File Explorer is the default file management application which comes bundled with every modern version of Windows. It allows the user to perform all basic file operations like copy, move, delete, rename and so on. Windows 10 Build 18298 introduces a new File Explorer icon.
During the development of Windows 10, Microsoft was updating folders icons, control panel icons and system app icons several times.
The first build with the new Explorer icon was Windows 10 build 9841:
The application got a dark yellow icon:
The next major update happened in Windows 10 build 9926, where the icon became bright yellow:
Microsoft was heavily criticized for making these icons:
So after a couple of builds, Windows 10 got a new, more polished icon with a softer yellow color, which looks similar to the modern icon:
Windows 10 build 10130 had the following icon:
In Windows 10 build 10158, Microsoft mixed the updated icon from build 10130 with the "old" icon from build 9926, so the resulting icon had the shape of the icon from build 9926, however, it had the colors and size from build 10130's Explorer icon:
The same icon is used in Insider Preview build 14352.
A new icon also appeared in Windows 10 build 14328:
The icon was almost colorless similar to the modern icons Microsoft is using for Universal apps:
While the icon was good for blending in with Universal apps in the Start menu, most users seem to have sent negative feedback about this new icon. So, in Windows 10 build 14352, the previous colorful icon has made its return:
Finally, Windows 10 Build 18298, that represents the upcoming version Windows 10 "19H1", comes with an updated File Explorer icon with a darker yellow color. It is less flat, looks more like a classic 3D icon.
If you like this new icon, you can download it here:
Download the File Explorer Icon from Windows 10 Build 18298
You will find both *.ico and *.png files in the zip archive.
Just for the sake of comparison, here is the Explorer icon used in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1: 
And here is the Windows XP icon: 
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Wasn’t there a File Explorer icon for Windows Vista? I could swear that Windows Vista had a much different icon than Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 8.x
Windows Vista had the same File Explorer icon as Windows 7 and 8.1. I think the reason you remember it much differently, was because the User Document Library Icons had Green Glass Folders (Regular folders were still yellow) in Windows Vista. They were then changed to Yellow solid ones in 7.
Yes kinda different. A mix of XP icon size with 7 look coz Vista doesn’t have the big taskbar icons.
Windows Vista’s Explorer icon simply used a computer icon. That was before Windows 7’s file explorer icon was made.
And so, the ugly “Flat Experiment” is coming to an end. Let the depth be embraced once again!
I can’t wait for all store apps to lose their ugly squares and receive 3D icons, as shown in the Office 365 icon video.
Please excuse my ignorance: how can I change the icon for the File Explorer?
i like the windows 7 one the best, is there a tweak to change the file explorer icon to the old windows 7 one?
How to get Windows 7 File Explorer icon?