This method will go over the basic steps. For more details, see the full guide on how to create icons here. A square image has the same width and height lengths. You can make the image square later in the photo editing software if needed. There are a variety of places to find an image for your icon: Google search a description of the image you’re looking for and check the Images results. Browse stock image websites like Pexels or Shutterstock. Take a photo. You can turn anything into an icon. Some ideas to get you started: your pet, houseplants, a painting, your favorite brand of oat milk.
If you have Adobe Photoshop, you can use that app to create a Windows icon. We’ll focus our steps on GIMP, since it’s a free program, but the process will be similar in Photoshop.
Right-click the image layer. Select Add Alpha Channel.
Press Shift + Q to insert a Quick Mask. Use the Eraser tool to erase the mask over the parts you want to keep. Press Shift + Q to turn off the mask, leaving the parts you erased selected. Press Ctrl + I to invert the selection. Press Del to delete the selection, leaving only the subject.
Go to Image > Canvas Size. Click the chain icon to unlink width and height. Set the width and height to the same number. Use the Offset values to center the image. Click Resize. Right-click the layer. Select Layer to Image Size.
Duplicate the layer 5 times by right-clicking the original layer and selecting Duplicate Layer. Repeat this until you have 4 copies plus the original layer, 5 total. Scale the original layer to 256 X 256 px by right-clicking it and selecting Scale Layer. Click Image > Fit Canvas to Layers. Scale the 4 copies to: 128 X 128 48 X 48 32 X 32 16 X 16
Click File > Export As. Change the extension to . ico. Save the icon to a location where you can find it again. Choose to compress the two biggest layers. You’re done! Now you can now apply the icon to a shortcut on your desktop.
While MS Paint can be used to create a basic icon, it won’t retain any transparency — this means that some colors won’t show up in your icon and it won’t have a transparent background. For best results, use black and white colors.
While MS Paint can be used to create a basic icon, it won’t retain any transparency — this means that some colors won’t show up in your icon and it won’t have a transparent background. For best results, use black and white colors.
Click Resize Check the “Pixels” box. Uncheck the “Maintain aspect ratio” box. Type 32 into both the “Horizontal” and “Vertical” text boxes to create a 32x32 canvas. 96x96 is another commonly used icon size. Click OK
Click Resize Check the “Pixels” box. Uncheck the “Maintain aspect ratio” box. Type 32 into both the “Horizontal” and “Vertical” text boxes to create a 32x32 canvas. 96x96 is another commonly used icon size. Click OK
For a 32x32 canvas, you’ll probably need to zoom all the way in (800 percent) to work.
For a 32x32 canvas, you’ll probably need to zoom all the way in (800 percent) to work.
Design experts recommend making icons simple, vibrant, and easy to read. Remember that your icon will be much smaller when it’s on your desktop, so try not to add too many tiny words or details. [1] X Research source You will most likely have to resize the brush you’re using. You can do this by clicking the list of horizontal lines at the top of the Home tab and then selecting a thinner line in the resulting drop-down menu. Drawing an icon with a mouse can be a frustrating and inefficient process. If possible, use a drawing tablet to create your icon.
For example, to name your icon file “Minecraft”, you would type in Minecraft. ico here.
It’s best to save your icon file in a location where you know it won’t move or accidentally be deleted, as moving or deleting the icon file will cause any shortcut using the file to lose its icon.
It’s best to save your icon file in a location where you know it won’t move or accidentally be deleted, as moving or deleting the icon file will cause any shortcut using the file to lose its icon.
It’s best to save your icon file in a location where you know it won’t move or accidentally be deleted, as moving or deleting the icon file will cause any shortcut using the file to lose its icon.
The one exception to the shortcut rule is the “This PC” app icon on the desktop. While you can create a shortcut of This PC and then edit its icon, the This PC icon on the desktop cannot be edited. If you don’t have a shortcut for a program, you can make one before proceeding.
If you instead see Personalize at the bottom of the list, click once the icon and then right-click it again.
If you don’t see this option, first click the Shortcut tab at the top of the window.
To create a shortcut with your icon, left-click on the item you want to create a shortcut for, then right-click on that item and click “Create Shortcut. “[2] X Expert Source Yaffet MesheshaComputer Specialist Expert Interview. 22 September 2020.
