Today I asked Google AI and helped me customize the File Explorer icon on the Taskbar from the default flat Windows 11 icon to the old 3D Windows 8.1 icon. First I opened my user folder and then I navigated to the following hidden folder:
I then right-clicked on the File Explorer shortcut, selected Properties, clicked Change Icon and browsed to the desired icon file. I restarted File Explorer for the changes to take effect and it worked! The only problem is that I was used the the darker default Windows 11 icon and this now looks a little weird, but I will get used to it again soon.
Other customizations you see in the picture are Windows 7 start button, start menu and custom Taskbar color using Open Shell.
To save you Googling, I attach here the default File Explorer icon from Windows 8.1
AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskbarI then right-clicked on the File Explorer shortcut, selected Properties, clicked Change Icon and browsed to the desired icon file. I restarted File Explorer for the changes to take effect and it worked! The only problem is that I was used the the darker default Windows 11 icon and this now looks a little weird, but I will get used to it again soon.
Other customizations you see in the picture are Windows 7 start button, start menu and custom Taskbar color using Open Shell.
To save you Googling, I attach here the default File Explorer icon from Windows 8.1
- Windows Build/Version
- Windows 11 Pro 25H2
My Computers
-
At a glance
Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (7582), 25H2 (9457)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)- OS
- Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (7582), 25H2 (9457)
- Computer type
- Laptop
- Manufacturer/Model
- Acer Extensa 5630EZ
- CPU
- Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
- Motherboard
- Acer Extensa 5630
- Memory
- 4GB
- Graphics Card(s)
- Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
- Sound Card
- Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
- Monitor(s) Displays
- 1
- Screen Resolution
- 1280x800
- Hard Drives
- Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
- Internet Speed
- 802.11g wireless 54 Mbps
- Browser
- MICROSOFT EDGE
- Antivirus
- WINDOWS DEFENDER
- Other Info
- Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
-
At a glance
Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (build 26200.9457)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...- Operating System
- Windows 11 Pro 25H2 (build 26200.9457)
- Computer type
- PC/Desktop
- Manufacturer/Model
- Custom-built PC
- CPU
- Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
- Motherboard
- Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
- Memory
- 2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
- Graphics card(s)
- GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
- Sound Card
- Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
- Monitor(s) Displays
- Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
- Screen Resolution
- 1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
- Hard Drives
- WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
- PSU
- Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
- Case
- SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
- Cooling
- Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
- Keyboard
- Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
- Mouse
- Microsoft Compact Optical Mouse
- Internet Speed
- 802.11ac 5GHz wireless 260Mpbs
- Browser
- Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
- Antivirus
- Microsoft Windows Defender
- Other Info
- Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
