How to Customize My Laptop Icons
By Kayla Lowe
Every computer comes pre-installed with certain desktop icons, and oftentimes users acquire others through downloads or by creating shortcuts to frequently used folders and programs on their computers. If you would like to customize your laptop, those icons may clash with your desktop theme. If you want to customize your laptop icons, you can do so with the correct process and icons.
Step 1
Create an icons folder in which to put your icons. Navigate to the “My Documents” folder of your computer and then click “Make a New Folder” to make a new folder. Name your new folder “Icons” or “My Icons.”
Step 2
Download the icons that you want to use to customize your laptop icons into the icons folder. A variety of websites offer free icon downloads.
Step 3
Customize default desktop icons (e.g. My Computer icon, Recycle Bin icon, etc.) by clicking “Start,” “Control Panel,” “Appearance and Themes” and then “Change the Desktop Background.” Click “Customize Desktop” beneath the “Desktop” tab.
Step 4
Select the icon you wish to change and click “Change Icon.” Click “Browse” to select the icon you want from your icons folder. Repeat this process for each default desktop icon that you wish to customize.
Step 5
Customize a folder or shortcut icon by right-clicking on the icon and then clicking “Properties.” Click “Change Icon” and then “Browse” to select the icon you want from your icons folder.
Tips
- If you would like to create your own graphic icons, open images into an image editing program and save them as an .ico file.
- Restore default icons by clicking on “Restore Default” within the “Customize Desktop” tab.
Warnings
- In order for your icon to appear properly, the icon must be the correct size, such as 48 by 48, 32 by 32, 24 by 24 or 16 by 16.
Writer Bio
Kayla Lowe has been a freelance writer since 2008. She writes for various online publications and is also the author of the book "Maiden's Blush," a Christian-fiction romance novel. Lowe is pursuing a degree in elementary education.