Tutorials

How to change AutoCAD icon? (Solved)

Many users want to personalize their desktop or make file types easier to recognize by changing the AutoCAD icon. Below is a clear, beginner-friendly, step‑by‑step guide that covers the simple shortcut change, changing the program or file‑type icon, troubleshooting when icons don’t update, and safe alternatives.

Quick answer

  • To change a desktop or Start Menu AutoCAD shortcut icon: right‑click the shortcut → Properties → Change Icon… → choose an .ico file or an executable that contains icons.
  • To change the icon displayed for .dwg (DWG) files system-wide: either use a GUI tool (FileTypesMan / Default Programs Editor) or edit the registry entry for the DWG ProgID under HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT → set the DefaultIcon value to the desired icon resource.
  • If the new icon doesn’t appear, rebuild the Windows icon cache or delete/recreate the shortcut.

Why change the AutoCAD icon?

  • Improve desktop/start‑menu visual organization.
  • Differentiate multiple AutoCAD versions (e.g., AutoCAD 2019 vs AutoCAD 2023).
  • Create branded shortcuts for clients, templates, or specific workflows.

Prepare: what you need

  • An .ico file (preferred) or an EXE/DLL containing icon resources.
  • Admin rights for system-wide file‑type or EXE edits.
  • A backup of any registry keys or original files before changing them.
  • Optional tools: Resource Hacker, FileTypesMan (NirSoft), Default Programs Editor, or an online PNG→ICO converter.

Change an AutoCAD shortcut icon (easy, safe)

  1. Create or obtain an .ico file. You can convert PNG/JPG to ICO using many online converters.
  2. Right‑click the AutoCAD desktop or Start Menu shortcut you want to edit → select Properties.
  3. In the Shortcut tab click Change Icon….
  4. Click Browse… and select your .ico file (or choose an EXE/DLL that contains icons, e.g., acad.exe).
  5. Select the icon and click OK, then Apply → OK.
  6. If the icon doesn’t update immediately, right‑click the desktop and choose Refresh, or log off/log on.

Notes:

  • Changing the shortcut does not modify the AutoCAD executable or the icon shown for DWG file associations.

Change the AutoCAD executable icon (advanced — not recommended)

Warning: modifying the AutoCAD executable or its resources can break digital signatures, updates, and is not recommended by Autodesk. If you still want to proceed for local use only, back up the original exe and be prepared to reinstall AutoCAD if needed.

Method (using Resource Hacker):

  1. Install Resource Hacker (or similar resource editor).
  2. Make a copy of the AutoCAD executable (e.g., acad.exe) and work on the copy.
  3. Open the copy in Resource Hacker.
  4. Locate the ICON or ICON GROUP resource and replace it with your .ico file.
  5. Save the modified EXE.
  6. Replace the original EXE (requires admin rights). You may need to stop AutoCAD processes and disable updates temporarily.
  7. Restart Windows Explorer or reboot.

Important:

  • Replacing the exe will likely trigger Windows SmartScreen or require file signature bypass.
  • Keep the original exe as a backup.

Alternative:

  • Instead of modifying the exe, create a shortcut and assign a custom icon (recommended).

Change the icon for DWG files (system-wide)

Option A — Use a GUI tool (recommended for most users):

  • Use FileTypesMan (NirSoft) or Default Programs Editor:
    1. Run FileTypesMan as admin.
    2. Find the .dwg extension or the DWG ProgID (e.g., AutoCAD.Drawing.24).
    3. Edit the Default Icon and point it to an .ico file or an exe/dll with the icon index.
    4. Save changes and refresh the icon cache if needed.

Option B — Registry edit (manual; be careful):

  1. Open regedit (run as administrator).
  2. Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.dwg and note the (Default) value — this is the ProgID (e.g., AutoCAD.Drawing.24).
  3. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\\DefaultIcon. If it doesn’t exist, create the DefaultIcon key.
  4. Set the (Default) string to the path of your icon resource, for example:
    • “C:\Icons\custom-acad.ico,0” or
    • “C:\Program Files\AutoCAD\acad.exe,1” (exe,dll,iconIndex format).
  5. Close regedit and restart Explorer or reboot.

Always export the registry key before changing it so you can restore it later.

Rebuild Windows icon cache (when new icon doesn’t appear)

If icons don’t update, rebuild the icon cache:

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Run:
    • taskkill /IM explorer.exe /F
    • DEL /A /Q “%localappdata%\IconCache.db”
    • DEL /A /F /Q “%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache*”
    • start explorer.exe
  3. If you’re uncomfortable with commands, rebooting the PC often forces a cache refresh.

Common errors and fixes

  • Icon stays the same after change:
    • Fix: Rebuild icon cache (see above) or delete and recreate the shortcut.
  • Permission denied when replacing acad.exe:
    • Fix: ensure you have admin rights and close AutoCAD / related services. Prefer using a shortcut to avoid exe edits.
  • Windows shows blank or generic icon:
    • Fix: ensure the .ico file is valid and includes recommended sizes (16×16, 32×32, 48×48, 256×256). Use an ICO generator.
  • DWG icons revert after AutoCAD update:
    • Fix: AutoCAD updates can reset associations. Reapply the registry or FileTypesMan change after major updates, or use a custom file association tool that persists.

Tips and best practices

  • For safety and compatibility, prefer changing shortcuts rather than modifying program files.
  • Use .ico files with multiple resolutions and PNG-compressed 256×256 for best appearance on high‑DPI displays.
  • Keep backup copies of original icons, executables, and exported registry keys.
  • When targeting multiple users in an organization, apply file-type icon changes via Group Policy or deployment scripts.
  • Document any manual changes so you can revert after AutoCAD updates.

How do I create a proper .ico file for AutoCAD icons?

You can use online converters (PNG→ICO) or image editors (IcoFX, GIMP with plugin). Make sure the .ico contains multiple sizes (16×16, 32×32, 48×48, 256×256) for crisp display at different scales.

Why does Windows show a generic or blank icon after I change it?

Windows caches icons. Rebuild the icon cache (see rebuild steps), refresh the desktop, or reboot. Also confirm the .ico file is valid and accessible from the path used.

Will changing acad.exe icon affect AutoCAD updates or licensing?

Yes. Editing the executable may break digital signatures and might interfere with updates or support. It won’t typically affect licensing, but it’s not recommended. Use shortcuts instead.

Can I change DWG icons for all users on my PC or network?

Yes — for local machine changes use admin rights and update HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT or use FileTypesMan. For multiple machines, use Group Policy or a deployment script to update registry keys or distribute shortcut files.

How do I revert to the default AutoCAD icon?

  • If you changed a shortcut: edit Properties → Change Icon and select the original icon from acad.exe, or delete the custom shortcut and recreate it via Start Menu.
  • If you changed the registry: import the exported original key or remove the custom DefaultIcon value and restart Explorer.
  • If you modified acad.exe: restore the original backup executable.

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