Windows does not allow changing Notepad’s icon directly through settings, but it can be customized via shortcuts or advanced registry edits. 1. To change the shortcut icon, create a desktop shortcut for notepad.exe, right-click it, select Properties, click Change Icon, and choose or browse for a .ico file. 2. For system-wide changes, modify the Windows Registry and replace Notepad’s icon resource using a hex editor or resource tool, though this is risky, may cause instability, and could reset after updates. 3. When selecting an icon, use high-quality .ico files with multiple resolutions, convert PNGs if needed, and avoid complex designs that don’t scale well. The shortcut method is safer and sufficient for most users.

Changing Notepad’s icon in Windows isn’t something the system lets you do directly through settings, but it is possible with a bit of registry tweaking. It’s not officially supported, so proceed carefully — especially when editing the registry.

Why You Can’t Change Notepad’s Icon Normally

By default, Windows doesn’t give you an option to change built-in app icons like Notepad from the usual right-click menu or settings. These icons are tied to the system files and aren't meant to be modified casually. However, since Notepad is just another executable (notepad.exe), you can create a shortcut and customize that shortcut’s icon instead.

Change Notepad’s Icon via Shortcut

This method won’t change the actual Notepad app icon system-wide, but it will let you use a custom icon for your own shortcuts to Notepad.

1. Right-click on your desktop or in a folder → New → Shortcut
2. In the location field, type:
   C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe
3. Name it “Notepad” or whatever you prefer
4. Right-click the new shortcut → Properties
5. Click the Change Icon button
6. Either:
   • Pick one from the list (if any match your taste)
   • Or click Browse and select a .ico file of your choice

Make sure the icon file you choose is in .ico format — other image formats won’t work here unless you convert them first.

You can now pin this shortcut to your taskbar, Start menu, or keep it on your desktop for easy access.

Replace System Notepad Icon (Advanced)

If you really want to replace the system-level icon — for example, in File Explorer or when viewing installed apps — you’ll need to modify the Windows Registry and possibly replace the original Notepad resources. This involves:

• Editing the registry keys related to Notepad
• Possibly replacing the icon resource inside notepad.exe using a resource editor
• Rebooting to see changes

?? This is risky and could cause system instability if done wrong. It may also get reset after Windows updates.

Unless you have a strong reason to do this, it's safer to stick with the shortcut method.

Tips When Choosing an Icon

• Use high-quality .ico files with multiple resolutions embedded (like 16x16, 32x32, 256x256)
• Convert PNGs to ICO using tools like:
  • Online-Convert
  • ICO Converter
• Avoid overly complex designs — they don’t look good at small sizes

So yes, while Windows doesn’t let you change Notepad’s icon out of the box, creating a custom shortcut gets you most of the way there without much hassle. The full system replacement is possible but tricky and best left to advanced users.

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