A Guide to Rebuilding the Icon Cache on a Windows PC

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Fix the icons on your Windows computer
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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 8.1, and Windows 10.


If you're using Windows 8.1 or 10 and these steps don't work, see the article How to Completely Rebuild the Icon Cache in Windows 8.1 and 10.

Things You Should Know

  • Find and delete the file named IconCache or IconCache.db on your PC to begin rebuiding the cache.
  • You may also need to delete the file related to your Thumbnail Cache if you are experiencing thumbnail display issues.
  • Empty your Windows Recycle Bin and restart your PC to complete the restoration.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Manually Deleting the File

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  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/45\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/45\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-2.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    This will allow you to change file viewing settings so that you can see hidden files like IconCache.
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    and click the circle next to Show hidden files, folders, and drives .
  5. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/96\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-5.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/96\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-5.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  6. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/74\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-6.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-6.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/74\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-6.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-6.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Open File Explorer . File Explorer lets you see all the files on your computer, including system files like IconCache.
  7. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-7.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-7.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-7.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-7.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  8. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-8.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-8.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8b\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-8.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-8.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  9. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/56\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-9.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-9.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/56\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-9.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-9.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  10. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/0f\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-10.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-10.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/0f\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-10.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-10.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
  11. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-11.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a5\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-11.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-11.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    . We have a guide on how to do that (just click on the green sentence before this). You can quickly open it by launching the Start menu/screen and searching for Recycle Bin .
  12. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-12.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/59\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-12.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-12.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Proceed to the next step.
  13. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-13.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-13.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/57\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-13.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-13.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Clear the thumbnail cache if you're seeing problems with thumbnails (previews of files).
  14. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-14.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-14.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-14.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The icons should now be fixed.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using Command Prompt

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    Open the Command Prompt . The quickest way to open the Command Prompt in any version of Windows is to:
    • Press the ⊞ Win + R at the same time.
    • Type cmd .
    • Click/tap OK or hit ↵ Enter .
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/06\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-16.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-16.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/06\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-16.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-16.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Type the commands below into the Command Prompt, hitting enter after each line of code is entered. You can also highlight and copy them (either by right-clicking and pressing Copy or by pressing Ctrl + C . Right-click in the Command Prompt and select Paste . Ctrl + V won't work.
    • cd /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local
    • attrib –h IconCache.db
    • del IconCache.db
    • start explorer
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-17.jpg\/v4-460px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-17.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-17.jpg\/v4-728px-Rebuild-the-Icon-Cache-in-Windows-Step-17.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    The icons should now be fixed.
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      Warnings

      • Make sure to only delete the IconCache or IconCache.db file. Deleting any other system files can mess up your PC and possibly render it inoperable.
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