Where are Windows default icons located?
We tried to organize our list of default Windows 10 and Windows 11 icons, both by their DLL files location and by taking into consideration the primary purpose of the icons found inside the DLL files. Next, you can see our list of locations from Windows where you find DLL files containing icons: %systemroot%\system32\imageres.dll
The imageres.dll file contains many Windows 10 and Windows 11 icons, used almost everywhere in the operating system. It has icons for different types of folders, hardware devices, peripherals, actions, and so on.
%systemroot%\system32\shell32.dll
The shell32.dll file also has lots of icons used in various parts of Windows 10, as well as in Windows 11. Together with imageres.dll and ddores.dll, shell32.dll hosts one of the largest icon collections. Inside it, you can find icons for the internet, devices, networks, peripherals, folders, and so on.
%systemroot%\system32\ddores.dll
Ddores.dll contains a lot of icons for hardware devices and resources, such as speakers, headphones, screens, computers, remotes, gaming pads, mice and keyboards, cameras, and printers.
%systemroot%\system32\pifmgr.dll
Pifmgr.dll contains some old-style icons that were used in older versions of Windows, like Windows 95 and Windows 98. In it, you can find funny icons that depict things such as a window, a trumpet, a ball, and a wizard hat. 🙂
%systemroot%\explorer.exe
Explorer.exe has a few icons used by File Explorer and its older versions. The first icon is the default icon used by File Explorer, but the next ones were used in older Windows versions for things like printers, folders, actions, messenger apps, and mail.
%systemroot%\system32\accessibilitycpl.dll
Accessibilitycpl.dll has a set of icons used mainly for the accessibility features in Windows. For example, it includes icons with people, mouse cursors, a magnifying glass, a mouse, and a keyboard.
%systemroot%\system32\moricons.dll
Moricons.dll is another file that contains old-style icons used by Microsoft in old Windows versions.
Most of the icons here are about MS-DOS programs, but you also have icons for old programming languages such as Turbo Pascal or FoxPro.
%systemroot%\system32\mmcndmgr.dll
Mmcndmgr.dll is yet another file with vintage icons, which we believe were designed mainly for computer management-related settings. Among others, it includes icons for networks, folders, authentication, time, computers, and servers.
%systemroot%\system32\mmres.dll
Mmres.dll has a few modern-looking icons with various audio resources, like speakers, headphones, microphones, and a webcam.
%systemroot%\system32\netcenter.dll
Netcenter.dll has several icons for network-related settings and features.
%systemroot%\system32\netshell.dll
Netshell.dll contains icons for all kinds of network connections and associated hardware or technologies. For instance, inside it, you can find icons for Bluetooth, wireless routers, and network connections.
%systemroot%\system32\networkexplorer.dll
Networkexplorer.dll is another DLL file with icons for a series of peripherals such as phones, routers, printers, fax machines, and some other network devices.
%systemroot%\system32\pnidui.dll
Pnidui.dll has icons for network-related settings (Ethernet or wireless status, network locations, etc.). Most of the icons here are transparent white, so you have to select them to see what they look like.
%systemroot%\system32\sensorscpl.dll
Sensorscpl.dll has a few icons for different kinds of sensors. While most of them look similar, their details indicate things like temperature, power, and wind.
%systemroot%\system32\setupapi.dll
Setupapi.dll has icons used for the setup wizards of various hardware devices. It has screens, peripherals, hardware components, connectors and plugs, gaming pads, and others.
%systemroot%\system32\wmploc.dll
Wmploc.dll contains multimedia icons used for media devices, audio and video files, folders, CD and DVD discs, and so on.
%systemroot%\system32\wpdshext.dll
Wpdshext.dll has icons for some portable devices such as cameras, phones, mp3 players, and a few battery indicators.
%systemroot%\system32\compstui.dll
Comstui.dll includes various classic icons from older versions of Windows.
It has icons with light bulbs, mail, printers, documents, telephones, fax machines, and so on.
%systemroot%\system32\ieframe.dll
Ieframe.dll contains the icons used by the old Internet Explorer for its shortcuts, buttons, and menus.
%systemroot%\system32\dmdskres.dll
Dmdskres.dll contains icons only used for disk management.
%systemroot%\system32\dsuiext.dll
Dsuiext.dll includes icons for network services. It has icons with servers, people, printers, office buildings, authentication services, and so on.
%systemroot%\system32\mstscax.dll
Mstscax.dll stores just a few icons used for remote desktop connections, with computers, notifications, and security certificates.
%systemroot%\system32\wiashext.dll
Wiashext.dll has a few icons for various imaging hardware devices, like scanners, photo and video cameras, and a few similar icons.
%systemroot%\system32\comres.dll
Comres.dll contains a few icons that depict a user, a folder, a pencil, and some actions.
%systemroot%\system32\mstsc.exe
Mstsc.exe holds a few other network-related icons but also includes other icons like a speaker, a microphone, and the Windows 8 logo.
actioncentercpl.dll, aclui.dll, autoplay.dll, comctl32.dll, filemgmt.dll, ncpa.cpl, url.dll, xwizards.dll (all in %systemroot%\system32)
All these files contain icons; however, many have only one icon inside or just a few, so we decided to mention them all together.
They have icons used in the Windows notifications panel, some error and info icons, an autoplay icon, some user icons, and websites icons.
How to use the icons stored inside a DLL file
Icons stored inside DLL files cannot be copied and saved elsewhere, at least not unless you use a special app that can extract icons from DLL files. However, you can set any icon stored inside such a file as the icon used by a folder, a library, or a shortcut. If you need guidance on how to change the icons associated with your shortcuts, this tutorial helps: How to change a shortcut icon in Windows 11 and Windows 10. Just copy and paste the path we provided for the DLL that interests you in the field named “Look for icons in this file.”
Change the icon of a shortcut
If you are not satisfied with the options available in the standard Windows icon files, then you might want to look at other places to find icons: 7 sites where you can download free desktop icons for Windows.