Windows 11 Users Can Restore Classic Icons from Older Versions

Tech outlet NeoWin has outlined a process that enables Windows 11 users to restore classic icons from the Windows 3.x and Windows 9x operating systems. The method involves leveraging two specific dynamic-link library files: moricons.dll and pifmgr.dll, which remain embedded within Windows 11 for compatibility reasons.

The procedure requires users to access shortcut or file properties and select the 'Change Icon' option. Users then navigate to the path containing the legacy DLL files, such as C:\Windows\System32\moricons.dll or C:\Windows\System32\pifmgr.dll, to choose and apply the older icons.

Microsoft has retained these older icon resource files to ensure that legacy shortcuts pointing to specific icons do not break in the new operating system. While the features associated with these older icons have been deprecated, the files themselves containing the graphical assets have not been removed.

Beyond moricons.dll and pifmgr.dll, Windows 11 still contains numerous other legacy icon libraries. These include shell32.dll, which houses icons dating back to Windows 95, and ieframe.dll, preserving Internet Explorer icons despite the browser's discontinuation. Other examples include imageres.dll for modern file resources and various DLLs for network, media, and accessibility features.