how to change the icon associated with a shortcut

Phillip Richcreek 990 Reputation points
2026-03-25T12:44:54.1533333+00:00

Sometimes the icon that Windows assigns to a shortcut that will be pinned to the taskbar isn't descriptive. Often sit's the Yahoo symbol, becasue the search to be web was done with yahoo. I'd like to replace that with, say, an image that is more descriptive of the target of the shortcut.

Thanks for your help.

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Desktop, Start, and personalization | Desktop
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  1. AI answer

    2026-03-25T12:45:06.64+00:00

    To change the icon of a shortcut (including one you plan to pin to the taskbar), first change the shortcut’s icon on the desktop or in a folder, then pin that shortcut.

    1. Create or locate the shortcut you want to use.
    2. Right-click the shortcut and select Properties.
    3. If available, select the Shortcut tab.
    4. Click Change Icon….
    5. Choose an icon from the list, or click Browse… and select another icon file (typically a .ico file, or a file such as shell32.dll that contains multiple icons).
    6. Click OK, then OK again to apply.
    7. Now right-click that shortcut and choose Pin to taskbar.

    Windows will use the shortcut’s icon for the pinned item if the application does not override it with its own taskbar identity. For many simple shortcuts (for example, to documents, folders, or basic apps), this gives a more descriptive icon than the default browser/Yahoo icon.

    Note: Not all items allow changing their icon; the Change Icon button appears only when supported.

    References:

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  2. DaveM121 929K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-03-25T13:18:52.2266667+00:00

    You cannot directly change the icon for an app on the Taskbar.

    Create a Desktop shortcut for the app on your Desktop.

    Then, right click the Desktop icon and select Properties.

    On the resulting properties dialog, click 'Change Icon' then find the icon you want to use for the app.

    Then right click the Desktop shortcut and select 'Pin to Taskbar'.

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