Changing the Icon of the iCloud and iPhotos Folders in Windows 11?

Hi there!

I saw there were iCloud and iPhoto folder icons available on Folder11, but I can't seem to figure out how to make them stick.

I've tried changing them the normal way with the folder properties, editing the desktop.ini, overwriting the desktop.ini file, and even setting the desktop.ini file to read-only. Every time I reboot, they're reset to the default icons.

iCloud:
IconResource=C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\AppleInc.iCloud_15.3.138.0_x64__nzyj5cx40ttqa\iCloud\iCloudDrive.exe,-134

iPhoto:
IconResource=C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\AppleInc.iCloud_15.3.138.0_x64__nzyj5cx40ttqa\iCloud\iCloudPhotos.exe,-101

There's only one other thread here on ElevenForum asking for help with the same issue, but it never really got a proper solution. Other posts point to another thread that seem to be deleted now.

I want to use some of the great icons I'm finding here, but how are you all making them stick?

Thanks!

Swelcome.

Google AI response

To change the iCloud Drive icon on Windows, you cannot directly modify the icon within the iCloud for Windows app; however, you can use a third-party file explorer customization tool to change the icon associated with the iCloud Drive folder on your system.

Here's how to do it using a third-party tool (like "File Explorer Icons"):

• Download a file explorer icon customization tool:
  Search for and download a program like "File Explorer Icons" or similar from the Microsoft Store or online.
• Locate the iCloud Drive folder:
  Open your File Explorer and navigate to the iCloud Drive folder located within your user directory.
• Access icon customization:
  Open the icon customization tool and select the iCloud Drive folder.
• Choose a new icon:
  Browse your computer to find a custom icon image you want to use for iCloud Drive.
• Apply changes:
  Save the changes within the customization tool, and the iCloud Drive folder icon should now be updated with your chosen image.

Important points to remember:

• System-wide changes:
  Be aware that modifying the icon through a third-party tool will only change the icon for your user profile, not for all users on the system.
• Icon format:
  Ensure the custom icon image you choose is in a compatible format like .ico.
• Potential limitations:
  Depending on the customization tool, there might be limitations on where you can change icons within the File Explorer.

Some Windows folders have similar behavior.
I did this a few years ago and don't really remember (works in the Windows customization script).

Thank you!