Symptoms of the Internet Explorer Icon Takeover
When this problem occurs, you’ll notice that all your desktop shortcuts – whether they’re for programs, files or folders – now display the Internet Explorer icon instead of their usual icon. This can be very confusing and make it hard to identify which shortcut is which.
If you right-click on one of the affected shortcuts and go to Properties, you’ll see that the Target field still shows the correct path to the original program or file. However, the icon displayed in the Properties window may also be the Internet Explorer icon.
This issue can also affect the icons displayed in File Explorer, causing them to all look like Internet Explorer icons as well. It’s a strange visual glitch that doesn’t actually change the underlying files or programs.
What Causes the Problem?
There are a few common reasons why this icon takeover can occur:
Corrupted icon cache file (IconCache.db)
Incorrect file associations in the Windows registry
Malware or virus infection
Recent Windows update or driver installation
Faulty third-party software
The most frequent culprit is a corrupted icon cache file or registry entries. When Windows can’t properly reference the correct icon images, it defaults to displaying the Internet Explorer icon instead.
Malware infections can also cause this problem by modifying the Windows registry. And sometimes, a recent software installation or Windows update can inadvertently change file associations, leading to the IE icon issue.
How to Fix the Internet Explorer Icon Takeover
There are several methods you can try to resolve the problem. We recommend trying them in the order listed, as some are more complex than others. Let’s start with the simplest fixes first.
Method 1: Rebuild the Icon Cache
Windows stores icon images in a file called IconCache.db. If this file becomes corrupted, it can cause all sorts of icon issues. Rebuilding the icon cache is a quick and easy fix to try:
Press the Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
Type ie4uinit.exe -ClearIconCache and press Enter. This command will clear and rebuild the icon cache.
Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
If the icons are still incorrect after a reboot, move on to the next method.
Method 2: Reset Default File Associations
Another common cause is incorrect file associations in the Windows registry. You can reset these associations to their default state:
Press the Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
Type control folders and press Enter to open the Folder Options window.
Click the File Types tab.
Scroll down the list of registered file types and select any .LNK entry (the shortcut file extension).
Click the Advanced button.
In the Edit File Type window, select the Open action and click Remove.
Click OK to save the changes and close the window.
Repeat steps 4-7 for any other .LNK entries in the list.
Click OK to close the Folder Options window.
Restart your computer.
This will reset the .LNK file type association to its default state, which may resolve the IE icon issue. If not, try the next method.
Method 3: Delete the .LNK Key from the Registry
If the above methods don’t work, you may need to manually edit the Windows registry to remove a corrupted .LNK key:
Press the Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
Type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
Navigate to this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.LNK
Right-click the .LNK key and select Delete.
When prompted, click Yes to confirm the deletion.
Close the Registry Editor.
Restart your computer.
This will remove the corrupted .LNK registry key and allow Windows to rebuild it with default settings. The icons should now display correctly.
Method 4: Disable and Re-enable the Shell Icon Cache Service
If the above methods don’t work, you can try disabling and re-enabling the Shell Icon Cache service. This service manages the icon cache and may need a reset:
Press the Windows key R to open the Run dialog.
Type services.msc and press Enter to open the Services window.
Locate the Shell Hardware Detection service in the list.
Right-click the service and select Properties.
Change the Startup type to Disabled and click Stop to stop the service.
Click OK to save the changes and close the Properties window.
Restart your computer.
Repeat steps 1-2 to reopen the Services window.
Locate the Shell Hardware Detection service again.
Right-click the service and select Properties.
Change the Startup type back to Automatic and click Start to start the service.
Click OK to save the changes and close the Properties window.
Restart your computer one more time.
This will reset the Shell Icon Cache service, which may resolve any underlying issues causing the IE icon problem.
If none of the above methods work, you may need to perform a System Restore to a previous point before the issue started. Or as a last resort, you can try a clean reinstall of Windows. However, these options should only be used if all other fixes fail, as they are more time-consuming and disruptive.