Changing “Downloads” folder's icon reverts to default in every restart in Windows 8

Question

I have moved my Downloads folder to a different partition in Windows 8 and changed its icon.

Every time File Explorer restarts, the icon reverts back to the default. I deleted the desktop.ini file and tried many times but still the issue persists.

How do I fix this?

This didn't used to happen in Windows 7.

Answer 1

For folder icon customization to work,

• the folder should contain desktop.ini which points to the icon that can be accessed.
  This is a copy of desktop.ini for Downloads folder:

  [.ShellClassInfo]
  LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,-21798
  IconResource=%SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll,-184
  

• and the folder itself should have Read-Only attribute set.

You cannot set Read-Only attribute from Windows interface, therefore you have use either attrib command-line utility or other tools as Far Manager or Total Commander.

To set Read-Only attribute run:

attrib +R Downloads

Then you can check if it's set:

attrib Downloads
     R       C:\Users\username\Downloads

Answer 2

I gues it has something to do with the registry values.Classic case was Vista with the same kind of problem :-Automatic Folder Type Discovery

Automatic Folder Type Discovery is when Windows will automatically change the folder template of a folder to match the file type of the last file added or saved in the folder. For example, if your folder contains music files and you add a picture file, then Windows may change the folder template and view to the "Picture" template to match the new picture file

You can try disabling Automatic Folder Type Discovery

Here is Link that shows certain Scenarios and you can also gp through this

The steps are mentioned below

1. Type regedit in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter. It'll open Registry Editor.

2. Now navigate to following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell

1. Under "Shell" key, select "Bags" key and press "Delete" key. It'll ask for confirmation, click on Yes button.

2. Now right-click on "Shell" key and select "New -> Key" option. Give the new key name of Bags

3. Now right-click on "Bags" key and select "New -> Key" option. Give the new key name of AllFolders

4. Again right-click on "AllFolders" key and select "New -> Key" option. Give the new key name of Shell

5. Now click on this new "Shell" key and in right-side pane, create a new String value and give it name of FolderType and set its value to NotSpecified