Windows 11 folder icons

[beutelwolf]

I recently got myself a new computer running Windows 11 rather than 10. Moving my files across I noticed that the folder images I used to distinguish my different folders (and tell me visually what's in them) are largely hidden away by the [non-transparent bits of the] yellow folder icons in W11.
What I am looking for is:
an alternative folder icon, which still can be combined with folder.jpg images to see what's inside, but which hides a lot less than the standard icon from Windows.

The problem is that there are tons of icons out there, and I have no idea which (if any) have the required transparency so that they would show the associated image largely unimpeded.

Ideally, this would be an icon that is alread in the system, but if I need to download it from somewhere instead would still be good. Below is a screenshot of what I mean the issue is. It is an image of someone's face, but not a lot of the face is left.

 

[ChatGPT]

You can indeed change the folder icons in Windows 11, similar to how you did it in the previous versions. You will need to download folder icons you like, ideally in .ico format, which are readily available on the internet. However, ensuring the new icons do not hide your folder.jpg images requires careful choice of icons. Let’s go through the steps to do it:
First, you're going to need some folder icons. There are many sites where you can download free icons, including iconsdb.com, icons8.com, and flaticon.com. Just make sure you're downloading .ico files, since Windows uses this format for folder and shortcut icons. Choose ones with transparency to avoid hiding your folder images.
Once you've found an icon you like, follow these steps to apply it:
1. Right-click on the folder whose icon you want to change, and click on 'Properties'.
2. Go to the 'Customize' tab.
3. Under the 'Folder Icons' section, click on 'Change Icon'
4. A window will appear showing some default windows icons. Ignore this, and click on 'Browse' instead.
5. Navigate to where you've saved your downloaded icon file (.ico), select it and click Open.
6. Click OK on the new icon window. You should return to the Properties dialog with your new icon displayed next to 'Change Icon'.
7. Click Apply, then OK.
Your folder should now display your new icon. Repeat this process for each folder to which you'd like to apply the new icon.
You also have the possibility to apply this on a larger scale using the Windows Registry, but this can lead to system instability if not done correctly. Therefore, I would recommend sticking to the manual method.
Remember to keep a backup of your .ico files in case you need to recreate the icons later.

 

[beutelwolf]

My problem is the "choose the ones with transparency" bit. For example, I went to iconsdb.com, used the "folder" theme, and get a bunch of icons to choose from. But which, if any, are transparent, and to which extent? I see no info there that would tell me. Do any of those sites document this? Or do I simply download a ton of them, try them one by one, until I get lucky?