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 icons in the start menu and desktop task bar have all been replaced by the generic white icons.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
    2018-03-18T18:32:01+00:00

    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

    *****************BEST ANSWER HERE!!!********************

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-01-18T23:01:39+00:00

    The "fix" (in my case) is far worse than the problem

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-11-11T15:10:42+00:00

    Hi everyone, 

    I tried something that was quite easy and fast except I´m using Office 365 2016 on Windows 10.

    1. Go to Default programs
    2. Find Microsoft Office
    3. Click on it and two options will display "Uninstall" and "Modify"
    4. Choose "Modify" and you will get a new window asking you what you wish to do. Select the option that says "Repair"
    5. Wait a few minutes.... and you´re done! no need to restart.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-11-07T11:54:09+00:00

    If you right click any program icon on the Windows taskbar, you will get a menu option that offers unpin from the taskbar.

    If you right click a program icon in the Windows Start Menu you will see a menu option 'More' select that and there is another sub menu with Pin to taskbar. This isn't rocket science.

    Hi This works for Word but under Office I have no Excel item, only for Word. Any ideas

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