How to Change Icons in Mac OS X

Article explains how to customize folder icons in Finder.

Open folder with Mac icons in .ICNS format in Finder and copy icon (Cmd+C).

Select Application or Folder. Right-click to get Info (Cmd+I) and select the application icon in the top left corner of the window.

Paste new icon (Cmd+V).

To revert default icon, select icon in the top left corner of info window and delete it (Backspace).

See also how to change the new iTunes 10 icon. And our large free set of icons for iOS (and Windows 8 too). And OS X toolbars too. And for street navigation. And for designing a postcard for your grandma.

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sandiskplayer34, We need more information, not all icons can be changed this way (e.g. iTunes). Also such things happens if you copy the wrong file, you should copy the folder, not ICNS file.

VisualPharm May 7, 2013

Mine keeps showing up as the default Preview file icon. Help?

sandiskplayer34 May 6, 2013

Very good!! I can changed the system icons in Mac OS with CandyBar. Thanks for sharing.

January 27, 2013

Please try to use CandyBar App http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/8948/candybar It's free and easy to use.

Alexander December 24, 2012

I have the exact same problem as Ben. The picture shows the ICNS file type and not the actual picture. what am i doing wrong here?

Matt December 21, 2012

Ben, there are some icons that can't be changed by Copy/Paste. Please use the free application CandyBar (http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/8948/candybar) to change the system icons in Mac OS that you normally can't,

VisualPharm October 10, 2012

There must be something wrong with me, as when I do the exact same process that you described, the icon on the thing i"m trying to change just comes up as a .icns file icon? Any help or fixes?

Ben October 9, 2012

my brother has a macbook air and had me look up a post like this one. its good that you can just copy the icon and paste it in the info part, unlike in windows. here, you have to browse and find the actual file from the properties, and which even then only shows if the format is supported. and that keeps changing continuously too. he fixed this in a wink. thanks for the assist.

darren August 4, 2012

Amazing, the up to date information has enhanced my knowledge allot. Keep posting such useful posts so that I can reap maximum benefits from them. Thank you

barbaramccarthy May 10, 2012

I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post. Thanks for sharing. lyj

MaxiDAS DS708 April 10, 2012

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How to Change Icons in Mac OS X

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