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I like 7-Zip a lot - it's my compression utility of choice on Windows. I have just one problem with it: it's butt ugly. I'm really kind of reluctant to install it on my fresh Windows 7 system because of its eye-bleeding qualities. Sad, I know, but the designer in me is just too anal to cope with it.

Does anyone know of an easy, simple way to replace all of its default icons with something more attractive?

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5 Answers 5

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Use 7Zip Theme Manager . You can change the file type look and feel as well the toolbar.

A screenshot of 7-zip Theme Manager

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  • Now that is absolutely perfect! I wish I could give you 10 upvotes. :D Oct 14, 2009 at 16:13
  • It does not work on Windows 10. May 16, 2016 at 7:43
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You have two options:

  1. Changing the icon associated with zip files in the registry
  2. Replacing the icon referenced in the registry

For the first option, you can edit the registry. The icon should be associated in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zipfile\DefaultIcon. The entry is a string with the full path to the file (most probably the 7-Zip executable), and optionally a 1-based index of the icon number to use, seperated from the path by a coma. I know a tool that is helpful if you don't wand to fiddle with the registry manually: WAssociate

For the second option, I recommend ResourceHacker.

The easier way in my opinion is option 1, I recommend to go that way. You need elevated permissions for changes in HKCR, though.

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I use these sets of icons, created by superweapons on deviantart

pros:

  • Fits well to the Win7 design
  • You don't have to install another program to skin 7zip

cons:

  • Every new version of 7zip has to be 'patched' again manually (it is not that bad, 7zip does not get updates very often)
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You can replace the default icons used by the application or the file extension easily with the Windows system configuration. I do not think this is a 7-zip problem at all.

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  • Yeah, I was kind of hoping for a way of replacing the whole lot easily and quickly, rather than one-by-one. I would beg to differ that this is not a 7-Zip problem: it's a 7-Zip problem by virtue of the fact that 7-Zip is delivered with ugly icons by default. Jul 21, 2009 at 18:14
  • @Charles, you have a point there. I wonder if it has anything to do with attempting compatibility across a lot of platforms, resolutions and display capabilities.
    – nik
    Jul 21, 2009 at 18:35
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I found two replacement icon packs for 7zip:

  1. http://sparanoid.com/project/7-zip-icon-2/
  2. http://thatnetsite.com/?p=116

The second one contains a .reg file that will automatically apply the required changes to the registry in order to update the icons. This reg file works with both packages.

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