Custom icons for individual files revert to default upon restart

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Level 1

8 points

Custom icons for individual files revert to default upon restart

I added custom icons for several of my most-used spreadsheets by using the Get Info --> copy png in Preview --> paste png method. These are custom icons for specific files; I am not looking to replace the default application icons. They look like this:

When I work in one of these files, save, and restart my computer, the custom Excel icons revert to defaults:

Most discussions I've found RE: icon customization have to do with altering the application defaults and icns files, not with simple individual file customization. Has anyone experienced this? What am I missing?

Thanks!

OSX Mountain Lion 10.8.5, MacBook Air 2013, 1.3 GHz Intel Core i5, 4 GB 1600 MHZ DDR3

Posted on Jun 21, 2015 7:01 AM

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Answer 1

Jun 22, 2015 1:17 PM in response to miagrogan

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10847 OS X Mountain Lion: Change the icon of a file or folder

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Answer 2

miagrogan Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 23, 2015 2:50 PM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Hi Baby Boomer --

As I mentioned in my original post, I was able to change the icons using the first method described in the info page you linked. The problem is that the new icon will not stay -- if I work in the file, the icon reverts to the original and the custom icon disappears.

If anyone has encountered this problem or knows of a solution, please let me know.

Thanks!

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Answer 3

Jun 23, 2015 3:58 PM in response to miagrogan

Well, I wasn't sure if you followed all of the steps. Just making sure.

========

A few suggestions to try if you have not already done so:

1- Option key>Finder>Go>Library>Preferences. Trash the com.apple.finder.plist file, repair permissions & restart your computer.

2- Run OS Recovery

Disconnect all devices from your computer except for the keyboard & mouse.

Boot up from your computer by holding down the command+r keys. This will take you to the recovery drive.

Select Disk Utility & hit Return.

In Disk Utility select the HD on the left & click on Repair Disk (bottom right).

When you reach the desktop after doing the above, again repair permissions & restart your computer.

3 - Based on your system profile....

OSX Mountain Lion 10.8.5

Reinstall ML. Repair permissions & restart your computer.

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Answer 4

miagrogan Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 24, 2015 7:10 AM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Thanks for the advice! I went about repairing the disk and the permissions, as well as reinstalling the OS -- it doesn't seem to have had any effect, so I'm pretty sure it isn't a permissions issue. Maybe it's something in Word/Excel's settings that prevent customization of individual file icons?

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Answer 5

Jun 24, 2015 2:06 PM in response to miagrogan

miagrogan wrote:

Maybe it's something in Word/Excel's settings that prevent customization of individual file icons?

Not sure. I do not use either of those apps. Perhaps you should ask in theMicrosoft for Mac Support forums. It's where the Mac users who use Microsoft products hang out.

You can also set up a test account to see if the same problem crops up there. This is to rule out a system wide problem.

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Answer 6

Jun 30, 2015 1:09 PM in response to miagrogan

Having exactly the same issue. This only happens with Excel files and not with other apps, including Word. Couldn't find anything about it on the Microsoft Support site so I posted a question in their user forum. I'll let you know what I learn.

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Answer 7

Jun 30, 2015 5:17 PM in response to kristenfromorlando

A commenter on the Microsoft forum confirms this behavior is typical for Excel. It will always overwrite the custom icon. 😠

Here's my work-around. I put a blank sheet at the front of my workbook, and placed the image I want for the icon in the upper right corner of that sheet. When the app saves the document preview, it uses that image as the preview. It looks pretty lame, but less lame than the icon preview or the default document icon.

Note you have to have the view options for the folder containing the document set to "show icon preview." I had to repair permissions to get this to take, probably because I was fiddling around with all the icons.

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Answer 8

Jun 30, 2015 5:24 PM in response to kristenfromorlando

Hopefully, your work-a-round will work for the OP who started this thread.

Thank you!

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Answer 9

miagrogan Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 1, 2015 2:12 PM in response to kristenfromorlando

Thanks kristenfromorlando! I'll try this workaround -- let me know if anyone turns up a more permanent solution on the Excel forum!

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Answer 10

Jul 2, 2015 7:22 PM in response to miagrogan

The other suggestion (because I keep these two files on my desktop) was to move the originals to the Documents folder, put Aliases on the desktop, and then assign the custom icons to the Aliases. This is working so far for me.

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Answer 11

miagrogan Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 10, 2015 6:54 AM in response to kristenfromorlando

Great workaround! The aliases seem to hold the custom icons, as well as their toolbar shortcuts (which is what really matters to me... I've been having trouble distinguishing the shortcut toolbar icons to different files that are all identical Excel icons). Thanks a lot!

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Answer 12

Jul 10, 2015 2:17 PM in response to miagrogan

You're welcome! I'm glad that worked for you. 🙂

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