Showing or Hiding File Icons on Thumbnails in Windows 11

Learn how to toggle the visibility of file icon overlays on thumbnails in Windows 11 and Windows 10. This can be achieved by using either File Explorer Options or the Registry Editor.

In Windows 11 and 10, a file icon appears on thumbnails to show which application is configured to open it. While not all files display icons, formats like PDF often do. If you prefer not to see these icons, here’s how you can remove them.

Toggle File Icon Visibility in Thumbnails with File Explorer Options

To modify the file icon display on thumbnails through File Explorer Options, adhere to these steps:

1. Open the Taskbar search box and type file explorer options.
2. Select the relevant search result.
3. Navigate to the View tab.
4. Locate the Display file icon on thumbnails setting.
5. If you want to enable the icons, check the box; for disabling, uncheck it.
6. Click the OK button to apply your changes.

To begin, you must access the File Explorer Options. Simply search for file explorer options in the Taskbar’s search function and choose the corresponding result.

Upon opening the window, head over to the View tab to find the Display file icon on thumbnails option. Checking this box will activate the display of file icons on thumbnails, while unchecking it will turn the feature off.

Finally, remember to click the OK button to confirm your selection.

Modify File Icon Visibility via Registry Editor

If you’d like to manage file icons on thumbnails through the Registry Editor in Windows 11/10, follow these detailed steps:

1. Press Win+R to launch the Run prompt.
2. Type regedit and hit Enter.
3. Select Yes when prompted by the UAC.
4. Navigate to the Advanced section in HKCU.
5. Locate and double-click the ShowTypeOverlay REG_DWORD entry.
6. Set the Value data to 1 in order to display the file icon.
7. To hide the icon, change the Value data to 0.
8. Click OK to save your adjustments.
9. Finally, restart your computer to see the changes take effect.

It’s advisable to backup your registry and create a System Restore point as a precaution.

Start by opening the Registry Editor. Press Win+R, enter regedit, and press Enter. Confirm by clicking Yes when prompted.

Once inside the Registry Editor, follow this path:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Double-click on the ShowTypeOverlay REG_DWORD entry. Change the Value data to 1 for showing the file icon, and to 0 for hiding it.

Click the OK button to finalize your changes and restart your computer to implement them.

That’s it!

How can I reveal the file icon on thumbnails in Windows 11?

To reveal file icons on thumbnails in Windows 11, first access File Explorer Options. Next, navigate to the View tab and check the box next to the Display file icon on thumbnails option, then hit the OK button.

How do I conceal a specific icon on my desktop in Windows 11?

If you wish to hide a particular desktop icon in Windows 11, right-click the file and choose Properties. Check the Hidden box and click OK. To view the hidden icon, go to File Explorer Options and enable the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option.