Question Why do some of my desktop app's icons turn generic?

[ManOfArc]

This happens occasionally, and I don't know how to get the app's original icon back. Even the app's .EXE has a Windows generic icon. I've tried reinstalling the app's pgm but that doesn't work either.

 

[Ralston18]

Lost file associations perhaps.

Reference:

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-change-file-associations-in-windows-2624477

Why the file associations are being lost is the next question: what other file types are being affected?

You can easily find similar links to narrow down the problem and identify possible fixes.

Just avoid any third party software or global "fixes". No downloads.

Likely to do more harm than good.

 

[ManOfArc]

The one in question at the moment is DDU. I put a link for it on my desktop, named it DDU, and it was normal for several days. Then one day I boot up my computer and see it is wearing the Win generic icon.

 

[Ralston18]

Was the original icon a small black box with silver "DDU" letters inside? Or gray with silver letters. Saw both.

Right click the DDU icon.

Select Properties.

Do you see a "Change icon" button, bottom center of the Window?

You may need to browse for the desired icon. Provided that it has not been completely removed....

Side note: I avoid third party device driver installers. The app may have updated itself in some manner and the original icon lost.

Icon may be obtainable via DDU's website.

 

[ManOfArc]

Was the original icon a small black box with silver "DDU" letters inside? Or gray with silver letters. Saw both.

Right click the DDU icon.

Select Properties.

Do you see a "Change icon" button, bottom center of the Window?

You may need to browse for the desired icon. Provided that it has not been completely removed....

Side note: I avoid third party device driver installers. The app may have updated itself in some manner and the original icon lost.

Icon may be obtainable via DDU's website.

Yeah, did all that. Btw, the icon looks like this. But it doesn't seem to work. I click on it and "apply". Still the generic icon, even after doing a refresh.

 

[Ralston18]

Go to File Explorer C:\

Search for icons by using *.ico as the search criteria.

Hopefully you should be able to find the DDU icon somewhere and then use that location when you go through the change icon process.

You may need to create a DDU shortcut and change the icon for the shortcut.

https://www.isumsoft.com/windows-10/how-to-change-icon-for-desktop-shortcut.html

That may make the DDU icon more permanent.

 

[ManOfArc]

The DDU icon isn't a separate .ico file. It is apparently embedded in the program's .exe file. So it doesn't show up doing the above. At least I don't see it.