How do I get Classic Folder Icons Back?

Anonymous
2010-03-20T15:16:47+00:00

How can I get back the folder icons from windows xp?  I need my folder icons to be flat square folders, which I can customize with one photo from inside the folder shown on the front?  These open folders sitting sideways with documents and pictures falling out, are driving me crazy.  I work with thousands of photos every day and need a quick simple way to identify what is inside each folder.  Now I have to spend hours opening each folder and looking through the photos...such a waste of time.  Why is such a simple folder icon gone in Windows 7?  I need it back!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2010-03-24T21:23:27+00:00

Try making the icons larger to accommodate the picture.  For example:

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Anonymous
2010-03-23T15:47:24+00:00

Periwinkleblue,

Hello, I’m afraid that changing the file displayed/icon would be the closest choices for customizing the folder in the way you would like, short of possible third party tweaks.

If this is a feature you would like reinstated, please leave your suggestion at Windows 7 Feedback.

Lisa

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Visit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.

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  1. @CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2014-02-26T16:14:33+00:00

    If for some reason I had photos of the whole rose bush showing up as the four preview photos in XP and it didn't show the photo I wanted I could easily pick an image to always be on the front of that folder.

    I thought you could do this using this option, but I sure can't get it to work on my Windows 7 PC here.  It just does nothing even when I choose a picture:

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-26T16:02:08+00:00

    When I moved my files over it automatically moved the thumbnails file over. I haven't deleted them yet. But the other files are necessary as they are the RAW image files, the ones that correspond to the JPGs. My camera takes both, and I need both. But I don't need both as a preview. (jpgs are ALWAYS accompanied by raw, xmp, and/or psds, only .jpg shows a thumbnail preview)

    Also you didn't understand my problem with the red rose. One of those folders has NOTHING but red rose photos. But you can't tell.  The other three folders all contain different varieties of roses, two yellow, one lavender. (you could cheat by looking up the name of the roses to tell which one is red).

    If for some reason I had photos of the whole rose bush showing up as the four preview photos in XP and it didn't show the photo I wanted I could easily pick an image to always be on the front of that folder.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-02-17T21:30:57+00:00

    Perhaps a compromise would be to not allow non image files to be previewed? Although in my red rose example allowing me to select the preview would be the best solution since that folder has 160 files, roughly half of those are jpgs (the other half raw of the same images). Some are of the actual flower in bloom, others are the whole bush, leaves, etc.

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