Windows – How to change the icon associated with a particular file format (and only that file format) on Windows 10

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Currently I have associated various text file formats (.md, .txt, .taskpaper) to be opened by sublime text. This results in ALL of them being assigned the SAME icon file, namely the sublime text icon.

How can I get each file format to have its own unique icon file (supplied by me)?

First Attempt

Change the icon associated with one of the file types using FileManType by Nirsoft. The Result: it changes the icon for ALL of the file types that sublime opens (not what I wanted)

Second Attempt

Now I tried to get clever…

  • (1) created a shortcut of the sublime exe for each file format
  • (2) gave each shortcut its own unique icon, which the shortcut accepted
  • (3) set the program that (say) .md files opened with to its own special shortcut etc…

This time it just ignored the icons contained in the shortcuts and remained with the sublime icon

Any ideas?

Best Answer

Use Default Programs Editor.

Among other things, this editor allows you to replace the icon for a single file type while still retaining the associated program.

I realize this is basically a link only answer, however, I'm not aware of any other way to do this without direct registry editing. If you're interested in the specific edits that need to be made, consider using procmon from Sysinternals to capture the registry activity during an icon change.

You may be able to download version 2.7.2675.2253 of the Default Programs Editor (from Friday, February 15, 2013) at Chocolatey Gallery.

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