bin (full and empty), User Files, and Control Panel. The path is Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings. Click on the item you want to modify, then click Change icon, and select. If you want to use your own icons (whether downloaded from elsewhere or created with an application), just press the Browse button and set its path, but you must ensure that the path doesn't change and that the icon's location is permanent.
To change a folder icon, it's even simpler: right-click it, select Properties, and in the Customize tab you'll see the option. For shortcuts, it's almost identical: right-click, and the Shortcut tab.
Changing Icons for File Types and Drives
The final phase focuses on changing icons for a specific file type and for system drives. This is where Nirsoft's FileTypesMan comes in. It's portable, free, and easy to use.
Open FileTypesMan with elevated privileges, find the extension, right-click, go to Edit File Type, and in the Default Icon option choose the icon you want.
Finally, I recommend Easy Drive Icon Changer for replacing drive icons. Open it with privileges, choose the drive letter, browse for the .ico file, and apply the changes. The rest depends on your creativity and how good the resolution of the alternative icons is. Some are very nice, but if they don't scale well, they'll look awful. Good luck!
FileTypesMan: Click here
Easy Drive Icon Changer: Click here
