Create your own desktop icons

RIVER BENDER - October 2006

Creating your own desktop icons is easy. All you need is MS Paint that comes with Windows or a similar drawing program. Paint is found at Programs/Accessories. If you don't see it here's how to install it:

Click Start/Settings/Control Panel

Click Add Remove Programs

Click the Windows Setup Tab

Double-click the Accessories icon and check Paint to install mspaint

When prompted for a diskette, insert your Windows CD or try pointing to "C:\windows\options\cabs" (depending on how Windows was installed on your computer this directory may not exist). If this directory does not exist on your hard disk drive you will need your CD.

Creating a desktop icon with MS Paint:

Before you start, make sure you have a folder to save the icon in that you create because you'll have to access it later to install it on your desktop. For this article, I suggest you create a folder called Icons on your desktop by right-clicking in blank space on your desktop and select New/Folder. Then rename the folder Icons.

Now let's create an icon: Go to Programs/Accessories and click on Paint.

When Paint opens click on Image/Attributes. Enter 32 for Height and 32 for Width then check Pixels.

A tiny white square will appear. Enlarge it by clicking on the magnifier glass icon followed by clicking 8X magnification.

The fun now begins. Draw your icon. If you've never used Paint before to create drawings you'll need to experiment with all the tools and colors. Remember that you can click on Edit/Undo if you make a mistake or Image/Clear Image to start over.

After you've created an icon Click File/Save and give it a name (It will be a .bmp type file). Then click on Desktop and select the folder called Icon that you created to save your icon in.

Replacing an icon with the one you created:

Right-click on the icon you want to replace on your desktop. Select Properties/Change Icon/Browse.

Go to the Icon folder you created. If the icon name does not appear, scroll to All Files at the bottom.

Select the icon, click OK/Apply/Ok and voila your new icon should appear on your desktop. By the way, if you modify the new icon you'll probably have to reboot for the change to take place.

Now go to http://always-online.com/dave/Icons.htm and see a few sample icons I created using the MS Paint program. You're welcome to download them and use them on your desktop.