Where Is the Windows Icon Cache?
Windows icon cache files location and how to rebuild them when icons display incorrectly.
Last updated
Windows caches icons in a set of iconcache database files inside the Explorer app data folder. One file per icon size keeps folder rendering fast.
When icons show blank or stale images, these files are the culprit far more often than the apps themselves. Deleting them is safe; Windows regenerates the set.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_*.db
Multiple files (iconcache_16.db, iconcache_32.db and others) plus an .db-shm sidecar. Delete with Explorer closed via Task Manager, then restart Explorer. Thumbnail thumbcache files sit in the same folder.
Frequently asked questions
How do I rebuild the icon cache?
Close Explorer, delete the iconcache files, then restart. Windows rebuilds them on next launch. Stale or corrupt cache is the usual cause of blank or wrong icons.
What is the difference from the thumbnail cache?
Thumbnail cache (thumbcache files in the same folder) covers photo and video previews. Icon cache covers app and file icons. Clear both when previews and icons break together.
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