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English | 简体中文

LinkEcho

One-click batch replace/restore shortcut icons, personalized custom icon design, and make your desktop look brand new!

  • Simplified Operation: Batch replace shortcut icons by matching patterns - no manual adjustments required
  • Custom Design: Freely adjust original/new icon dimensions & corner radius. Supports solid/gradient background layers with adjustable sizes
  • Format Support: ICO/PNG/SVG/BMP/WEBP/TIFF/EXE formats
  • Multi-scenario: Works on desktop, Start Menu, and shortcuts in any folder
  • Icon Restoration: Restore shortcut icons to default with one click

Usage

🔒 Administrator Privileges

Why required?
Shortcuts in All Users folders, Start Menu, and Taskbar are protected by Windows permissions. Temporary privilege elevation is needed to modify shortcut properties.

Security Assurance
✅ No data collection
✅ No network operations
✅ Permission only used for modifying shortcut icon paths (Antivirus may flag)

✨ Features

📝 1.Batch Icon Replacement

Icon Matching Rules

  • Supported Formats: ICO, PNG, SVG, BMP, WEBP, TIFF, EXE

    Non-.ico icons will be converted and stored in app directory

  • Matching Logic:

    # Exact match (highest priority)
Shortcut: "Visual Studio" → Icon: "Visual Studio.png"

# Partial match (secondary)
Shortcut: "Chrome" → Icon: "Chrome Beta.ico"
Shortcut: "Chrome Canary" → Icon: "Chrome"

⚠️UWP/WSA Limitations:

- Cannot restore default icons via this tool  
+ Fix: Manually delete and recreate shortcuts

Change All

♻️ 2.Restore Default Icons
  • Normal Shortcuts: Restore via button or "Restore All"
  • UWP/WSA Shortcuts: Manually recreate via tool's shortcut creator

Restore All

🎨 3.Icon Customization

A. Shortcut Icon Design

Access Path:
Tab(Home) → Shortcut → "Customize Icon"
Tab(Tool) → "Select shortcut or icon"
Customization Options:
  • Icon Size: 0~100%
  • Corner Radius: 0~128px
  • Background Layer:
    • Supports CSS color syntax (HEX/RGB/HSL/linear-gradient) Learn gradients
    • Adjustable size and corner radius
    /* Solid example */
background: #FFFFFF;
background: rgb(255, 255, 255);

/* Gradient examples */
<!-- Dark gradient -->
background: linear-gradient(45deg, #262626 40%, #444444);
<!-- Light blue -->
background: linear-gradient(to top, #83a4d4 10%, #b6fbff);

B. Icon Creation & Export

Access: Tab(Tool) → Select shortcut or icon
Export Formats: ICO, PNG, SVG, BMP, WEBP, TIFF, EXE

Storage Path: Tab(Tool) → Open converted icons folder

Customize Icon

📁 4.Load Shortcuts
  • Load shortcuts from desktop, Start Menu, or any folder
  • Backup Start Menu shortcuts before modification
🧹 5.Clear Icon Cache
  • Clear system icon cache to refresh display
  • System cleanup: Win+R → cleanmgr → C: → Thumbnails → OK
📂 6.Open Icon Directory
  • Stores custom icons and converted .ico files
➕ 7.Create Shortcuts
  • Access system app shortcut locations
  • Create UWP/APP shortcuts
🧪 8.EXE Icon Replacement (Lab)
  • ⚠️Experimental feature - Modifying .exe icons may break manifests
⌨️ 9. Command Line Support

Supported command line operations (requires administrator privileges):

# Change single shortcut icon (parameter order is strict, -c is lowercase)
LinkEcho.exe -c "shortcut_path" "icon_path"

# Batch change icons (parameter order is strict, -C is uppercase)
LinkEcho.exe -C "shortcut_directory" "icon_directory"

# When only one parameter is specified (default processes desktop shortcuts)
LinkEcho.exe -C "icon_directory"

⚠️ Note

  • Command line operations still require administrator privileges
  • Parameters are case-sensitive (-c and -C have different functions)
  • Use double quotes around paths containing spaces

Desktop light/dark theme switching solution:

  1. Prepare two icon sets for light/dark themes
  2. Integrate with AutoDarkMode software
  3. Call corresponding commands in AutoDarkMode's scripts

Download

Github: LinkEcho

Known Issues

  1. Window resizing difficulty (Dioxus framework limitation) - Tracking ISSUE

  2. UWP/WSA shortcuts cannot restore default icons - Manual recreation required

  3. Start Menu UWP shortcuts cannot be loaded for modification - Create new shortcuts via tool instead

Thanks

ICON: IconFont

LOGO: Freepik

CSS UI: UIVERSE

GUI based on Dioxus