If you've been Googling like I have, you've long since grown tired of the words, "Try Candybar!" and "What's so important about changing your Finder icon, anyway?" Look: I'm a PowerUser, freund. I'm not paying $12 (quite reasonable, but still!) to own a program that, at best, replaces a few keystrokes. Frankly, when I tried CandyBar, it failed to change certain 'persistent' icons, like the Finder and Trash (I know it works, but for whatever reason, it's never done so - flawlessly, anyway - for me). As for the "Why?" issue: Because, goddamnit, there's no reason that I shouldn't be able to do whatever the f'ck I want to my computer.
Note: this Guide (yes, I capitalize it - it's that good) attempts to move in ascending difficulty from the easiest, most generic methods to the most difficult, involved methods of icon replacement. If you've tried all the other sites and nothing's worked - e.g. you're trying to replace default system icons (Finder, Trash, System Preferences) or mime icon types - you'll want to skip ahead. It wouldn't be an Ultimate Guide if I didn't include the basics.
At the lower levels, you'll be able to do absolutely no damage to your system - by the third step, when you're replacing System icons, you could bring your Mac to its knees. Never work beyond your understanding, but do have some fun!
Well, after almost an entire year of off-and-on browsing, after trial and error with countless freeware and demo programs, I can now change every single icon on my Mac. For free. Being such a beneficiary to my fellow man, I decided to write this guide for all of you:
The Ultimate (Free) OS X Icon Changing Guide: How to Change Every Single Icon on Your Mac.
Before we begin, here're a few sites to get you started; they've got some great free icons, wallpapers, and screensavers. Perhaps more importantly, they've got additional information on creating icons yourself. The Mac community is wonderfully open with its creative elements - but that's no reason that you shouldn't give it a whirl yourself!
InterfaceLift - beautiful icons and gorgeous wallpapers.Secondly, here are some programs that we'll be using in the Guide - if you already know what you're looking for, you might see exactly what you need and be able to skip the intervening bullhonky. Alternately, if you're going to complete the tutorial to the end, you'll need to grab these anyway. Sites with small apps like this tend to go in and out frequently, so I've taken the liberty of making some MediaFire mirrors to keep things moving.
Mandolux - one guy's personal site, with a great collection of high-resolution and multi-monitor wallpapers.
Apple's OS X Downloads - some great screensavers and awesome icon sets.
WinCustomize - great icons. They're mostly oriented towards XP users, but many of the .png's are suitable for OS X.
Icon2icns: creates .icns files from normal icons. mirror
Alright. If you're ready, god knows I am. If you need any help, have any suggestions or comments, etc., email me at brandon101 at mail dot com.
Pic2Icon: creates icons from any picture; adds resource forks to improperly prepared icons or .icns files. mirror
Finally, if you're looking to turn an .icns into a .png, you can use sips as detailed here.Section 1: Changing Basic Icons: The Copy'n'Paste Method
Alright, enough talk. Let's get to it!
This covers the normal method for changing individual icons in your Home folder or subfolders, basic applications, and some higher-level folders like Users and Library.
Section 2: Changing Persistent Application Icons: The .icns Method
This addresses changing those pesky icons that just refuse to submit to copy'n'paste. Includes Mail, System Preferences, some 3rd-party apps, etc.
Section 3: Changing System Icons: The sudo Method
This section addresses everything else: the Finder, the System and Applications folders, Disk Images, filetype icons - you name it.
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