Can you not change folder icons in Mac OS High Sierra any more?

the icon will display as the default/generic version of the file type.

That happens when you drag a file to the icon well. Essentially, you are telling it to use the icon of this file, not the picture in the file. It used to work that way, but hasn't for years now. You have to open the file, copy the picture, and paste that into the icon well.

Noticed in macOS Sierra you 'could' easily copy-n-paste the folder icons. Have done it for years.

It appears in macOS High Sierra, the lockdown on permissions has changed that ease of copy-n-paste.

Here is the best workflow I have come up with and it works 100% of the time:

1. Open Finder

2. Click select the blue folder you want to change. Don't double-click it. Just click select it.

3. Press CMD + OPT + i (Command+Option+i). The letter 'eye' for information. This will open a persistent information dialogue box. Arrange the Finder and the Information dialogue box so you can see all of each on your screen.

4. Navigate to the icon in Finder you want to copy. Let's say you install some software and the software manufacturer creates a macOS blue folder, but inside the folder are all these files with the pretty icon pictures you want.

5. Click select that file/icon which you want to copy. Notice the icon picture shows up in the information dialogue box.

6. Click select the icon at the top of the dialogue box. A light blue/grey halo will show.

7. Press CMD + C for copy. You have just copied the icon image to the clipboard.

8. Navigate to the blue folder, inside Finder, of the one you want to change the icon. Click select. Notice the information dialogue box has now changed to the folder you have click selected.

9. Click the gold lock in the lower righthand corner of the information dialogue box with the blue folder of the icon you want to change.

10. Authenticate.

11. Select 'everyone' under the Sharing & Permissions: field.

12. Change to Read & Write.

13. Click select the blue folder icon above in the same dialogue box.

14. Press CMD + V for paste. Viola!

15. Go back down to the 'everyone' group and change the Sharing & Permissions: field back to 'Read only.' THIS is the important step. Otherwise, you have opened up your computer to a lot of bad things.

Yeah, it does add some steps to the process prior to High Sierra, but I am certain it has something to do with locking-down the permissions for a better computing environment.

Good luck everyone!

Actually you can. This worked perfect for me.

Open the icon you want in preview. Drag around the icon and Copy (Command C). Then go the the folder you want to place the icon in. Right click on it and select "Get Info". Click on the icon in top left corner, and then Paste (Command V). That works perfect for me.

The following AppleScript/Objective-C solution works on Yosemite through High Sierra. Folder icons are 1024x1024 at 144 DPI. Unless your icon is exactly that size, or a .icns with background transparency, the folder icon may appear larger, smaller, ideal, or somewhat distorted.

Here is the result of using this application to set a folder to a 512x512 .icns icon (first two, and an image). If you don't like the result, perform a Get Info on the folder, and click on the top most icon to select it, and then just backspace.

Copy the entire code from the scrollable window below into Launchpad : Other : Script Editor. Click the compile (hammer icon), and run it. You can save it as a script, script bundle, or application.

I am using MacOS High Sierra 10.13.1 and you can use the steps above to customize a folder icon:

1 Copy the picture

2 Open the picture in Preview, choose Edit > Select All, then choose Edit > Copy.

3 Select the file or folder whose icon you want to replace, then choose File > Get Info.

4 At the top of the Info window, click the picture of the icon, then choose Edit > Paste

It's important to Select All in Step 2 rather than just Copy. It does work.

"You cannot change the folder color / replace icons for folders in MacOS High Sierra."

That is incorrect. I'm running macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 and I'm able to change the icon folder without any problem using the following steps:

Use your own picture or a picture from the web

1. Copy the picture you want to use to the Clipboard. One way to do this is to open the picture in Preview, choose Edit > Select All, then choose Edit > Copy.
2. Select the file or folder whose icon you want to replace, then choose File > Get Info.
3. At the top of the Info window, click the picture of the icon, then choose Edit > Paste.

However, drag and drop doesn't work any more!

It took me ages but HabaneroDre was correct, every time I tried to drag a photo or copy and paste it from my desktop, it would come up with the icon displayed as the default/generic version of the file type. I googled and searched an image I wanted, and right clicked copy image, then I went to folder info clicked on the top picture then edit and paste - worked immediately!

I'm on 10.13.3. I did it the same I did it way back in System 7. Copy the image you want to the clipboard and hit Command-i for "get info" on the folder you want to change. Highlight the thumbnail image at the top and paste from the clipboard. It changes both the main folder and any aliases.

I'm using the following system build

• System Version: macOS 10.13.4 (17E199)
• Kernel Version: Darwin 17.5.0
• Boot Volume: macOS HD

I've had no issues when changing Folder icons or Drive icons. The only thing you need to remember, is when opening icns files in preview, you need to use the file menu & not the keyboard short cuts to copy & paste. Then you can copy and paste as per the instructions.

It does work!

This works under OS 10.13.4

Set your mouse to activate secondary clicking (mine is set on right side)

Get info then left click. This highlights the Icon you want.

You can't copy with right click but you can using the Edit-Copy drop down menu

To deselect press the right mouse button.

Then do the reverse for the folder you want to change.

Have fun personalizing your space!

At first, I tried dragging then dropping the image, and using cmd + c then cmd + v on to the icon of the folder (on its info panel), but it didn't work, idk why, its really funny but then i tried using that "edit tab" style which in turn i click on edit then copy the image i have selected then edit again and paste on the icon of the folder:

-Double click the saved image you want as an icon (you basically open it)

-Press cmd + i to get the info on the folder you wanted the icon changed

-Go back to the opened image then press cmd + a to select the image then go ahead and click on the edit + copy tab

-Go back to the info panel of the folder then on the upper left portion is an icon, click on that and use the edit tab + paste

-And there you have it

Idk if theres a quicker one but this one works for me 🙂

have a great day 😉

You cannot change the folder color / replace icons for folders in MacOS High Sierra. You CAN do this is MacOS Sierra 10.12 and earlier operating systems. The above steps are correct IF you are running 10.12.6 and earlier.

The User Story:

I have now run into this problem multiple times. When trying to edit steam icons as well as custom app icons on my os. I tried the usual methods. that is the

1. Copy the icon you want to use to the Clipboard.

2. Select the file or folder whose icon you want to replace, then choose File > Get Info.

3. At the top of the Info window, click the picture of the icon, then choose Edit > Paste.

But, as I am sure many of you that have found this forum have found this either does not work at all or only works

some of the time.

Anecdote as the why:

So what gives?

This is conjecture, but I assume that since the new Apple devices require a range of sizes for a given image formatted to Apple's specs. They no longer accept images/icons that do not match said specs. I hoped on the developer docs to see if I could easily find so docs for y'all but I couldn't find anything easily. Sorry, I'm lazy.

So without further a due. This is the simple hacky solution that I have now used multiple times.

The Solution:

1. Sang you favorite icon image

2. navigate to an icon converter site. I have been using. https://iconverticons.com/online/

3. Download the .icns file package.

4. rename the gnarly numeric name to something cool like soundcloud.icns

5. Now do the tried and true.

6. Go to app/file/folder (Whatever)

7. choose File > Get Info.

8. At the top of the Info window, click the picture of the icon, then choose Edit > Paste.

or, drag and drop or keyboard shortcuts ctrl+c the ctrl+v

Closing Thoughts:

I personally would prefer to not have to use some site to convert the icons to the proper format. I am sure there is a way to do it either through some app in the app store. But if someone knows how to convert and package the icons locally like iconverticons.com does please reply or link me so I can learn.

Hope this helps. Since I am normally the one scowering for solutions. Maybe I can give back this time.

I was having the same problem, but realized I was trying to change the icon for an alias folder on my desktop. I went to the original folder and changed it instead. This updated the alias folder for me automatically. I am running High Sierra 10.13.3 Beta.

Actually, you can change the folder color / replace icons for folders in MacOS High Sierra, except for system folders and Applications subfolders. For the latter, this can be circumvented by customizing the desired folder icon elsewhere, such as on the Desktop, and then copying it into the Applications folder. You may need to enter your Administrator password.