Vista Tutorial - Control Panel Icons

**Brink** · **OPTION ONE:**

How to Change a Icon in the Control Panel in Vista

Information

This will show you how to change most of the classic view Control Panel icons listed below to whatever you want them to be.

NOTE

To change the icons back to their default (original) icons, see the post below for a list of the original default paths, and then follow these same steps.

See: Control Panel Icons

WARNING

The icons you decide to use must be a 256x256 .ico icon file (not .PNG) to be used in Vista without any viewing problems with a larger size. A PNG file must be converted to a 256x256 ICO file before it can be used. To convert a PNG to ICO you must use a program such as this free 30 day trial program called Axialis IconWorkshop: Axialis IconWorkshop Download Page . Here's a good location for some icons: deviantArt: Dock Icons

Tip

For a common Control Panel Problem, see: Microsoft Help and Support: Icons are missing from Control Panel, or you cannot start Control Panel, the Welcome Center, or games in Windows Vista

RELATED LINKS:

EXAMPLE: Default Classic Control Panel Icons

OPTION ONE:
The Easy to Change Control Panel Icons

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. Go to the registry key location (Icon Locations below) in regedit for the icon you want to change.

NOTE

Icon Locations:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{add location here from below}

Control Panel Icon CLSID Location
Add Hardware {7A979262-40CE-46ff-AEEE-7884AC3B6136}\DefaultIcon
Administrative Tools {D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40B-OC5020524153}\DefaultIcon
Default Programs {17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966}\DefaultIcon
Device Manager {74246bfc-4c96-11d0-9bef-0020afgb0b7a}\DefaultIcon
Ease of Access Center {D555645E-D4F8-4c29-A827-D93C859C4F2A}\DefaultIcon
Folder Options {6DFD7C5C-2451-11d3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF}\DefaultIcon
Fonts {D20EA4E1-3957-11d2-A40b-OC5020524152}\DefaultIcon
Network and Sharing Center {8E908FC9-BECC-40f6-915B-F4CAOE70D03D}\DefaultIcon
Parental Controls {96AE8D84-A250-4520-95A5-A46A7E3C548B}\DefaultIcon
Personalization {ED834ED6-485A-4bfe-8F11-A626DCB6A921}\DefaultIcon
Printers {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}\DefaultIcon
Programs and Features {7b81be6a-ce2b-4676-a29e-eb907a5126c5}\DefaultIcon
iSCSI Initiator {A304259D-52B8-4526-8B1A-A1D6CECC8243}\DefaultIcon
Sync Center {9C73F5E5-7AE7-4E32-A8E8-8D23B85255BF}\DefaultIcon
System {BB06C0E4-D293-4f75-8A90-CB05B6A77EEE}\DefaultIcon
Taskbar and Start Menu {0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1}\DefaultIcon
Welcome Center {CB1B7F8C-C50A-4176-B604-9E24DEE8D4D1}\DefaultIcon
Windows Anytime Update {BE122A0E-4503-11DA-8BDE-F66BAD1E3F3A}\DefaultIcon
Windows Cardspace {78CB147A-98EA-4AA6-B0DF-C8681F69341C}\DefaultIcon
Windows Firewall {4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423}\DefaultIcon
Windows Sidebar {37efd44d-ef8d-41b1-940d-96973a50e9eo}\DefaultIcon

5. In the right pane, right click on (Default) and on Modify. (See example screenshots below)
Example Original Path:

Example New Path:

6. Type in your new Icon's full file path. (See screenshots below step 7)
EX: C:\(where ever you saved the icon)

7. Click on OK to apply.
NOTE: Now look in your Control Panel and you will see the icon has been replaced with the one you added.

OPTION TWO:
The Harder to Change Control Panel Icons

1. Open the Start Menu.

2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.

3. Click on the Continue button in the UAC prompt.

4. Go to the registry key location (Icon Locations below) in regedit for the icon you want to change.

NOTE

Icon Locations:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{add location here from below}

Control Panel Icon CLSID Location
Autoplay {9C60DE1E-E5FC-4of4-A487-460851A8D915}\DefaultIcon
Backup and Restore Center {335a31dd-f04b-4d76-a925-d6b47cf360df}\DefaultIcon
Color Management {B2C761C6-29BC-4f19-9251-E6195265BAF1}\DefaultIcon
Performance Information and Tools {78F3955E-3B90-4184-BD14-5397C15F1EFC}\DefaultIcon
Power Options {025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D}\DefaulIcon
Problem Reports and Solutions {FCFEECAE-EE1B-4849-AE50-685DCF7717EC}\DefaultIcon
Scanners and Cameras {00f2886f-cd64-4fc9-8ec5-30efbcdbe8c3}\DefaultIcon
Speech Recognition {58E3C745-D971-4081-9034-86E34B30836A}\DefaultIcon
User Accounts {60632754-c523-4b62-b45c-4172da012619}\DefaultIcon
Windows Defender {D8559EB9-20C0-410E-BEDA-7ED416AECC2A}\DefaultIcon
Windows Sideshow {E95A4861-D57A-4be1-AD0F-35267E261739}\DefaultIcon
Windows Update {36eef7db-88ad-4e81-ad49-0e313f0c35f8}\DefaultIcon

5. Right click on DefaultIcon (in left pane) and click on Properties. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: We will have to take ownership of the registry key DefaultIcon (in left pane) to do this.

6. Here's the window to start taking ownership. (See screenshot below) Open another tab or window in IE7 and go to How to Take Ownership of an Item in Vista and follow instructions for method two step 3.

7. When you have taken ownership. Right click on (Default) in the right pane and click on Modify. (See screenshot below step 5)

8. Type in your new icon's full file path and press OK. (See screenshot below)
NOTE: Your Icon has been changed in Control Panel. If not, then you didn't take ownership of DefaultIcon and you will need to repeat these steps.

That's it,
Shawn

**Brink** · 05-29-2007

Default Control Panel Icon Paths in Vista

NOTE

Follow the above posts instructions on how to change the icons and just put the original path location for the data.

BLUE = Easy ones
RED = Harder Have to take Ownership ones

Tip

Use Copy and Paste to save yourself time.

Control Panel Icon	Default Icon Path
Add Hardware	%SystemRoot%\System32\hdwwiz.exe,-1501
Administrator Tools	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-114
Default Programs	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-24
Device Manager	%SystemRoot%\System32\devmgr.dll,-201
Ease of Access Center	%SystemRoot%\System32\accessibilitycpl.dll,-1
Folder Options	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-166
Fonts	%SystemRoot%\System32\main.cpl,9
Network and Sharing Center	%SystemRoot%\System32\netcenter.dll,-1
Parental Controls	%SystemRoot%\System32\wpccpl.dll,-1
Personalization	%SystemRoot%\System32\themecpl.dll,-1
Printers	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-26
Programs and Features	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-87
iSCSI Initiator	%SystemRoot%\System32\iscsicpl.exe,-1
Sync Center	%SystemRoot%\System32\synccenter.dll,-1000
System	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-149
Taskbar and Start Menu	%SystemRoot%\System32\imageres.dll,-80
Welcome Center	%SystemRoot%\System32\oobefldr.dll
Windows Anytime Update	%SystemRoot%\System32\windowsanytimeupgradecpl.dll,-1
Windows CardSpace	C:\Windows\System32\icardres.dll,-4096
Windows Firewall	C:\Windows\System32\firewallcontrolpanel.exe,-5004
Windows Sidebar	%ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe,-100

Control Panel Icon	Default Icon Path
AutoPlay	%SystemRoot%\System32\autoplay.dll,-1
Backup and Restore Center	%SystemRoot%\System32\brcpl.dll,-1
Color Management	%SystemRoot%\System32\colorcpl.exe,-5
Performance Information and Tools	%SystemRoot%\System32\perfcentercpl.dll,-1
Power Options	%SystemRoot%\System32\Powercpl.dll,-1
Problem Reports and Solutions	%SystemRoot%\System32\wercon.exe,-1
Scanners and Cameras	%ProgramFiles%\Windows PhotoGallery\ImagingDevices.exe,-102
Speech Recognition	%SystemRoot%\System32\Speech\SpeechUX\Speechuxcpl.dll,-1
User Accounts	%SystemRoot%\System32\usercpl.dll,-1
Windows Defender	%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MsMpRes.dll,-103
Windows Sideshow	%SystemRoot%\System32\AuxiliaryDisplaycpl.dll,-1
Windows Update	%SystemRoot%\System32\wucltux.dll,-1

That's it,
Shawn

**niGht kiD** · 12-04-2007

Hi brink,

Thanks for this guide

I would like to know if it is possible to change the icons of Control Panel(the one in the start menu), Hard Disk & DVD Drives?

Thanks again!

**Brink** · 12-04-2007

Your welcome niGht kiD,

Welcome to the forum.

I used the program Vista Manager to change the drive, file, and folder icons. You can download a 15-day fully functional trial copy here:

http://yamicsoft.com/vistamanager/index.html

and for Microangelo On Display:

http://www.microangelo.us/free-icon-editor-download.asp

Shawn

**niGht kiD** · 12-04-2007

Oh Thanks.. brink. Trying right now

**Brink** · 12-05-2007

niGht kiD,

From the PM you sent me:
It took me a bit to track it down, but I found a way to change a drive icon in the registry. I wrote up a tutorial on it. Here is the link for you.

How to Change a Drive Icon in Vista

Have fun and enjoy,
Shawn

**niGht kiD** · 12-06-2007

So only the 32 icons listed below the LOCATION can be changed? How about the others? Like Realtek HD Audio Manager, Game controllers...etc Ahhh... I'm so fussy

**Brink** · 12-06-2007

LOL niGht kiD,

These are just the ones I found so far. I dug for the others, and no luck yet. Hopefully I will find them one day.

Shawn

mberry · 06-12-2008

What if an unidentified icon with no name has appeared in the Control Panel? It looks like a piece of paper with an empty comment balloon superimposed on it. How can I find it's name and location?
Mike

**Brink** · 06-13-2008

Hi Mberry,

It sounds similar to the Text to Speech icon. Did you install anything before it appeared? See if highlighting it will let you see the name. You can also right click on it and click Create Shortcut for the desktop, then right click on the shortcut (on desktop) and click Properties to see if it will give you a name.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

12-04-2007
niGht kiD hello KiDdy Join Date: Dec 2007 Vista™ Business 32-bit 32 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons Hi brink, Thanks for this guide I would like to know if it is possible to change the icons of Control Panel(the one in the start menu), Hard Disk & DVD Drives? Thanks again!
My System Specs

12-04-2007
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons Your welcome niGht kiD, Welcome to the forum. I used the program Vista Manager to change the drive, file, and folder icons. You can download a 15-day fully functional trial copy here: http://yamicsoft.com/vistamanager/index.html and for Microangelo On Display: http://www.microangelo.us/free-icon-editor-download.asp Shawn
My System Specs

12-04-2007
niGht kiD hello KiDdy Join Date: Dec 2007 Vista™ Business 32-bit 32 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons Oh Thanks.. brink. Trying right now
My System Specs

12-05-2007
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons niGht kiD, From the PM you sent me: It took me a bit to track it down, but I found a way to change a drive icon in the registry. I wrote up a tutorial on it. Here is the link for you. How to Change a Drive Icon in Vista Have fun and enjoy, Shawn
My System Specs

12-06-2007
niGht kiD hello KiDdy Join Date: Dec 2007 Vista™ Business 32-bit 32 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons So only the 32 icons listed below the LOCATION can be changed? How about the others? Like Realtek HD Audio Manager, Game controllers...etc Ahhh... I'm so fussy
My System Specs

12-06-2007
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons LOL niGht kiD, These are just the ones I found so far. I dug for the others, and no luck yet. Hopefully I will find them one day. Shawn
My System Specs

06-12-2008
mberry Newbie Join Date: Jun 2008 Vista Business 32bit 1 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons What if an unidentified icon with no name has appeared in the Control Panel? It looks like a piece of paper with an empty comment balloon superimposed on it. How can I find it's name and location? Mike
My System Specs

06-13-2008
Brink Administrator Join Date: Apr 2007 Vista x64 Ultimate SP2, Windows 7 (7600) x64 25,806 posts	Re: Control Panel Icons Hi Mberry, It sounds similar to the Text to Speech icon. Did you install anything before it appeared? See if highlighting it will let you see the name. You can also right click on it and click Create Shortcut for the desktop, then right click on the shortcut (on desktop) and click Properties to see if it will give you a name. Hope this helps, Shawn
My System Specs

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