FolderHue
Change a folder icon in Windows without software (and its limits)
Windows can change a folder's icon on its own, with no app at all. It is worth knowing how, and also where it stops: it can't color a folder, it needs an .ico file you already have, and it works one folder at a time.
Steps
Get an .ico file
Windows only accepts icon files (.ico), or icons inside .exe and .dll files. A PNG or JPG won't work until it is converted.
Open the folder's properties
Right-click the folder and choose Properties, then open the Customize tab.
Change the icon
Click Change Icon…, then Browse to your .ico file, select it and click OK.
Apply
Click Apply. Windows writes a hidden desktop.ini file in the folder that points to the icon.
What the built-in way can't do
- No colors: you can only pick an existing icon.
- No pictures, symbols or text unless you make the .ico yourself.
- One folder at a time.
- If the .ico file lives elsewhere and you move or delete it, the folder goes blank.
How FolderHue compares
FolderHue uses the same desktop.ini system, so nothing about your folders becomes non-standard. The difference is the work it does for you: it draws the icon from a color, symbol, emoji or picture, saves it inside the folder so it can't go missing, applies it to many folders at once, and keeps a list so you can restore everything.
Questions
Where do the default Windows icons live?
Many are inside C:\Windows\System32\imageres.dll and shell32.dll, which the Change Icon window offers by default.
Is editing desktop.ini by hand safe?
It works, but the file is hidden and protected, and the folder needs the read-only attribute for Windows to read it. The Customize tab handles both for you.
