How to Change File and Folder Icons on Mac
There’s a lot to love about the Mac, but one of its coolest features is how easy it is to change file and folder icons. By default, a file is represented by a piece of paper, while folders are represented by a folder. You’ll also find zip files with zippers, as well as other standard […]
There’s a lot to love about the Mac, but one of its coolest features is how easy it is to change file and folder icons. By default, a file is represented by a piece of paper, while folders are represented by a folder. You’ll also find zip files with zippers, as well as other standard iconography. But if you want to customize the look of your files and folders, Apple offers an easy way to change icons without much effort.
Here’s an overview of how to change file and folder icons on Mac, including tips on how to use different images or change the folder icon color.
Use a different icon image
You can use an image as an icon for a file or folder on Mac. This is handy for quickly finding what you need.
Step 1: Copy the image you want to use for the icon in one of the following ways:
- Open it in Preview and select To modify > Copy from the menu bar.
- Select the image and choose To modify > Copy in the Finder menu bar.
- Right-click the image and select Copy.
- Select the image and use the keyboard shortcut Order + VS.
You will then have the image copied to your clipboard.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
2nd step: Whether it is a file or a folder, you will open the properties for it to access its icon. Select the file or folder and choose Deposit > Obtain informations in the menu bar or right-click and choose Obtain informations.
This opens a window full of details about the item. You will see the icon at the top left of this window.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 3: Select the icon in the Get Info window to highlight it. Then paste the image by selecting To modify > Dough from the menu bar or using the keyboard shortcut Order + V.
You should see the image you copied replace the default icon for the file or folder. You can then close the Get Info window.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Change folder icon color
If you just want to change the color of a folder icon on Mac, you can do so using Preview. Open the Get Info for Folder window as described above.
Step 1: Select the icon at the top left of the detail window to highlight it. Now copy the icon by selecting To modify > Copy from the menu bar or using the keyboard shortcut Order + VS.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
2nd step: Open it Preview application on your Mac and select Deposit > New from Clipboard in the menu bar. You should see the folder icon appear so you can change it.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 3: At the top of the Preview app, select the icon Markup button in the toolbar. Then choose the Adjust color and use the button Tint cursor to choose the desired color for the icon.
You can optionally use the other color adjustment tools if you wish.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 4: Once you have colored the icon the way you want, simply copy and paste it again into the folder details window.
Take To modify > Select all and then To modify > Copy in the menu bar to copy the icon. You can also use the selection tool in Preview to set the icon and then select To modify > Copy.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Step 5: Return to the Get Info window you opened for the case. Select the icon at the top left again to highlight it. Next, paste the new icon by selecting To modify > Dough in the menu bar or using the keyboard shortcut Order + V.
Image used with permission of the copyright holder
Whether you use a photo or logo for a file icon or simply decide to change the color of a folder icon, you have options for making elements stand out on MacOS.
For other customizations, learn how to change the background on Mac.
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