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Computer Icon Tutorial More Articles Like This * How to Retain the DVD Drive Icon if Disappeared from Computer * How to Change Icons on Your Mac * How to Make Icons With Adobe Photoshop * Using Color in Photoshop CS3 Tutorial * How to Make a Butterfly MySpace Icon More by This Author * How to Remove Borders From Pictures * How to Choose a Storage Space for Rent * How to Plant Corn in Cedar Mulch * Homemade Poultry Feeders * Homemade Trellis for Pole Beans About Computer Icon Tutorial Contributor By Robin Lewis Montanye eHow Contributing Writer Article Rating: [star-1-0.gif]-Submit [star-1-0.gif]-Submit [star-1-0.gif]-Submit [star-1-0.gif]-Submit [star-1-0.gif]-Submit (0 Ratings) The icons on your computer can be changed to any picture of your choosing to create a theme or personalize your computer. Icons are small pictures that represent a file, piece of software or in the case of favicons, help to identify a website. Icons should be fairly simple pictures that are easily identified even at a tiny size. * Email * Print Article * Add to Favorites * Flag Article * Bookmark and Share Appropriate Computer Icon Sizes 1. Icons are always the same width as they are height in pixel dimensions. As a reference, Windows XP uses four sizes of icons: 48 x 48, 32 x 32, 24 x 24 and 16 x 16. Icons in the Start Menu are 24 x 24 pixels wide. Standard sizes for toolbars are 16 x 16 or 24 x 24. Sizing Your Icon File 2. Start with any picture of your choosing and change the image size to the appropriate pixel size. View the picture at 100% view to be sure that it will look OK once you have made it an icon for you computer. Save the picture in PNG or JPG format. This is usually accomplished through the Save As option in most software. Converting Your Icon File 3. To change the file to an icon formatted file, simply rename the file as a .ico file. For example: if the file name is "Icon.png" then use the "Rename" function by right clicking the filename and name the file "Icon.ico". This will change the format to an icon format and the file can be used in place of any other icon picture. Applying Your Icon File 4. To apply the icon to an individual folder, right-click on that folder and select "Properties" from the drop-down list. Select "Change Icon" and then browse through and select the ico file that you just made. Select OK and the icon will be changed. Specialized Icon Software 5. Software such as MicroAngelo Suite is designed to easily create and apply icons to your computer. This software can also help you create cursors. Icons can also be downloaded from the Internet; several free sites offer extensive selections (see Resources) and these icons can be used to accent your desktop themes. Favicon For Identifying Websites 6. Favicons help identify websites in a favorites folder. If you look to the top left of the address bar, an icon identifies many websites. These icons can be customized by the website owner. Using a logo or a symbol that represents the website is a great way to help establish brand identity on the web. When the site is added to a bookmark or favorites menu, the icon will appear next to it. Several online icon makers (see Resources) can help you make making favicon.ico files. References * MicroAngelo * Microsoft: How to Change Default Icons Resources * IconFactory: Download Free Icons * Gorts Icon Downloads * Making Favicons Online Who Can HelpSponsored * Find Computer, Electrical and Telephone Services Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation. 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