Create and use custom folder icons
Everything from planning an icon to putting it on a folder, plus fixes for when it doesn't show up. Jump to whichever part you need.
Updated October 7, 2026
Each system does folder icons its own way. On a Mac you paste a PNG into Finder. Windows wants an ICO file in its Change Icon dialog. On Linux, it depends on your desktop and file manager. The guides below keep these separate, so you only read the steps for your computer.
Start here
Making your first icon? The tutorial goes through every step in the editor and tells you which file to download for your system.
Design for your system
An icon looks best when it matches the other folders around it. Each of these guides covers the folder style, design tips, and export settings for one system.
Mac folder icon maker
Design on the macOS 26 or 27 folder and save a PNG for Finder.
Read guide →Windows folder icon maker
Design on the Windows 11 folder and export a proper ICO file.
Read guide →Linux folder icon maker
Start from KDE Breeze, GNOME Adwaita, or a folder from your own theme.
Read guide →Apply the finished icon
Downloading the icon doesn't change any folders yet. You still have to apply it, either in Finder or in File Explorer.
Choose files and design rules
Handy when you already have artwork, aren't sure which file type to use, or want a whole set of icons that's easy to tell apart.
PNG, ICO, ICNS, and SVG
Which file type each system wants, and which copy to keep.
Read guide →Turn PNG artwork into a Windows ICO
Put a logo or picture you already have on a Windows folder and export it as ICO.
Read guide →Folder icon ideas that stay clear
Simple color, symbol, and label systems for work, school, photos, and code.
Read guide →Fix a problem
Icon not showing up? Check the file type first, then what you clicked, where the file lives, folder permissions, and finally the icon cache.
What FolderIcon.App does (and doesn't do)
The editor makes the icon file, right in your browser. You can recolor the folder, add a built-in symbol or your own PNG or SVG, type a short label, and download a PNG or ICO. It can't change the folders on your computer, though. You do that last step yourself in Finder, File Explorer, or your Linux file manager.
Your images never leave the browser. There's no account and nothing is saved online. The editor only remembers your latest design on this device, so keep the downloaded icon and any artwork you might want to edit later.
Make your icon in the browser
No account needed, and your images never leave your device.