How to: "Change your Icons" (Windows XP)

1. Installing Icons

4. Where Can I find Icons?

1. Installing Icons

1.1 .PNG
When downloading packs off this site, they can often be in the from of a .PNG. Now as we now, this file type is not compatible when changing icons.  IconTweaker fixes our problems.  IconsTweaker is fairly easy to use and rather self-explanitory, so no need for tutorial.

1.2 .ICO
Many icons you download will be in .ICO format, the standard format for icons.  These can easily be changed.  Right-Click on the item you want to change>Preferences.  The rest you'll figure out, depending on your PC.

1.3 .PNG to .ICO
Often when you download high quality icons, they will often be in a .PNG format.  This is going to be useless in changing your My Documents folder.  But there is help!  Converticon!  This internet app will convert your .PNG's to .ICO, or the other way around.

1.4 Editing icons in Instant Messenger
Ever wanted to change that bland buddy icon in the system tray?  Well now you can, and with not too much effort.  Here a few quick and easy tutorials:

Modify MSN Messenger Icons - MasterCloud
 Skinning MSN Messenger - MasterCloud
 Editing your contacts in the list- Nelson (French)

When we want to change icons for say the Control Panel or MSN messenger, we need to use a program called ResHack.  ResHack will allow get into system32.dll folder, which will show us all the icons.  We can then select what we want to change, it's as easy as that.

BE SURE TO MAKE BACK-UP'S BEFORE EDITING

2. Programs

2.1
Give your desktop a personal look by changing the default Windows icons. You can also modify individual icons of drives and folders to be able to recognize their contents easily.

Using the available themes you can apply set of icons at once. Designers can create themes to share their icons with other people. Many themes with beautiful icons are already included and ready to use.

Size: 2.9 MB
Version: 1.11
License: Free
Language:united_kingdom.png
Author: Joost Verburg

telecharger_crxp.png globe.pngOfficial

2.2
IconPackager is a program that allows users to change nearly all of their Windows icons at once by applying "packages" of icons. A package of icons contains icons to replace most of the common icons on your Windows PC.

What makes IconPackager special is that unlike Microsoft's themes which only change a few icons, IconPackager changes hundreds of icons.  Everything from "My Computer", "Recycle Bin", Folders, all the way to specific file format icons such as .doc and .xls files and any other file type a user wishes to use.
REMEMBER, ICON PACKAGER ISN'T FREE, SO A 30-DAY TRIAL IS IN PLACE

Size: 11.56 MB
Version: 3.1
License: Trial
Language:united_kingdom.png
Author: Stardock

globe.png Mirror

3. Convert Icons to .PNG's - PNG`s to Icons

To convert PNG`s to ICO best choice is IconBOX, simply drag and drop the PNG-Files into the Iconbox, it will safe the new ICOs in the folder where the PNG`s comes from.

Check the settings how much pixel your icons will have, as more pixels as more filesize. When you use only max. 64*64 pixel then turn off 96+128 pixel (just waste of filesize) ...

3.1aveiconifier_logo.png AveIconifier
This is a nice little tool that gives the user the possibility to batch-convert ICON to PNG and vice versa (PNG to ICON) by simply drag-'n-dropping the files in/out.

Size:
Version:2.1
License: Free
Language:united_kingdom.png
Author:Andreas Verhoeven

globe.pngMirror

3.2ConvertIcon

This handy little web application lets you convert between PNG and ICO formats without losing any quality or downloading any software.

License: Free
Language:united_kingdom.png
Author: PunkSoftware

Visit Directly

4. Where can I find icons?

DeviantART

CrystalXP.net Gallery
PNG Factory

Thanks everyone for your help and support during the making of this thread.  I hope you all find it use full.

Great Sparco !
Maybe you can continu and use the Xorios'post and translate it for our not-french members. I think it will be very appreciate.  
[link]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll see what I can do

Good job Sparco

If you have enough courage to edit the first post and add some more details (found in Xorios' topic, as Bumpy said?) I'll pin this topic

Thanks

Thank you, if we'll expand this topic, I'm sure it'll save us a lot of time!  

I agree - it´s hard to write all day the same things  

Thanks for all your feedback, the thread has been updated

It'll be very usefull! Great job

nice guide  

but how do you change the animations?

What animations are you talking about?  

like the copy and delete    

Really good job, thanks.  
I'm sure it will be helpful (my topic really needed a translation).  

I think we could pin it now.  

If somebody want to add more informations (for example other translations from french tutorials), don't hesitate to post.  

   Sparco
Here are some "english version" of buttons you could use.  

Thanks mate!  I'll update buttons later

Very helpful topic.Excellent work and keep it up

Much appreciated

Thanks so much! I have a question though... I used IconPackager and I know  that there is 30-day free trial. What happens after that? Will the icons change back to the default ones or retain the ones I've applied? If it does get retained, is there any way to revert back to the default XP icons/ Thanks!

I recommend that you re-apply the normal icons before it expires.  It's happened to me before and things went a little crooked.

If you leave it, you can restore it to default at a later date using IconTweaker.

I recommend that you re-apply the normal icons before it expires.  It's happened to me before and things went a little crooked.

If you leave it, you can restore it to default at a later date using IconTweaker.

Thanx... but how do I change a icon of a programme, like uTorrent... is that possible? Because with icontweaker I can only change icons of folders and drivers... hope someone can help me out  

EDIT: Got the answer right now... thanx to ASHAR

Try this. If you don't understand how to do it. Come back here.  

Hi all,
Skinning and customizing µTorrent, here
Vista skin by me, here

this is not a advertise  

nice tut mate...
very comprehensieve... I'd reccomend using IconPackager though... lot easier.-- _)

Thanks mate.  IconPackager is awesome, but the 30-day limit really ruins it.

Does anybody know how to change the icons in programs such as internet explorer? Like for example I downloaded new icons and with it came this cool looking house which must mean its an icon to be used as "home" when surfing the web...Right? And can someone tell me how you can change the icons in the "control panel"?
Thanx!