A complete reference for Windows built-in icon indices across shell32.dll, imageres.dll, and moricons.dll. Find icon index numbers for use in .lnk shortcuts, Registry entries, PowerShell scripts, and Windows app development. Need to create your own ICO file? Use our PNG to ICO converter or Favicon Generator.
Right-click a shortcut - Properties - Change Icon - type the path with a comma and index number:
%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll,13 %SystemRoot%\system32\imageres.dll,2 %SystemRoot%\system32\moricons.dll,5
Set a folder or drive icon via Registry (replace path and index):
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Drive\DefaultIcon] @="%SystemRoot%\\system32\\shell32.dll,-8"
Create a shortcut with a custom system icon using PowerShell:
$shell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell
$link = $shell.CreateShortcut("$env:USERPROFILE\Desktop\MyApp.lnk")
$link.TargetPath = "C:\path\to\app.exe"
$link.IconLocation = "%SystemRoot%\system32\shell32.dll, 13"
$link.Save()
Extract an icon to a .ico file using VBScript (run as admin):
Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set oLink = oShell.CreateShortcut("C:\Temp\test.lnk")
oLink.IconLocation = "C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll, 13"
oLink.Save
WScript.Echo "Shortcut created with system icon #13"
shell32.dll is the original Windows Shell icon library, containing classic icons used since Windows 95 - folder, recycle bin, drives, network. imageres.dll was introduced in Windows Vista and contains the newer high-resolution system icons used throughout Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11. Most modern icons you see in Windows Explorer live in imageres.dll. moricons.dll is a legacy library containing old application icons from the DOS era, still present for compatibility.
Yes - Microsoft has moved and re-indexed icons across Windows versions, especially between XP and Vista, and again in Windows 10/11. If you're writing scripts or software that depends on specific icon indices, always test on your target Windows version. For software distribution, it's safer to bundle your own .ico files and use our PNG to ICO Converter to create them from your artwork.
Icons are loaded from a third-party Windows icon rendering service. Some index numbers are gaps or undocumented entries in the DLL that don't map to a visible icon on all Windows versions. These show as empty or broken. The "official" and most commonly used indices are listed and labeled in this reference.
The easiest method is to use a tool like IcoFX, Resource Hacker, or BeCyIconGrabber to open the DLL and export icons. Alternatively, use our EXE Icon Extractor which also works on DLL files. For creating custom ICO files from your own PNG images, use our PNG to ICO Converter.
Click Export CSV in the toolbar to download the currently visible list as a spreadsheet-ready CSV file containing each icon's DLL name, index number, name, and description. You can filter by DLL tab or search first, then export just the subset you need. The selection mode also lets you pick specific icons and export only those.