Can't Change Icons For Any Directory Shortcuts In Catalina

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Can't Change Icons For Any Directory Shortcuts In Catalina

First I want to make this clear.

I know how to change icons.

But for some reason, none of my mac's running Catalina will display custom icons for anything that isn't an application shortcut.

When I get info on a directory shortcut, and paste an image, the file size to the right of the icon preview changes, but the image does not.

I even tried creating a shortcut to an application, then changing the icon, then selecting a directory as a new original, but once I do that, the icon changes back.

I tried every trick I could fine online from renaming the shortcut to disabling SIP.

Tried png, tiff, actual ico files, tried all different resolutions including the recommended 1024x1024, but began with png's that worked under Mavericks.

The size of the shortcut remains modified after trying to change the icons too.

And changes back if I select the icon preview and hit delete.

So the icons are changing on some level, but Finder is telling me "No no, that's not what you want to see. I'm gonna show you this instead" (Paraphrasing)

Really it doesn't tell me anything. It just doesn't do it.

I can't be the only person to run into this, but can't find any mention of the issue anywhere.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

As a workaround I wanted to try creating a launcher instead of a shortcut as you can do in Linux, but I can't find any info on that either.

Is there a way to do that on a mac?

Thanks

Posted on Dec 30, 2022 7:17 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 31, 2022 1:31 PM in response to fineline81

Hi fineline81,

Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

It sounds like you're having an issue changing icons for files In Catalina.

We're happy to assist.

We recommend checking out the steps in the section titled "Use your picture or a picture from the web" from the article here: Change icons for files or folders on Mac

1) On your Mac, select the picture you want to use, open the file, then copy its contents to the Clipboard.

One way to do this is to double-click the picture file, which opens it in the Preview app , then choose Edit > Copy in the menu bar.

2) Select the file or folder whose icon you want to replace.

3) Choose File > Get Info in the menu bar.

4) At the top of the Info window, click the small icon.

5) Choose Edit > Paste in the menu bar.

If Edit > Paste isn’t available, make sure you click the small icon at the top of the Info window (not the large icon below Preview).

After you paste, if you see a generic JPEG or PNG image instead of your own picture, make sure you open the file containing the image and choose Edit > Copy in the menu bar before pasting. Copy the content of the image file, not the actual file.

We're recommending the steps above because they directly address the issue you initially posted about: you can't change icons for files In Catalina.

If the original problem persists after trying the previous steps, please provide us with specifics on what you see for more help, and we will continue from there.

Cheers!

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Answer 2

fineline81 Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 31, 2022 2:42 PM in response to J_Johnnyboy

As I explained, I know how to change icons.

Thanks for trying to help if you are indeed a person trying to help, but I have doubts that a person would read my post and reply with general instructions that were already explained to be unhelpful.

I guess that's for the best though.

If AI was better we'd have a whole Skynet thing to worry about.

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Answer 3

Eric_G1

Community Specialist

Jan 1, 2023 12:30 PM in response to fineline81

fineline81,

You may try adjusting the icon as desired within safe mode: Start up your Mac in safe mode

Start up your Intel-based Mac in safe mode

1. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key until you see the login window.

2. Log in to your Mac.

3. You might be asked to log in again.

On either the first or second login window, you should see “Safe Boot” in the menu bar.

Testing things within a newly created Admin account can also help to quickly see if it's a system-wide issue, or specific to something within the current account: Set up users, guests, and groups on Mac

Cheers.

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Answer 4

Sharhari

Level 5

6,293 points

Jan 1, 2023 12:52 AM in response to fineline81

I think the Icon from the original/target directory is reflected on the shortcut/alias directory.

I did a quick test to check this and once i change the icon on the original/target directory and then create a shortcut/alias i was able to see the changed icon.

Hope it helps.

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Answer 5

fineline81 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2023 4:05 PM in response to Sharhari

Evidently, while this works, my problem is that I can't change icons for shared folders on other machines.

(Specifically Windows shares.)

I thought the problem was with all directories, because I tried with shortcuts to local directories while troubleshooting, and when that didn't work either, I believed it was a problem with directories in general.

So I guess the problem is that OS X no longer allows icon changes on shortcuts?

(You used to be able to have different icons on the source and the shortcut)

Now it seems to force the source icon to take priority.

But the file size on the shortcut changes to reflect the new image, so it's doing it. It's just not showing it.

There's gotta be a way to disable that "Feature".

I hope.

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Answer 6

fineline81 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2023 4:53 PM in response to Sharhari

Evidently, while this works, my problem is that I can't change icons for shared folders on other machines.

(Specifically Windows shares.)

I thought the problem was with all directories, because I tried with shortcuts to local directories while troubleshooting, and when that didn't work either, I believed it was a problem with directories in general.

So I guess the problem is that OS X no longer allows icon changes on shortcuts?

(You used to be able to have different icons on the source and the shortcut)

Now it seems to force the source icon to take priority.

But the file size on the shortcut changes to reflect the new image, so it's doing it. It's just not showing it.

There's gotta be a way to disable that "Feature".

I hope.

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Answer 7

fineline81 Author

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2023 4:59 PM in response to Eric_G1

Looks like I can't get into safe mode to try?

I tried holding shift, and holding the power button.

I couldn't find any other ways to try.

I did create a new admin account, but the results were the same.

It looks like OS X automatically makes shortcut icons the same as the source icon regardless of what you do to the shortcut, which I can get around by changing the source icon.

But most of my shortcuts lead to shared folders on windows machines, and I can't change those icons.

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Can't Change Icons For Any Directory Shortcuts In Catalina

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