How to Change Open Folder icon in Windows Vista?


This tutorial will help you in knowing how to display a different icon in the Navigation pane or Start menu for the folder that is opened currently. This will help you in distinguishing between the open and closed folders.

Default open folder icon in the Navigation pane:



Figure 1


Changed open folder icon in the Navigation pane:



Figure 2


You can accomplish this in the following manner:

1) Open Registry Editor and navigate to the key branch

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ explorer in the left pane



Figure 3


2) Right click on the explorer key and choose New and then Key option

3) Name the key as Shell Icons



Figure 4


4) Now right click on the right pane and choose New and then String option



Figure 5


5) Name this string key value as 4 and double click it



Figure 6


6) Now type the location of the desired icon saved on your computer or you can type or copy C:\windows\system32\Shell32.dll,137 to take display an icon shipped with Vista



Figure 7


7) Click OK button

8) Close Registry Editor

9) Log off and then Log on or restart your PC for the changes to take effect


Note: To restore the default icon for opened folder simply right click on the Shell Icons key created in the step 2 and 3 above and choose Delete option



Figure 8


Click Yes button to confirm



Figure 9


Log off and then Log on or restart your PC for the changes to take effect