I rely a lot on color and shapes when it comes to identifying or labeling visual information, as I find it much easier to access consistently compared to text labels. This can be helpful for quickly locating icons on my Windows desktop or in File Explorer, unless I have several identical icons that are the same color and/or shape. After I kept confusing two identical blue icons at my internship, I found a way to solve the problem by learning how to customize icons for Windows and changing the icons to two different colors. Here are my favorite tips on how to customize icons for Windows 11 and Windows 10, and tools for finding or creating icons for users with low vision.
Benefits of custom icons for Windows users with low vision
It seems obvious that changing an icon from something that is hard to see to something that is easier to see would make a significant difference for users with visual impairment, but there are other benefits to enabling custom icons for Windows users with low vision or vision loss, which can include:
- Having custom icons can assist with identifying identical looking programs or folders, using color or shapes as a way of conveying information so that users don’t have to rely on reading text labels
- Switching icons to match a user’s preferred aesthetic may help with improving confidence with using Windows-based assistive technology. This can be especially valuable for students who may feel like they don’t want to “stand out” by using a computer that is different from others
- Changing icon colors can provide better contrast against a desktop wallpaper/background
- Using color as a labeling tool can be helpful for organizing digital folders, similar to how someone might use color-coordinated folders for physical materials
- Custom icons can provide a simplified visual experience, eliminating additional patterns or complex shapes for icons that may be challenging to see
- For users with cerebral/cortical visual impairment, frequently used icons can be switched to a preferred color(s) to aid with identification or optimized for display on a solid color background.
Some users may prefer to have the same custom icons across multiple operating systems, such as having the same icons for both an iPad and Windows computer or a Windows computer and Android phone. This is technically possible, but users will likely need to convert the PNG icons used for Apple/Android devices to an ICO file format for Windows.
Related links
- How To Organize Apps On iPad With Low Vision
- How To Create A Custom Android Home Screen With Microsoft Launcher
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Choosing Device Wallpapers and Backgrounds With Low Vision
Find custom icons for Windows online
There are many sources for custom icons for Windows online, which will need to be downloaded as .ico or ICO files in order to be used as icons. While there are some free icon websites for Windows, it is critical that users only download icons as ICO or PNG files (if they plan to convert them), and avoid downloading EXE, MSI, or other executable files that could contain viruses or other malicious content. Icon packs will typically be downloaded in a ZIP, RAR, or 7Z file/folder.
Examples of icon websites I have used for myself and with others include:
- IconArchive
- Etsy
- DeviantArt
- IconFinder
- Icons8
Most of these icon websites are free or have free options, with the exception of Etsy. I personally purchased a set of icons from Etsy for less than $5 USD.
Related links
- Icon Archive – 800,000+ free icons & stickers, PNG, SVG Downloads
- Search ‘free icons’ on DeviantArt – Discover The Largest Online Art Gallery and Community
- 8,425,000+ free and premium vector icons, illustrations and 3D illustrations (iconfinder.com)
- Free Icons, Clipart Illustrations, Photos, and Music (icons8.com)
Create custom icons for Windows
For users that want to create their own custom icon designs for Windows, they will need to use a canvas size or dimensions of 128 x 128 for optimal results when converting the design to ICO. Users cannot create a rectangular or other shape for icon designs, they must be on a square canvas.
Examples of programs I have used to design custom icons (saved as PNGs) include:
- Canva (which also offers an extensive icon library)
- PicsArt
- GIMP
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Paint
- iOS Photos: I use the remove background tool in my Photos gallery and save the image cutout to cloud storage.
Often times when I create custom icons for Windows, I start with a template or base icon image and customize the colors, add a filter, or extract specific parts of the image into my final design. For another student I was working with, I customized images from LessonPix and Boardmaker that I later converted into ICO icons, since the student had a license for both programs.
Related links
Convert images to ICO icons
In order to use an image as an icon, users will need to convert it to the ICO file type if it is not already in that format. I’ve used a free online ICO converter website and save the file in all sizes so that I can choose the option that best fits my display resolution. This specific converter supports PNG, JPEG, GIF, and BMP files less than 4 MB in size.
Related links
How to change Windows icons and set custom icons
To customize or change icons for Windows 10 and Windows 11:
- Right-click on the application icon on either the taskbar or desktop.
- If using an application on the desktop, left-click to select the option for Properties from the drop-down menu. If using an application on the taskbar, right-click on the application name in the menu and then left-click to select Properties
- Under the Shortcut menu, select the button that says Change Icon…
- If the icon does not show up, select the “Browse” button and go to the file location where the ICO file is saved
- Once the icon is visible, select the icon of your choice and select “OK”
- Select “OK” on the Properties dialog box. If the icon does not show up immediately, close the program or restart the computer.
- The new icon will appear on the desktop and taskbar
If the Change Icon button does not show up, the user may need to open the file location instead. This can be done by doing the following:
- Right-click on an application in the Start menu
- Under More, select Open File Location
- Right-click on the application icon and select Properties
- Under the Shortcut menu, select the button that says Change Icon…
- If the icon does not show up, select the “Browse” button and go to the file location where the ICO file is saved
- Once the icon is visible, select the icon of your choice and select “OK”
- Select “OK” on the Properties dialog box. If the icon does not show up immediately, close the program or restart the computer.
- The new icon should appear on the Start menu, taskbar, and desktop
Resizing icons for Windows
To highlight these beautiful new icons, users may want to increase the size of icons on their desktop or taskbar to view the icons at a higher resolution. This can be done by doing the following:
- Right-click on the desktop
- On the callout menu, select View
- Select small, medium, or large icons. The changes will automatically take effect
To increase the size of taskbar icons:
- Right-click on the taskbar
- At the bottom of the menu, select Taskbar settings (gear icon)
- Switch the slider for “Use small taskbar buttons” to off.
How to change Windows folder icons
Want to change the icons for Windows folders? This is a great organizational tool for OneDrive or school folders, though it does not sync across devices or operating systems (so the folder view will not change in the OneDrive app).
Here’s how to set custom folder icons for Windows 10 and 11:
- Right-click on the folder icon or name of choice
- Select Properties
- Select Customize
- Select Change Icon
- If the icon does not show up, select the “Browse” button and go to the file location where the ICO file is saved
- Once the icon is visible, select the icon of your choice and select “OK”
- Select “OK” on the Properties dialog box. If the icon does not show up immediately, close the program or restart the computer.
- The new icon should appear in File Explorer, on the desktop, Start menu, and/or Taskbar.
Related links
More ideas on how to customize icons for Windows
- Another helpful tool for making Windows icons easier to see with low vision is to add custom keyboard shortcuts. Learn how in How To Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows
- While I can’t customize the shortcut icons for these, another strategy I find useful is adding bookmarks for websites to my taskbar or desktop. Learn more in Helpful Ways To Bookmark Websites For Low Vision Users
- Looking for another way to customize a Windows computer for low vision access? Consider How To Use High Contrast in Windows 10 and Windows 11
- Want more Windows and Microsoft accessibility content? Visit Microsoft Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes (veroniiiica.com)
Published December 17, 2019. Updated September 2024