Windows 10 marks the biggest departure from the “traditional” Windows look so far. It boasts flatter graphics, a more minimalist design, and reimagined system menus.
Just a few vestiges of the classic Windows design remain; the Control Panel and some system tools being the most prominent examples. Clearly, it won’t be long until Microsoft completes its overhaul.
But the new design isn’t to everyone’s taste. Sure, you can apply themes and skins that’ll make Windows look more like the releases of yesteryear, but what about the icons themselves?
If you want to give your machine a unique feel, you’re in luck. As well as light themes7 White Themes for Windows 107 White Themes for Windows 10Tired of your dark Windows theme? Maybe it's time for a change. In this article, I'm going to introduce you to the seven best white themes for Windows 10.Read More and dark themesPrefer Dark Themes? 7 Tips to Make Your Windows Desktop Even DarkerPrefer Dark Themes? 7 Tips to Make Your Windows Desktop Even DarkerDark colors can help with eyestrain and they're stylish too. A dark Windows theme is a good start. We show you how to make your Windows desktop as dark as possible.Read More, there are hundreds of icon packs available. Here are seven of the best.
How to Use Icon Packs
Some icon packs come with their own installers and setup instructions, some need third-party tools like Icon Packager or 7Conifier, and others just provide a bunch of DLL, EXE, or ICO files for you to save on your system.
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Once you’ve got the icons installed, sometimes you’ll need to change them manually. To do so, right-click on a folder or file and select the Customize tab.
Next, navigate to Folder icons > Change Icon and use the Browse button to point at wherever you’ve saved the icon.
Once you’ve selected it, never relocate or delete the ICO file. Doing so will cause the icon of any files using it to revert to the Windows-wide default white rectangle.
1. WinRemix Icon Pack
The WinRemix Icon Pack is a fork of Daniel Ruiz’s Super Flat Remix. Folders are only available in a mid-tone green, but they look fantastic. On each folder is an icon so you can make them content specific, and there’s also a blank option.
Away from folders, there’s a selection of icon files that appear to have taken inspiration from both the Fluent Design principles used on Windows and the Material Design used on Android.
Installation is slightly more complicated than for some other packs.
In the downloaded file, you first need to locate and run Reg Key. Now, head to WindowsSystem32, take admin ownership of imageres.dll, and rename it to imageres.dll.original. Then do the same with zipfldr.dll. It will protect your files in case you want to revert back to the originals in the future.
Next, paste the imageres.dll and zipfldr.dll from your download into the WindowsSystem32 folder. Lastly, rename Refresh Icons to Refresh Icons.exe and run the software.
2. OS X Minimalism iPack
Yes, you read that correctly. This icon pack brings the widely-praised macOS icons into Windows. They’re not quite the real deal (the developer has edited them slightly), but they are as close as you’re going to get.
In addition to the standard system-wide icons, the OS X Minimalism iPack also patches the icons for Chrome, Firefox, RegEdit, the calculator, Command Prompt, and Windows Media Player.
OS X Minimalism iPack comes as a 7Z file. You’ll need a program like 7-Zip to access it. Once you’ve extracted the contentsThe Top 3 File Compression & Extraction SoftwaresThe Top 3 File Compression & Extraction SoftwaresNeed to compress a large file? There's no shortage of file compression and archiving apps for Windows. But which file zipper is best for you? Here are our three top picks.Read More, just run OS X Minimalism iPack.exe.
3. The Numix Icon Project
If you’ve spent any time using a Linux- or Android-based operating system, you might already be familiar with the Numix Project. It makes everything from themes and icons to apps and wallpapers.
This icon pack, available on DeviantArt, is the Windows port of their work. It includes blue, brown, and pink folder icons, as well as a wide variety of ICO files you can deploy elsewhere within Windows.
Like the OS X Minimalism iPack, it also comes with an iPack EXE file to help with the installation process.
4. Arc Icons
Arc Icons are a port of a popular Linux icon pack. They are made by the same developer responsible for the Numix Icon port.
The shade of blue you see everywhere in Windows 10 features heavily. Like other packs on this list, the icons take a flat and minimal approach to design. In addition to folder icons, you’ll find a Wi-Fi icon, a “translation” icon, a new Recycle Bin icon, and a wide selection of general multi-purpose icons.
These icons are incredibly easy to install. Just download and extract the ZIP file from DeviantArt. Within the extracted folder, you’ll find all the individual ICO files. Just copy and paste them all into the folder where you keep other ICO files, and they’ll be available in File Properties > Customize > Folder icons > Change Icon.
5. Alienware Eclipse
Fed up of boring “modern” icons? Why not try something radical and check out the Alienware Eclipse pack? If you’re a gamer with lots of garish peripherals, they’ll look spectacular on your screen.
As you can see from the image below, the designer combines electric blue and black to create a stunningly futuristic set of icons.
All the usual icons are there, including music, documents, picture, and video folders, the Recycle Bin, a gaming icon, and even a replacement icon for DLL files.
Warning: These icons were originally designed for Windows 8.1. They do work on Windows 10, but you might occasionally run into missing icons or other unexpected glitches.
6. Anime Summer 2017
Sticking with the unusual, why not decorate your Windows 10 computer with anime-themed icons? They’re only available for folders, but if you like the increasingly prevalent Japanese art formThese Tutorials Will Teach You How to Draw Anime and Manga ComicsThese Tutorials Will Teach You How to Draw Anime and Manga ComicsWhether you want to make money drawing manga or just dabble in it for fun, here are several tutorials and resources to get you started.Read More, you will love them.
Even better, the icons are specifically designed to display the most popular anime showsThe 10 Best Anime Series to Watch on NetflixThe 10 Best Anime Series to Watch on NetflixNetflix has an impressive selection of anime shows just waiting to be discovered. In this article we pick the cream of the crop, with 10 anime shows everyone should watch.Read More from the summer of 2017, meaning you’ll be right up to date if you install them today.
The pack includes Konbini Kareshi, Ballroom e Youkoso, Isekai Shokudou, and Owarimonogatari.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to download the whole pack at once. Use the link above to jump to the developer’s DeviantArt page, then follow the individual links in the description section.
The icons themselves come in the easy-to-use ICO format.
7. Flat Color W10 IconPack
I will leave you with the Flat Color W10 IconPack. Like some of the other packs I mentioned earlier, it takes its design cues from Windows 10’s Fluent Design, but flattens out the colors and homogenizes the design.
For folders, the designer has used the same basic design with a content-specific icon laid over the top. There are also unique icons explicitly for music, video, and picture files.
Like the Anime and Arc packs, icons are supplied in a basic ICO format. You just need to make the desired alterations in each file or folder’s customization tab.
Which Icon Packs Do You Use?
I’ve shown you seven of the best icon packs that are available for Windows 10 right now. Hopefully, all users will be able to find something that appeals to them.
These packs should also give you an idea of the vast number of packs available. Even if you don’t like any of my seven picks, you should still be able to find something you like with a bit of digging. You’ll find some of the best icon repositories on IconArchive, DeviantArt, and IconFinder.
How have you customized your Windows experienceHow to Change the Look and Feel of Your Windows 10 DesktopHow to Change the Look and Feel of Your Windows 10 DesktopYou just upgraded to Windows 10 and you're wondering how you can customize and personalize it. We help you turn your desktop into a virtual Windows experience, one step at a time.Read More? You can let us know in the comments below. And remember to share these icons with your friends on social media to see what they think.
Image Credit: Khakimullin Aleksandr via Shutterstock.com
Explore more about: Windows 10, Windows Customization.
Windows 10 is the unique in the Microsoft's line of the operating systems. It is mostly different from its predecessors in both style and performance. The operating system drew from the pitfalls of its older brother Windows 8. It displays a new, sleek, and flat design.
Windows 10 kept its flexibility despite its new look. Many users love to customize their Windows experience. And, the new Microsoft flagship made it easier to change its appearance. One of the first things that user often customize are the icons.
The stock icons used by Windows 10 are reminiscent of its classic look. However, the full range of custom and eclectic icon packs available online provides a variety of options. Check out our list of eight beautiful Windows 10 icon packs.
- 1.Simplus
- 2.Folders Flat Colors
- 3.winOS10 Flat
- 4.Insignia Icon Theme
- 5.BRUCE Square v1.1
- 6.Numix Circle for Windows
- 7.In Pixelated Icon Set
- 8.Shadow 135
While customizable, you still need to go through a few steps to change Window's default icons. Follow the steps below.
The icon you see on your desktops such as This PC, User Files, Control Panel and Recycle Bin are called desktop icons. Only the Recycle Bin is present on the desktop by default. However, if you have any of the desktop icons and want to change their looks, follow the steps below.
Follow the steps in this tutorial until you access the Desktop icon settings. Click the Change Icon... button.
You will see the default icon pack used in the Change Icon window. You can choose any icons here. Of course, you'll want to use your icon pack. Click Browse...
Navigate to where you saved your customized icon. Choose the icon then click OK.
Folders and shortcuts are easily customized as well. Unfortunately, you have to do this individually in each folder. You may need to download a third-party application to change icons faster.
First, right-click on the folder. Then, choose Properties. Do the same for shortcuts.
Click Change Icon... in the New folder Properties.
Click Change Icon... in Shortcut Properties if you are customizing a shortcut.
Click Browse... in the Change Icon for...
Choose your icon in the window.
Click Restore Defaults in the Change Icon for... window if you want to restore the default icon.
You can also change the icon associated with a particular file type. You will need to download FileTypesMan. No need to install the application. Unzip the file and run the program.
It will scan all the file types on your computer. You may have to wait for a couple of minutes depending on the number of file types.
Look for the file type you want to change in the application window. Right-click on it. Choose Edit Selected File Type.
Click the button with three dots right next to Default Icon on the Edit File Type window.
Icon packs are available from different sources on the Internet. Remember to be careful and make sure that your source is safe. Scan the downloaded file or zip with anti-malware such as MalwareFox.
Windows 10 only accepts .ico, .dll, and .exe icon types. Most icon packs are in .ico, but you'll come across ones in .png. You can easily convert it using tools such as this.
Some icon packages come with executable files to easily replace default icons. That is why it is essential to scan the downloads for your safety. Make sure you read the instructions if there are any.
Starting off with a simple design is Simplus Windows 10 Icons. The icon designs are elegant and straightforward. It eliminates clutter and creates a more seamless look.
The icon pack comes in a light and dark sets. The light set features muted colors which blend easily with a light colored theme. The dark set icons are much brighter. Perfect to quickly see the icons and make them pop.
This work by dtafalonso is perfect if you want to maintain the clean look but wants to have a bit of variety. The icon pack also blends well with most Windows 10 themes.
It features icon in different shades. Unlike Simplus, the icons feature two to three colors. It creates a simple but exciting style.
winOS10 Flat may have an insufficient number of icons, but it effectively replaces the default windows icons. The icon pack is suitable for desktop icons and directories. It comes in .png, .ico, .dll, and .icl so you don't need to convert the files.
It creates a subtle contrast with the Windows 10 theme. The soft edges distinctively integrate with the hard edges of the metro theme. The individual folder icons make it easy to identify your folders.
Insignia Icon Theme is an overall icon pack perfect for customization. It features icons for typical applications, web apps, and folders. The beautiful design is a slight departure from the flat Metro theme of Windows 10.
The icon pack pays homage to the traditional designs. The subtle light shade gives depth to the colors. It also uses Soft edges without changing too much from the logos. It is perfect if you want to contrast yet complementing theme on your operating system.
BRUCE Square fits in well with the angular Metro UI. However, it sets itself apart by having a gradient background and a white logo in the foreground. The application logos are stand-out quite well.
In the background, the colored gradient evokes softer tone. The overall design is striking but not conflicting with the default Windows style. It is perfect for darker and simpler themes.
Just like the previous entry, Numix Circle for Windows manages stand-out without breaking the overall aesthetics of the default Windows 10 theme. It employs the similar color palette which blends well with the rest of the operating system. The logos are bright and readily distinguished.
What's unique with the icon pack is the shape of the icons. The circular shape is a nice contrast to the angular form of Metro UI. It is an excellent break from all the edges.
In Pixelated Icon Set is very different from the rest of icon packs on this list. It does not try to blend into the Metro UI. Instead, it aims to provide the quirky design.
The inspiration for the design is from the 8-bit pixel art popularized by the 80's and 90's video games. The light color palette lends a playful and youthful vibe. It comes in both .ico for Windows and .icns for MacOS.
Shadow 135 is an extension icon pack for both Windows 10 and MacOS. It is reminiscent of Google's Material UI. The colors blend well with Metro UI of Windows 10. The rounded squares and the inner circular inset creates a dynamic look.
The white logos with shadows shows depth. The artist, BlackVariant, has different sets of icons for applications, system icons, and even brand related icons. The large selection ensures consistent design across your operating system.
Customizing Windows 10 is one of the most enjoyable parts of creating your personal experience. Remember to backup your files and scan everything for malicious threats and applications. We hope that more natural customization methods will be available in the future iterations of the operating system.