How to Change Taskbar Icons for Programs in Windows 10
How To Change Taskbar Icons On Windows 10
When customizing Windows 10, it's easy to forget about the icons on your taskbar. Whether an app icon is ugly and outdated, or you'd rather set them all to use a consistent theme, it's possible to add a fresh coat of paint.
Note that these instructions only work for traditional desktop programs, not apps from the Windows Store.
To change an icon, you should first pin it to the taskbar so it sticks around after you close it. Simply open the app and it will appear on the taskbar.
- Right-click the icon and choose Pin to taskbar to keep it there.
- Now, you can actually change the icon. Right-click it again and you'll see a list of options, which differs depending on the app.
- Above Unpin from taskbar, you should see the app name listed again.
- Right-click on this name to show another list of options and choose Properties there.
- This will open a window to the program's properties panel at the Shortcut tab. There, click the Change Icon button at the bottom and you'll be able to select a new icon in this window.
- Some apps, such as Google Chrome, have alternate icons in a gallery here. You can pick one of these if you like. Otherwise, click Browse to locate a new icon on your PC. When you're happy, click OK twice to save your changes.
- To easily remove the custom icon in the future, just right-click on the app and choose Unpin from taskbar. If you pin the app again, it will use the default icon.
If You Don't See The New Taskbar Icons
After you make the change, you might not see the new icon reflected on your taskbar yet. If that's the case, right-click on an empty space in the taskbar and choose Task Manager to open that utility. If you see the basic interface, click More details at the bottom to show the full window.
On the Processes tab, find Windows Explorer in the list. Right-click it and choose Restart. This will close and reopen the Explorer process, meaning you'll see your taskbar and other Windows elements disappear briefly. Once it restarts, your icon should be updated.
If it's not, log out and back into your account or reboot your PC to force an update.
Where To Get New Windows Taskbar Icons
Unless an app has extra icons built-in, you probably don't have appropriate icons sitting around on your computer. Thankfully, it's not difficult to find cool icons online and put them to use.
If none of them work for you, it's pretty straightforward to turn any image into an ICO file that Windows can use as a program icon.
Custom Taskbar Icons For A Personalized Desktop
While it's a small touch, having custom taskbar icons makes your Windows computer feel more unique to you. Whether you want to apply a custom color scheme or go wild with unique icons, all it takes is a bit of time and effort.
Keep in mind that taskbar customization doesn't end here, either.
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