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All Excel workbook icons just changed to Jack-in-the-box icon

I'm running an older Macbook Pro, Yosemite, and Office for Mac 2011 - yes, I know, all old, but it works for me. Today, for some unknown reason, the icon on all my Excel files in Finder changed to a Jack-in-the-Box icon. I have not updated anything today. I don't know what could have caused the icons to change. Also, the Excel file icons on my desktop changed to a different blue XL worksheet icon. Before they were all the standard green XL icon.

I've seen this has happened to others in the past, but see no resolution or cause for the issue.

MacBook Pro 15", OS X 10.10

Posted on Nov 13, 2019 2:18 PM

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3 replies

Nov 15, 2019 11:40 AM in response to a brody

desktop Excel icons


Finder Excel icons


Finder Window


Yes, I have a backup. I use Time-machine. I went back several weeks/months and the Excel icons appear changed there also.

Prior to noticing the icons had changed, I downloaded a pdf catalog file from a supplier's trusted legitimate website to my desktop. Instead of the icon looking like the standard red pdf file icon, it was a picture of the front page of the catalog. I thought it was strange. That's about the time I noticed the Excel icons in Finder had changed to the clown icon. ( I'm not sure the pdf download had anything to do with this issue or if the Excel icons had already changed before this download.) I opened a couple of workbooks, and they appeared to be ok.

I re-booted my Mac. That's when the desktop Excel icons changed as well, but it wasn't the clown icon, it was the blue Excel icon.

To my knowledge, I did not update any programs or apps, or make any changes to my Mac prior to the icons changing.

I do not use any system cleaners. I did however, empty the trash the day before. My hard drive is getting full, and I deleted several thousand files from the Trash.

I have no idea what caused this, but from a Google search, this has happened to others, however I can't find any reasons or solutions. A virus perhaps? The Google search indicated that it was not a virus.

Any other ideas?



Nov 16, 2019 11:52 AM in response to LJPR18

That icon is a blast from the past. Those are files associated with ResEdit, a Mac OS 9 and older application.

You will need to control mouse click the file, and select Open With -> Other...


From there locate Microsoft Excel, and make sure Always Open with is checked off.

A restart may be necessary for changes to take effect.


If this does not work, use hhttp://www.etrecheck.com/

to make sure you aren't running any background processes that modify the LaunchServices cache files.

If you are, these if damaged can create crazy launch behavior and make the system loose track of which programs launch what files.

All Excel workbook icons just changed to Jack-in-the-box icon

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