Where are desktop icons stored

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Where are the icons for newly installed applications that have desktop links stored?

Thanks.

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Within the application itself. It’s very unusual to have a separate .ico file these days. You can, if you wish, extract the icon from the executable using something like the freeware Icons from File.

Hope this helps…

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Thanks Rick! I saved the app for future use.

Thanks also to Coochin!

In my case I had a backup stored and could recover some original icons/links. They were stored in C:UsersPublicDesktop or C:UsersDesktop depending on how I installed the applications.

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Before, they used to be in C:UsersAppdataLocalIconCache.db but in Win 10 they are located in –

C:UsersAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsExplorer

according to an article I downloaded to reset mine, but when I did a search for it, it said it couldn’t be found but YMMV.

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Before, they used to be in C:UsersAppdataLocalIconCache.db but in Win 10 they are located in –

C:UsersAppDataLocalMicrosoftWindowsExplorer

according to an article I downloaded to reset mine, but when I did a search for it, it said it couldn’t be found but YMMV.

Sudo,

Mine was a mix of C:UsersDesktop and C:UsersPubicDesktop depending on how I installed the application, i.e. only for me or generally to anyone.

Thank you for taking the time to reply!!!

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Where are the icons for newly installed applications that have desktop links stored?…

It is mistaken to call “desktop links” “icons”; “desktop links” are “shortcuts” (.lnk files) “icons” are small pictures (.ico files) that are displayed by “shortcuts” to make it easier to visually distinguish between the targets of the shortcuts.

Since Vista “shortcuts” (.lnk files) that are shown on the Desktop are stored in either of two locations:

1. C:Users[username]Desktop (shortcuts that are displayed only on the Desktop for that user).

2. C:UsersPublicDesktop (shortcuts that are displayed on all users’ Desktops).

Normally the “icons” (.ico files) that are displayed on “shortcuts” are located in the program’s “home” folder within “C:Program Files” or “C:Program Files (x86)”.

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I’ll have to have another look around for mine when I get the time, but glad you got yours sorted

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Windows stores its icons in .dll files which serve as libraries. Not all versions of Windows have all the libraries. Without a hex editor, you cant access them directly, but they can be accessed by right clicking on an icon, then properties, then change icon, then entering the file path. Note that not all programs allow their icons to be changed.

%systemroot%system32imageres.dll

%systemroot%system32shell32.dll

%systemroot%system32pifmgr.dll

%systemroot%explorer.exe

%systemroot%system32accessibilitycpl.dll

%systemroot%system32ddores.dll

%systemroot%system32gameux.dll

%systemroot%system32moricons.dll

%systemroot%system32mmcndmgr.dll

%systemroot%system32mmres.dll

%systemroot%system32netcenter.dll

%systemroot%system32networkexplorer.dll

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My problem is with the system tray ones as they are slow to populate during start up.

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W10 start up has a delay built in so some Services start later than others, which will obviously delay the the population of the System Tray. Go to Services and check for those labeled as Automatic (Delayed).

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Without any intention of hijacking this thread, after the desktop populates, the system tray is blank other than the clock and then they’ll start to populate from the right and then those on the left of the System tray (browsers etc.) will appear in a dollop.

Of those on the right, my wifi icon is slow to appear even though the WLAN Auto Config shows as running and auto in services, although by then it would be, but auto means auto – and this only works like this on one Win 10 laptop which has been repair installed a number of times.

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