How to Clear Icon Cache in Windows 11 to Fix Broken Icons

You need to clear icon cache if your desktop icons in Windows 11 look broken. That cache often becomes corrupted, and this is a common issue across all Windows versions. Here are the methods you can use to resolve this issue.

The icon cache is an important Windows component that improves performance by storing pre-rendered icons for quick access. Technically it is a set of hidden system files that store thumbnail-sized icons and images used by the operating system to display file, folder, and application icons quickly.

Without the icon cache, Windows would have to dynamically retrieve and display icons every time you open File Explorer or browse folders. This process can slow down your system, especially if you have a lot of files or custom icons.

Although it usually works robustly, issues such as corrupted or outdated entries can cause icons to become corrupted or appear strange.

Resetting the cache is a simple and effective solution to restore proper functionality and ensure a smooth user experience. There are at least three methods to do that. Let's review them.

Clear Icon Cache in Windows 11

1. Right-click the Start button in the taskbar, and select Run from the menu to open the eponymous dialog. It also opens with the Win + R hotkey.
2. Type ie4uinit -show in the text field, and hit Enter.
3. This will instantly repair the broken icon cache and fix the icons.

That's it! If you frequently need to perform this operation, you can create a desktop shortcut for this command, and launch it every time you need it.

Using Winaero Tweaker

As alternative solution, you can use a dedicated option in Winaero Tweaker which provides a GUI for resetings the icon cache.

1. Start with downloading Winaero Tweaker from this link.
2. Install the app and navigate to Tools\Reset Icon Cache. The app will clear the icon cache instantly.
3. Now every time you want to refresh the icon cache, click the button "Reset Icon Cache".
4. You can make this option the startup page in the app. The green checkmark toolbar button makes the app open to the current page (works with any other tweak, too).
5. Additionally, you can create a desktop shortcut for this tool, so when you click it, Winaero Tweaker will open to the Icon cache directly, which is very convenient. Click the shortcut arrow icon in the toolbar for that.

That's it.

One more method is the inbox Disk Cleanup tool. It comes with every Windows version and allows you to rebuild the icon cache with a couple of clicks.

Reset Icon Cache from Disk Cleanup

1. Press Win + R and type cleanmgr to open Disk Cleanup.
2. In the next dialog, select your system drive (usually C:).
3. Place check mark in a box for Thumbnails and click OK.
4. Windows 11 will clear icon cache automatically regenerate the cache.

That's it. The cleanmgr is a classic tool, but Microsoft is now offering a modern user interface for most of its options. It is located in the Settings app. So, you can alternatively use Settings to rebuild the icon storage.

Rebuild Icon Cache in Window 11 with the Settings app

1. Open the Settings app by using the Win + I keyboard shortcut or with any other method.
2. Click on the System on the left, and then Storage on the right.
3. On the next page, click the Temporary files huge button.
4. Finally, on the Temporary files page, uncheck all the items except the Thumbnails entry.
5. Now, return to the top of the page, and click on the Remove files button.

That's it. You just rebuild the icon cache.

Yet another method to fix the issue is to directly remove the icon cache files. In Windows 11, it consists of several files.

Deleting the IconCache Files Manually

1. Right-click the Start button and select Terminal(Admin) from the menu.
2. In Terminal, press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to switch to the command prompt. Do not close the Terminal app, leave it running.
3. Minimize all open windows by pressing Win + D.
4. Press the Alt + F4 keys in the keyboard while you on the Desktop. This will open the classic Shut down Windows dialog.
5. Now, press and and hold Ctrl, Shift and Alt keys on the keyboard.  While holding the keys, click on the Cancel button in the Shut Down Windows dialog. The screen will turn black, and the Desktop will disappear - this is what we were going to achieve, we exited the Explorer shell.
6. Now, press Alt + Tab and switch to Terminal.
7. In Terminal, type the following command and press Enter: del %localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache_*.db. The command doesn't produce any output.
8. Now, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open the Task Manager.
9. In Task Manager, click on the Run new task button, and type explorer in the Create new task dialog. Click OK.
10. Congrats, you just rebuilt the icon cache in Windows.

That's it!

Summary

Although the icon cache usually works transparently for the end user, issues such as corrupted or outdated entries can cause icons to look corrupted or wrong. Resetting it is an easy way to get the icons looks as they should. The healthy cache plays an important role in improving File Explorer performance. Regardless of the reviewed method you use, this will fix the appearance of shortcuts.

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