Changing Any Windows XP System Icon: The First Way

Changing your Windows XP system icons is almost too easy using a little program called MicroAngelo.

Here We Go:

1. First download a free copy of MicroAngelo here.

2. While it is downloading we need to make a backup of one important system file we will be editing called shell32.dll. It can be found in c:\windows\system32\shell32.dll. To see this file you may have to turn off ‘Hide protected operating system files’ and ‘Show hidden files and folders’ in the view tab of the folder options under tools in my computer. Just drag a copy of shell32.dll from system32 to your desktop.

3. Once Microangelo is downloaded and installed, open Librarian.Librarian is the icon-manager part of MicroAngelo that can open up exe’s and just about any file with embedded icons. Read more about it here if you get stuck.

4. Once Librarian is opened, open the first backup of that shell32.dll file, and Voilà!! Tons of icons, actually most of the icons in the entire system.

5. Here comes the fun part. simply right click on an icon that you want to change click on replace and navigate to your new icon.

6.Once you’ve changed all the icons that you want, Save the file. Now you have a new and improved shell32.dll file. Almost done!

7. Now download the tiny and simple program called replacer from here. This is a program which makes it easy to replace system files, which you need to do to replace the original shell32.dll file with your edited one.

8. Now open Replacer, a DOS window will come up, follow the instructions on screen. You will have to drag the original system file and then the replacement system file (your backup shell32.dll file on the desktop which was edited). Once completed restart.

9. Voila! Your new system icons will be showing!

10. You can repeat this process for almost any icon you want to change, its just a matter of finding the appropriate file to edit (google searches work best). Try the .cpl files in System32, these are the control panel files.

Enjoy Your Newly Edited And Personalized XP System Icons!