SOLVED Blank icon in file explorer

[DimSum]

I have installed office 2016 on my Sony Vaio tablet that runs windows 10. When I open file explorer, I found all the MS Office icons went blank! I thought the icon cache files were corrupted and deleted all of them a few times, but the problem persists. Please help.

 

[Regedit32]

Hi DimSum,

It sounds like your File Associations for icons is the problem.

I've attached a REG file you can use to repair the Registry controls for this. It will reset default associations, so if you've intentionally created some of your own unique associations these settings will be lost should you choose to use the attached file.

How to use it:

• Download and save to a location you can easily find it
• Go to the location you saved this file: icon_registration_repair_windows10.reg
• Right click the file | select Merge
• A series of prompts may appear: Click Run, Yes, Yes, OK
• Finally Restart computer

Note: This Registry file is intended for Window 10 OS only. Do not use on any other version of Windows!

Let me know if that resolves your issue.

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[DimSum]

Hi DimSum,

It sounds like your File Associations for icons is the problem.

I've attached a REG file you can use to repair the Registry controls for this. It will reset default associations, so if you've intentionally created some of your own unique associations these settings will be lost should you choose to use the attached file.

How to use it:

• Download and save to a location you can easily find it
• Go to the location you saved this file: icon_registration_repair_windows10.reg
• Right click the file | select Merge
• A series of prompts may appear: Click Run, Yes, Yes, OK
• Finally Restart computer

Note: This Registry file is intended for Window 10 OS only. Do not use on any other version of Windows!

Let me know if that resolves your issue.

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[DimSum]

Hi Regedit32,
Thanks for helping. I'm afraid it didn't work. I tried 2 times but the icons are still blank. Any other thing I can do?

Thanks

 

[Regedit32]

Hi DimSum,

OK well at least we can rule that possible issue out then.

Before moving on you mentioned you thought your icon cache were corrupt so you deleted all of them. Could you clarify what you meant by all of them, Also, how did you delete them and from which folder precisely?

Was it from %userprofile%\appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer you removed these file(s), or some other location?

Note: %userprofile% is shorthand for C:\Users\<whatever your User Account name is>

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[DimSum]

Hi DimSum,

OK well at least we can rule that possible issue out then.

Before moving on you mentioned you thought your icon cache were corrupt so you deleted all of them. Could you clarify what you meant by all of them, Also, how did you delete them and from which folder precisely?

Was it from %userprofile%\appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer you removed these file(s), or some other location?

Note: %userprofile% is shorthand for C:\Users\<whatever your User Account name is>

Regards,

Regedit32

Yes, I did just that.
I also used the command prompt to del iconcache*

I could see all the iconcache files disappeared. but when I restart my computer, the blank icons are still there.

 

[Regedit32]

I could see all the iconcache files disappeared. but when I restart my computer, the blank icons are still there

Hi DimSum,

Are you absolutely certain you successfully deleted all iconcache files? If even one remained the concept of a rebuild would fail in Windows 10.

One way to be certain is to do the following:

• Type msconfig in the search box and hit Enter
• Select the Boot tab
• Place a checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart now button
• Once in Safe Mode press Winkey + X | then press A
• When the Administrator: Command Prompt window opens do the following:
• Type cd .. | press Enter (Note the space then two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to be at this prompt now: C:\WINDOWS>
• Type cd .. | press Enter Note the space then the two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to now be at C:\>
• Now type cd %userprofile% | then press Enter
• Next type cd "appdata\local\microsoft\windows\explorer" | then press Enter
• You should now be here:

C:\Users\<your username you log on with here>\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer>​

• Type del iconcache* | then press Enter
• Type dir iconcache | then press Enter
• You now should see absolutely NO iconcache files present. Provided none exist then continue:
• Type Exit | press Enter
• In Search box type msconfig | press Enter
• Select Boot tab
• Remove the Checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart

As the computer restarts the iconcache will be rebuilt and your Office icons ought to be back to normal.

Regards,

Regedit32

 

[DimSum]

Hi DimSum,

Are you absolutely certain you successfully deleted all iconcache files? If even one remained the concept of a rebuild would fail in Windows 10.

One way to be certain is to do the following:

• Type msconfig in the search box and hit Enter
• Select the Boot tab
• Place a checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart now button
• Once in Safe Mode press Winkey + X | then press A
• When the Administrator: Command Prompt window opens do the following:
• Type cd .. | press Enter (Note the space then two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to be at this prompt now: C:\WINDOWS>
• Type cd .. | press Enter Note the space then the two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to now be at C:\>
• Now type cd %userprofile% | then press Enter
• Next type cd "appdata\local\microsoft\windows\explorer" | then press Enter
• You should now be here:

C:\Users\<your username you log on with here>\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer>​

• Type del iconcache* | then press Enter
• Type dir iconcache | then press Enter
• You now should see absolutely NO iconcache files present. Provided none exist then continue:
• Type Exit | press Enter
• In Search box type msconfig | press Enter
• Select Boot tab
• Remove the Checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart

As the computer restarts the iconcache will be rebuilt and your Office icons ought to be back to normal.

Regards,

Regedit32

hi,
when i check safe boot, there are

Hi DimSum,

Are you absolutely certain you successfully deleted all iconcache files? If even one remained the concept of a rebuild would fail in Windows 10.

One way to be certain is to do the following:

• Type msconfig in the search box and hit Enter
• Select the Boot tab
• Place a checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart now button
• Once in Safe Mode press Winkey + X | then press A
• When the Administrator: Command Prompt window opens do the following:
• Type cd .. | press Enter (Note the space then two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to be at this prompt now: C:\WINDOWS>
• Type cd .. | press Enter Note the space then the two dots after cd must be typed too!)
  • You ought to now be at C:\>
• Now type cd %userprofile% | then press Enter
• Next type cd "appdata\local\microsoft\windows\explorer" | then press Enter
• You should now be here:

C:\Users\<your username you log on with here>\Appdata\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer>​

• Type del iconcache* | then press Enter
• Type dir iconcache | then press Enter
• You now should see absolutely NO iconcache files present. Provided none exist then continue:
• Type Exit | press Enter
• In Search box type msconfig | press Enter
• Select Boot tab
• Remove the Checkmark next to Safe boot
• Click Restart

As the computer restarts the iconcache will be rebuilt and your Office icons ought to be back to normal.

Regards,

Regedit32

hi again,
When i check the safe boot tab, there are a few choices, do i select anyone of them? thanks.

 

[DimSum]

hi again,
When i check the safe boot tab, there are a few choices, do i select anyone of them? thanks.
View attachment 2750

I followed all your instructions and all the iconcache files was deleted. but icons are still blank after i restart.

 

[Trouble]

There is a tool at the bottom of this article here which does the work for you to clear Icon and Thumbnail cache.
Have a look and see if it's something you might want to try.
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/rebuild-icon-clear-thumbnail-cache-windows-10

 

[DimSum]

There is a tool at the bottom of this article here which does the work for you to clear Icon and Thumbnail cache.
Have a look and see if it's something you might want to try.
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/rebuild-icon-clear-thumbnail-cache-windows-10

Thanks for the link. The trouble is that i have done all that the article has suggested but the problem still there. I am sure all the old icon cache files had been deleted and rebuilt when i restart windows. but somehow the icons are still blank.
DimSum

 

[Trouble]

If it is only your icons for your office suite programs, then you may need to consider repairing your install of your version of office.

 

[DimSum]

ok. Let me try that. Thanks.

If it is only your icons for your office suite programs, then you may need to consider repairing your install of your version of office.

YES!! The icons are back when I removed Office 2016 and reinstall Office 2010. Thanks Trouble Noob whisperer.

 

[Trouble]

Glad you sorted it out.
Thanks for coming back and updating your thread with that information.
Much appreciated.

 

[DimSum]

Me too . I hope Office 2016 and win10 can sort out this little issue. Though it didn't affect the functionality of the office software it was annoying since I often have same file name for word and PowerPoint document. I need to check file extension to differentiate them.

Thank you all for helping.

 

[DimSum]

I have found out the reason of the missing office icons in my case. I installed office 2016 without uninstalling office 2010. My solution was to uninstall all my office software and reinstall only office 2016. It is now working perfectly!

Thanks for helping all of you. All the helpful suggestions were really appreciated.

DimSum

 

[Regedit32]

I installed office 2016 without uninstalling office 2010. My solution was to uninstall all my office software and reinstall only office 2016.

Hi DimSum,

Thanks for the update.

It'd be nice if some day Microsoft could include an Office removal tool in the installs, as that particular mistake is very common. I've done that myself with earlier versions of Office (although it did not affect my icons), so I've learned something myself thanks to your update.

For me when it came time to validate the Installation I was unable to because my profiles did not match as Microsoft's database had me using the earlier version of Office I forgot to remove.

Thanks too for showing your appreciation to everyone who tried to help.

Happy Computing.

Regedit32