How to Change and Restore the Default Icons for User Files in Windows 10 – MUO – MakeUseOf

Bored of looking at the same old, soulless paradigm for your user files? Switch things up with a new icon.
Your Windows account on Windows 10 is a personal thing. It houses all your files and stays with you throughout your session on the computer. But the icon that represents you on the system is far from interesting and unique.
If you’re tired of staring at the soulless stock icon for your user files on Windows, here’s how to replace it with an image you prefer. And if you get tired of it, we've included steps on how to set it back to its default.
Windows has a set consisting of many commonly used icons, but if you’re after something more personal, you can download one from the Internet. We’ve covered the best icon packs for Windows 10 before, but you can also convert PNG files into icon files, as we explored in our guide on how to customize any icon in Windows 10 and 11.
Once you’ve picked an icon that suits your taste, follow the steps below to change the default icon for user files on your computer.
To replace your default user files icon on Windows, do the following:
This icon will appear next to your User Files folder in Explorer. It’s not much of a change, but it’s something. To restore your default user files icon, click on the Restore Default option in the Desktop Icon Settings window.
You can also do this via a registry tweak. As a caution, never change anything in the registry unless you’re sure it won’t affect the performance of your system, and always back up your registry before making any unfamiliar change.
If you want to restore the default user files icon via the registry editor, follow steps 1 through 3 above and type the following into the value data field:
This resets the icon for your user files.
Relocating your user folder may not be for the faint of heart, but if you want a higher level of customization, or if you simply need to free up space on your main drive, you can accomplish this. However, it is recommended that you not move your entire user folder and that you optimize the new folders for better organization.
Anindra has spent his career writing and editing for the web (tech, video games and health websites) and print (newspaper and magazine content). When not background-editing anything he can get his hands on or that falls upon his ear, he enjoys science fiction, English literature and just about anything that’s Quite Interesting.
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