How do I change my icons in Windows 7?

Question

For my last 2–3 computers I've always changed a lot of the Windows stock icons with ones that I ether downloaded, or got from a CD that a friend of mine gave me back in 2000. In Windows 98 and Windows XP I'd just go to a folder and install them there.

With Windows 7, how can I use my custom one of a kind icons?

There's no folder to put them in, and when I try to right click and just use the old... Properties, change icon, it keeps looking for folders also. So when I get to the icon itself, it wants to "open it" instead of "installing it".

And in the registry – %SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll – how can I add other icons to it? It won't let me.

Answer 1

You can use any editor (eg Resource Hacker) to add more icons to windows by editing the file resources images (imageres.dll). I suggest you to use icons from 256x256 and above.

This video explains what I am saying.

Answer 2

Simply create a folder and put your icons files (with .ico extension) in it.Once you need to change an icon for any shortcut or program , just browse for it and select the icon that you want.