How to Change Icons on Windows XP

Windows XP relies heavily on a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to transmit and receive input from its users. When you want to open files, you click on its graphical representation on the computer screen. There's no reason why you can't customize your computer's appearance to suit your own tastes. One of the first things you may want to change is the icon selection in Windows XP, both for the system and for your own files.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Windows XP

Change Default Icons in Windows XP

1. Start Windows in your normal fashion.

2. Click the Start menu and select the "My Computer" option. Alternately, you can double-click the "My Computer" desktop icon if you've enabled it to appear on the desktop.

3. Double-click on your hard drive to open the directory.

4. Find the program for which you wish to change the associated icon. You'll need to know its location on the hard drive. If you don't know where it is, you can use the Start menu "Search" feature to locate it.

5. Right-click on the file, and click the "Properties" menu option. This will open the Properties menu for the file.

6. Click the "Change Icon" button. If there is no "Change Icon" button, you will need to create a desktop icon instead. To do so, cancel out of the Properties menu and right-click the file again. This time, select "Send to -> Desktop (create shortcut)."

7. Click on one of the icons that appears in the list. If the icon you want isn't on the list, click the "Browse" button to search for more icons.

8. Click "OK" once you've chosen the icon you'd like to use.

9. Click "Apply" to confirm your changes, and then click "OK" to close the window.

10. Wait a moment to see the icon change. There are times, like when a lot of system resources are in use, when icon changes can take a moment to appear.

Tips & Warnings

• Download an icon manager or icon creator program to give yourself even more customization options. Icon managers let you change batches of icons on the fly, eliminating the need to change them one at a time. Icon creators do just that: give you the framework to create your own customized icons.

• Resist the urge to change icons that are commonly associated with other file types. You can end up confusing yourself and associating files with the incorrect applications, leading to errors within the operating system.

Resources

• Icon and interface support at Microsoft.com
• Free Windows icons from Interfacelift.com