Windows 7 rebuilding icon cache

Learn more Are the icons on your Windows PC incorrect, slow to load, distorted, or missing? Your Windows icon cache may be corrupted. But don't worry—rebuilding your icon cache should restore your icons and clear up the glitches. We'll show you how to fix your broken icons by deleting and rebuilding the icon cache in Windows 7, Windows 8. If you're using Windows 8. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers.

Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Method 1. Press the Start button at the bottom-right corner of your screen.

Type folder options and select the result that matches your search. This will allow you to change file viewing settings so that you can see hidden files like IconCache. Go to the View tab. Click or tap the OK box to save your changes and close folder options. Open File Explorer. File Explorer lets you see all the files on your computer, including system files like IconCache.

Note: In Windows 7 and earlier, it is called Windows Explorer. Scroll through all of the files until you find a file named IconCache or IconCache.

Right-click or hold for touchscreen devices and select Delete from the menu that appears. Confirm deletion if prompted by pressing Yes. Open the Recycle Bin and empty it. We have a guide on how to do that just click on the green sentence before this. If the Recycle Bin is already empty, there's nothing you need to do. Proceed to the next step. Clear the thumbnail cache if you're seeing problems with thumbnails previews of files.

Method 2. Open the Command Prompt. Type cmd. Type the commands in. Type the commands below into the Command Prompt, hitting enter after each line of code is entered. Right-click in the Command Prompt and select Paste. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Make sure to only delete the IconCache or IconCache. Deleting any other system files can mess up your PC and possibly render it inoperable. Awesome PC Accessories. Best Linux Laptops. Best Wireless iPhone Earbuds. Best Bluetooth Trackers. Best eReaders. Best VPN. Browse All News Articles. Windows 11 Uninstall Clock. Teams Walkie-Talkie. PCI Express 6. Wordle Scams. T-Mobile iCloud Private Relay. Avira Antivirus Crypto Miner.

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