- You can change the preexisting desktop icons that come standard on your computer. Right click on the desktop and select "Properties." Under the "Desktop" tab, choose "Customize Desktop." Scroll through the menu of icons such as "My Computer," "My Network Places," and "Recycle Bin," and highlight the icon you want to change. Then click "Change Icon." Select a new icon from the menu to replace the current icon for the program you've selected. To use your own image, select "Browse" and choose an image from your own computer. See "Section 3: Creating a Desktop Icon" to learn how to create your own custom image.
- You can also change the icon that appears for certain file types. For example, you could make all Microsoft Word documents display the same icon. Click "My Computer" from the desktop or "Start" menu, and choose "Folder Options" from the "Tools" drop down menu at the top of the screen. From the "File Types" tab, click the name of the extension or file type you wish to change. Choose the "Advanced" button and then select "Change Icon." From there you can choose one of the preexisting icons for your files, or choose your own custom image. Click "Ok," and the changes should be in place.
- To create your own desktop icon, open a new file in the program Paint from Accessories on the Start menu. Draw an image of your own, or copy and paste a picture from the Internet or your computer. Save the image to the desktop with a name that you can easily remember. Follow the instructions in "Section 1: Changing Desktop Icons." This time when you select "Browse," type the name you saved your file under in the "File Name" line of the pop-up menu. Click it open, and select the picture from the "Change Icon" menu that appears. Click "Ok" to close the menu, and "Ok" again to change the icon.
