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This guide shows you how to clear the icons cache for the following Windows versions: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 or 10. 
<h2>How to clear the icons cache in Windows XP</h2>
To clear the icons cache in Windows XP, follow these steps:
<ol>
 	<li>Open any folder so you have Windows Explorer available</li>
 	<li>Click Tools</li>
 	<li>Select Folder Options</li>
 	<li>The Folder Options window should now appear</li>
 	<li>Click the View tab</li>
 	<li>Under the Hidden files and folders section, check the Show hidden files and folders option</li>
 	<li>Then click OK</li>
 	<li>Go to <code>C:\Documents and Settings\User\Local Settings\Application Data</code>, where <code>User</code> is the username of your profile account</li>
 	<li>Select the IconCache.db file found in the Application Data folder</li>
 	<li>Right-click on this file and click Delete.Alternatively, press the <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Delete</kbd> keys on your keyboard to delete the file</li>
 	<li>Empty the Recycle Bin</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4895" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/WXP_icons.png"><img class="wp-image-4895 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/WXP_icons.png" alt="Clearing icon cache in Windows XP" width="800" height="600" /></a> Clearing icon cache in Windows XP[/caption]
<h2>How to clear the icons cache in Windows Vista</h2>
To clear the icons cache on a Windows Vista computer, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>At Windows Explorer, click Organize.To have Windows Explorer open, open any folder or open My Computer.</li>
 	<li>Click Folder and search options</li>
 	<li>The Folder Options window appears</li>
 	<li>Click the View tab</li>
 	<li>Under Hidden files and folders section, check Show hidden files, folders, and drives</li>
 	<li>Then click OK</li>
 	<li>Go to <code>C:\Users\User\AppData\Local</code>, where <code>C:\</code> is the drive where Windows Vista is installed and <code>User</code> is the username of your account profile</li>
 	<li>Find the IconCache.db file</li>
 	<li>Select the file and right-click to click Delete.You can also press the combination of <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Delete</kbd> keys to delete the file.</li>
 	<li>Then empty the Recycle Bin</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4896" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/WVista_icons.png"><img class="wp-image-4896 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/WVista_icons.png" alt="Clearing icon cache in Windows Vista" width="800" height="600" /></a> Clearing icon cache in Windows Vista[/caption]
<h2>How to clear the icons cache in Windows 7</h2>
To clear the icons cache in Windows 7, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Click Organize in Windows Explorer (open My Computer and click Organize)</li>
 	<li>Select the Folder and search options item</li>
 	<li>Go to View</li>
 	<li>Under the Hidden files and folders section, check the Show hidden files, folders, and drives, then click OK</li>
 	<li>Go to the <code>C:\Users\User\AppData\Local folder</code>, where <code>C:\</code> is where you installed Windows 7 and <code>User</code> is the username of your account profile</li>
 	<li>Find a IconCache.db file listed in the Local folder</li>
 	<li>Right-click on the IconCache.db file and click Delete</li>
 	<li>Empty the Recycle Bin</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4898" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W7_icons.png"><img class="wp-image-4898 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W7_icons.png" alt="Clearing icon cache in Windows 7" width="800" height="600" /></a> Clearing icon cache in Windows 7[/caption]
<h2>How to clear the icons cache in Windows 8 or 8.1</h2>
To clear the icons cache in Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Open Windows Explorer</li>
 	<li>From the View tab, select Hidden items</li>
 	<li>Then select Show selected items</li>
 	<li>Go to <code>C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer</code>, where <code>C:\</code> is the drive where you installed Windows 8 or 8.1 and <code>User</code> is the username of your account profile</li>
 	<li>Select all files that begin with <code>iconcache</code></li>
 	<li>Right-click on these files</li>
 	<li>Click Delete.To delete these files faster, press the <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Delete</kbd> keys.</li>
 	<li>Empty the Recycle Bin</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4899" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W8_icons.png"><img class="wp-image-4899 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W8_icons.png" alt="Clearing icon cache in Windows 8" width="800" height="600" /></a> Clearing icon cache in Windows 8[/caption]
<h2>How to clear the icons cache in Windows 10</h2>
To clear the icons cache in Windows 10, follow these instructions:
<ol>
 	<li>Open Windows Explorer</li>
 	<li>From the View tab, select Hidden items</li>
 	<li>Then select Show selected items</li>
 	<li>Go to <code>C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer</code>, where <code>C:\</code> is the drive where you installed Windows 8 or 8.1 and <code>User</code> is the username of your account profile</li>
 	<li>Select all files that begin with <code>iconcache</code></li>
 	<li>Right-click on these files</li>
 	<li>Click Delete.To delete these files faster, press the <kbd>Shift</kbd> + <kbd>Delete</kbd> keys.</li>
 	<li>Empty the Recycle Bin</li>
</ol>
[caption id="attachment_4902" align="alignnone" width="800"]<a href="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W10_icons1.png"><img class="wp-image-4902 size-full" src="https://neosmart.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/10/W10_icons1.png" alt="Clearing icon cache in Windows 10" width="800" height="600" /></a> Clearing icon cache in Windows 10[/caption]
<h2>More Information</h2>
[partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="xp,vista,7,8,10"]