Blurry custom folder icons - restarting Windows Explorer temporarily fixes the issue (Windows 11 25H2)

Question

Blurry custom folder icons - restarting Windows Explorer temporarily fixes the issue (Windows 11 25H2)

Ali Reza 0

In Windows, folder and desktop icons suddenly become blurry and low quality. When this issue occurs, the entire icon display loses clarity and appears distorted.

To temporarily fix the problem, I restart File Explorer, and the icons return to normal sharp quality. However, the issue comes back again after some time.

I have tried several troubleshooting methods, but none of them have resolved the problem, and it still continues to happen.

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2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Thanks for your feedback!

It was important to try the repair via Windows Update. Since the problem is temporarily resolved by restarting Explorer, it indicates an issue with it—whether it involves corrupted Explorer files or recurring glitches.

You mentioned your external drive. The problem occurs even when it is disconnected, correct?

How did you upgrade to Windows 11? Did you perform a clean install, or did you upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 directly via Windows Update?

Which version of Windows 11 are you running?

Press WINDOWS + R > Type "winver" (no quotes) > Take a Screenshot of the Window and send it to me

Answer 2

Manoel Barros 19,630 Independent Advisor

Hi!

It might be an issue with Explorer, which is also responsible for icons.

Could you list some of the solutions you've already tried so we can avoid repeating them?

Check if the problem started after an update. You can go to Windows Settings > Windows Update > Update history, expand all the sections, and look for updates installed recently (around the time the problem began).

While I wait for your reply, try running a repair via Windows Update to see if that fixes it:

Open Windows Settings by pressing WINDOWS + I > Select "System" from the Side Menu > Click on the "Recovery" option.
Under "Fix problems using Windows Update", click on "Reinstall Now" > Wait for the entire procedure to be completed.

NOTE: This procedure may take some time depending on the computer specifications and number of files.

Ali Reza 0 Reputation points

2026-06-29T19:39:52.2333333+00:00
Hi, thank you for your reply.

I’ve already tried several troubleshooting steps, including:

Restarting File Explorer (this only fixes the issue temporarily).

Restoring the default Windows power settings.

Running powercfg -restoredefaultschemes.

Checking Power Throttling settings.

Testing different display configurations (switching between my laptop screen and an external monitor, which temporarily refreshes the icons).

Checking graphics-related settings such as FXAA.

Unfortunately, none of these steps permanently resolved the problem.

I also noticed that the issue happens more frequently when I connect my external hard drive and move or copy files. I’m not 100% sure this is the cause, but it seems to trigger the problem more often.

Until last night, I thought I was the only one experiencing this issue. After searching, I found that other users had reported the exact same problem in the past: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4103754/blurry-folder-icons-depsite-multiple-icon-cache-an

Another important detail is that I used Windows 10 for years and never experienced this problem. It started immediately after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11. I noticed it from the very first day after the upgrade, and I have been dealing with it for several months now without finding any permanent solution.

I’m also attaching a screenshot so you can see exactly how the icons look when the issue occurs.

I’ll also check my Windows Update history as you suggested and try the Windows Update repair
Ali Reza 0 Reputation points

2026-06-30T16:33:34.91+00:00

Hi again,

I tried the Windows Update repair (Reinstall now) as you suggested. The repair completed successfully, and my files, apps, and settings were preserved.

Unfortunately, the issue occurred again after the repair.

The folder and desktop icons became blurry once more, and restarting Windows Explorer is still the only temporary fix.

The issue still happens more frequently when I connect my external hard drive and move or copy files.

Since the problem started immediately after upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and still persists even after a repair installation, I'm beginning to think this may be a Windows 11 Explorer or icon rendering issue rather than corrupted system files..