How to Change the Folder Icon on a Mac

Lee Stanton April 5, 2022

You’ve come to the right place if you’re a Mac user and want to personalize your desktop. Mac allows you to customize your folder icons by replacing them with pictures, icons you’ve downloaded, or icons from other file folders. You can even change the color of your folder icons.

This guide will show you different ways to customize folder icons on a Mac. We’ll also answer some frequently asked questions related to the topic.

How to Change Folder Icon on a Mac to a Picture

Whenever you create a new folder on your Mac, it’s automatically a blue file folder icon. If your desktop is full of generic file folders, it might take you a long time to find the right file. This could be frustrating, especially if you’re in a hurry.

There are a couple of ways to change your folder icon on your Mac. You can technically use a picture for your folder icon. It can be any picture you want, whether you downloaded it from your browser or took it with your camera.

To change the folder icon on a Mac to a picture, follow the steps below:

Open the Finder and locate the image you want to use for the folder icon.
Double-click on the picture to open it in the Preview app.
Press the Command + A keys to select the picture.

Note: Crop the photo here if needed.
Click on the Edit tab on the top menu bar.
Choose Copy from the drop-down menu.

Note: You can also press the Command + C keys at the same type to copy the image.
Locate the folder that you want to customize. You can find this folder on your desktop or in Finder.
Right-click on the folder and choose Get Info from the drop-down menu. This will open a new window.
Click on the Folder icon in the upper-left corner of the window.
Go to the “Edit” tab on the menu bar.
Choose Paste.
Select the red traffic light in the upper-left corner to exit the window.

Note: To speed up this process, press the “Command” and “V” keys at the same time to paste the image to the folder “Info” window.

The picture you copied will automatically replace the folder icon. If nothing has changed, ensure that you’ve selected the folder icon before pressing the paste command. The icon will have a thin blue line around it when selected.

Aside from using your own pictures, you can also use folder icons that you’ve downloaded from your browser. Keep in mind that the image must have a .jpeg or .png format. If the photo you want to use has a different format, you’ll have to convert it before you do this. You can easily reformat it by using the screenshot feature. Simply click Command + Shift + 4 to outline the parts of the image you’d like to keep.

How to Use an Icon From Another Folder

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of searching for and downloading icons from the web, you can use an icon from another folder or file. Here’s how to do it:

Find the folder or file with an icon you’d like to use.
Right-click on it, and choose Get Info from the drop-down menu.

Note: Another quick way to open the “Info” box is by right-clicking on the folder. Next, press the Command + I keys simultaneously.
Click on the folder icon in the upper-left corner of the window.
Go to Edit, then Copy. You can also select the folder icon and press the Command + V keys at the same time to copy the folder icon.
Close the window.
Locate the folder that you want to customize.
Right-click on it and select Get Info.
Select the folder icon on the new window.
Go to Edit once again, and choose Paste from the drop-down menu.

That’s all there is to it. Once you close the folder “Info” window, you’ll notice that your folder icon has been changed. This method is much quicker than the others since you won’t have to customize or adjust the icon to make it compatible with your folder.

How to Change the Folder Color on a Mac

Another option you have is to change the color of the folder icon on your Mac. Changing a folder icon’s color is done with the Preview app. To do this on your Mac, follow the steps below:

Locate and right-click on the folder you want to customize.
Select Get Info from the drop-down menu.
Click on the folder icon in the upper-left corner of your screen.
Navigate to Edit on the top toolbar.
Choose the Copy option from the drop-down menu.
Close the folder Info window.

Now it’s time to use the Preview app to change the color of your folder icon. Here is how it’s done:

Launch the Preview app on your Mac.
Go to File on the top menu bar.
Select New from Clipboard at the top of the drop-down menu. This will open the folder icon that you copied.
Proceed to the Tools tab on the top menu bar.
Click on the Adjust color… option.
Go to Tint on the new window to change the color.
Click on the slider and drag it to the left or right side of the scale to adjust the color. You can also adjust the saturation, exposure, contrast, temperature, and other color settings to change your icon into a specific color.
Close this window once you’ve finished.
Go to Edit on the top menu bar and select Copy.
Close the Preview app.
Go back to the Info window of the folder you want to customize.
Proceed to Edit and then Paste.
Close the Info box.

The color of the folder icon will change instantly. Although this process might be slightly longer, you can create any color you want for your Mac file folders. It’s a great way to organize all of your file folders on your desktop. Not only will they be more accessible, but the entire desktop will be visually pleasing as well.

Additional FAQs

Keep reading for more answers to your questions about folders in macOS.

How can I restore the original folder icon on a Mac?

If you change your mind about a particular folder icon, you can always restore the default icon. This will only take you a few moments. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Locate the folder that you want to customize.

2. Right-click on the folder and choose “Get Info” from the drop-down menu.

3. Click on the icon in the upper-right corner of the window.

4. Navigate to the “Edit” tab on the menu bar.

5. Choose “Cut” from the drop-down list.

This will automatically revert the folder to its default icon, which is the blue file folder.

How do I create a custom folder icon on a Mac?

If you want to get more creative, you can make your own custom icons for any file folders on your Mac. Keep in mind that you will need a third-party app to do this. You can use Illustrator, Procreate, Photoshop, and various other photo editing apps.

No matter which third-party app you choose, you can select the dimensions for each custom icon. Square images are usually the best option for creating folder icons. You can also create your own design. Try to keep it fairly simple, as adding too many details will make it look blurry once it’s minimized.

Once you’ve made your design in one of these apps, all you need to do is export it to your device. This is what you can do next:

1. Open your custom icon.

2. Press “Command” and “A” at the same time to select it.

3. Press “Command” and “C” at the same time to copy it.

4. Find the folder where you want to use the custom icon.

5. Right-click on it and choose “Get Info” from the drop-down list of options.

6. Click on the folder in the upper-right corner of your screen.

7. Go to “Edit” and then “Paste.”

8. Close the “Info” window.

Your folder will now have a custom icon. You can do this for all of your folders on your Mac.

How do I create my own MacBook folder icons?

If you’re looking for something uniquely tailored to match your aesthetic, you can create your own folders. You may notice that the macOS folder looks like, well, a folder. So, it’ll take some work to get the perfect look. You can purchase folder skins on Etsy and other websites.

But, if you want to make your own you can use creation software such as Adobe Illustrator or Gimp to create a folder icon. When you’ve perfected your image, use the tutorials above to put it to work.

Personalize Your Mac Desktop

Changing the folder icons on your Mac will allow you to create a visually pleasing desktop, as well as to organize all your folders and files. In addition to making your folder icon a picture, you can also change the color of the folder icon. You can make your own custom folder icons to go a step further. There is no limit to what you can do to customize your Mac desktop.

Have you ever changed a folder icon on your Mac before? Did you use any of the methods covered in this article? Let us know in the comments section below.