Office Icons are all missing/replaced by generic white icons

Anonymous
2010-08-03T08:01:12+00:00

For some reason all my office products (word, excel, outlook, access etc.) icons in the start menu and desktop task bar have all been replaced by the generic white icons.

I am unable to uninstall or repair this. I believe (from what I've read on the internet) that it is connected to the "C:\windows\installer" folder and the Office installer files.

Can this problem be solved without having to re-install windows ( as that is the only way I think its possible to be albe to reset the office suite).

Cheers,

Jurgens

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2011-09-24T16:39:18+00:00

I had the same issue as everyone here and I think I've FINALLY figured out a solution!

Go to c:/Program Files/Microsoft Office/Office 14

Right click on each program icon individually and unpin from BOTH your Taskbar and/or Start Menu. (e.g. EXCEL.EXE, MSACCESS.EXE, MSPUB.EXE, OUTLOOK.EXE, POWERPNT.EXE, WINWORD.EXE, etc.)

Then right click and select  "Pin to Start Menu" (not to Taskbar).

Do this for each program you want to eventually make it onto your Taskbar.

Now go to Start and then for each program (that should now show in start menu with the actual Microsoft Office icon), right click and select "Pin to Taskbar".

You can then Remove each one from the Start Menu if you wish by right clicking again and selecting "Remove from this List".

Your icons should now be back to their original format.

I've rebooted my system several times so far and the icons have remained.

Hopefully this will work for everyone else as well!

Good Luck!!!

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-03-08T23:27:01+00:00

    The link to the zip file no longer works.

    I resolved this issue by uninstalling the update for Microsoft office 2010.

    Once uninstalled all the word and excel files instantly returned to their proper state without a reboot.

    I don't recommend uninstalling this update as it is a security update.

    I plan to install it at a later date when Microsoft has patched this mess. 

    I have good backups and restore points.

    The update that is responsible for the issue is below.

    Security Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB2920748) 64-Bit Edition

    Download size: 90 KB

    You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

    Update type: Important

    A security vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office 2010 64-Bit Edition that could allow arbitrary code to run when a maliciously modified file is opened. This update resolves that vulnerability.

    More information:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2920748

    Help and Support:

    http://support.microsoft.com/?LN=en-us

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-09-20T08:32:41+00:00

    This worked for me:

    From the Start menu, open Microsoft Office->Microsoft Office 2010 Tools->Microsoft Office Picture Manager. Click Help and select Detect and Repair. Select 'Restore my shortcuts while reparing' and click Start. After this all my Office icons came back!

    this worked for me, very easy and only took a minute.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-04-04T05:38:30+00:00

    Tried this, didn't work..

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-03-18T17:51:39+00:00

    It was CCleaner that broke if for my client.  I copied the entire contents of that GUID from another working computer with Office 2010 and it fixed the problem for me.  The GUID folder was a bit different though it was like {9014.. or something like that.  I searched the entire folder for outicon.exe to find it.

    Thanks, this works for the icon on taskbar & startmenu.

    But browsing files in explorer will not show proper icons. I will try to find way to uninstall and reinstall office.

    Icons disappear when {GUID} folders are deleted from C:\Windows\Installer. CCleaner apparently will do this, though I don't use CCleaner and I'm experiencing the problem.  I do, however, use Revo Uninstaller, and I am wondering if it is the culprit.

    The problem is discussed here .  Read WindowsStar's response, and follow his link.

    This is the exact problem, because I accidentally delete C:\Windows\Installer myself to save space in drive C thinking it store installation files that I don't need anymore.

    I tried hours to uninstall & reinstall but no luck. Last resort to system image restore

    I upload the Subfolder that belongs to Office 2010 32bit here, if someone want to test if it works:

    C:\Windows\Installer{91140000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}

    {91140000-0011-0000-0000-0000000FF1CE}.zip

    I figured this out using free“**FileTypesMan v1.61”**suggested by WindowsStar inhttp://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/51078-microsoft-icons.html#post474320

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