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Rebuild the Windows Icon and Thumbnail Cache

Wrong icons, blank thumbnails and a folder that shows the old picture are all cache problems. Both caches can be rebuilt without touching your files.

by@guidox updated:10/31/26 time:10 min level:Beginner tested on:Windows 11 24H2 works on:Windows 10, Windows 11 tools:File Explorer
TL;DR

Delete **IconCache.db** and the **thumbcache** files in the Explorer cache folder, then restart **explorer.exe**. Windows recreates both on demand.

Before you start

Requirements

  • File Explorer
  • Five minutes
Step by step

Instructions

01

Close Explorer windows

The cache files are locked while Explorer runs. Close the windows first, or the deletion silently fails and the icons stay wrong.

02

Find the local cache folder

The icon and thumbnail caches live in the local app data folder under Explorer. The path is hidden by default; paste it into the address bar instead of browsing to it.

%LOCALAPPDATA%\icrosoft\indows\xplorer
03

Delete the cache files

Every thumbcache file and the icon cache database can go. They are rebuilt in seconds and deleting them loses nothing else.

del /f /a iconcache.db thumbcache_*.db
tipIf a file refuses, Explorer is still running. Stop it, delete, then start it again.
04

Clear the disk thumbnail store

The system-wide thumbnail store lives under the Windows folder. The disk cleanup tool clears it without hunting for files.

cleanmgr
05

Restart Explorer

A restart of the shell reloads both caches from scratch. The first folder you open takes a moment while the icons regenerate.

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe & start explorer.exe
06

Check one specific file type

If one format still shows a generic icon, the association is broken rather than the cache. Change the default app for that extension and the icon follows.

Settings > Apps > Default apps
Troubleshooting

Common issues

Icons are still wrong

A third-party shell extension supplies them. Disable it and rebuild again.

Thumbnails are missing for video only

No codec for that format. Install the codec or the player that provides it.

Deleting the files is denied

Explorer is running or the file is in use. Kill the process first.

The cache grows back huge

A folder with thousands of images. That is normal and it is bounded by the folder view.

FAQ

Frequently asked

Does this delete my photos?

No. Only the small preview images Windows generated from them.

Is it safe to run regularly?

It is harmless, but pointless unless something looks wrong.

How to undo this

Nothing to revert. Both caches rebuild automatically the next time a folder is opened.

Changelog · 1 entry
  1. 2026-10-31
    First version
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