Where Is the Windows Icon Cache Stored?
Windows keeps icon thumbnails in iconcache files under Explorer's folder, rebuilt automatically after deletion.
Last updated
When icons show blank or wrong images, the icon cache is usually corrupt. Windows stores those rendered icons in a set of database files inside the Explorer data folder.
Deleting them is the standard fix. Explorer rebuilds every cache file on next launch, so missing icons return on their own. Close Explorer first or the files stay locked.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer
Holds iconcache_16.db through iconcache_wide.db plus thumbcache files. Delete the iconcache files with Explorer restarted via Task Manager. They regenerate on next login.
Frequently asked questions
how do i fix blank icons in windows explorer
Delete the iconcache files in the Explorer data folder with Explorer closed, then restart. Windows rebuilds them and icons render correctly again.
is it safe to delete iconcache files
Yes. They are pure cache with no settings inside. Explorer recreates every file it needs on launch.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.