file explorer icons

File Explorer icons in Windows can be affected by security updates that change how the system handles desktop.ini folder customization files. The June 2026 Windows security updates, including KB5094126 for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 and KB5093998 for Windows 11 23H2, introduced stricter trust checks for desktop.ini files from remote or internet-marked sources. This means that custom folder icons and other desktop.ini-driven customizations may not display if the configuration file originates from an untrusted source. The change is not a bug or data loss, but a security hardening measure to close an attack surface. Administrators should be aware that folder identity relying on hidden configuration files from untrusted sources may no longer work as expected.