EXE Icon not updating when installed

[JonathanMATech]

I have a project that builds an EXE and then installs it on target computers along with the LabVIEW run-time.

I want to change the icon of the EXE. I have done this in the EXE's build specification and it has updated on the target PC's task bar and in the upper left corner of the program's windows when opened. However, on some PCs the shortcut icon on the desktop, and the EXE's icon in Program Files (x86) does not update. Sometimes updating Windows completely and restarting fixes the icon but sometimes not. I've noticed that if I change the file name of the EXE in Program Files (x86), the icon changes to the updated version but if I change the filename back, the icon changes back to the old version.

This appears quite similar to these LabWindows issues from several years ago.

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabWindows-CVI/Executable-icon-doesn-t-update-when-ico-file-is-changed/td-p...

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabWindows-CVI/My-edited-icon-does-not-supersede-the-previous-version-on-th...

https://forums.ni.com/t5/LabWindows-CVI-User-Group/Updated-icon-does-not-appear-on-the-desktop/m-p/3...

How can I make the icons update consistently? Or at least a workaround so I can get the current targets to have the updated icon?

[GerdW]

Hi Jonathan,

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@JonathanMATech wrote:

I've noticed that if I change the file name of the EXE in Program Files (x86), the icon changes to the updated version but if I change the filename back, the icon changes back to the old version.

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This sounds more like a Windows problem: when you change to a different filename the icon of your EXE is shown, but not for the old filename? Maybe some caching algorithm inside Windows?

[Bob_Schor]

Yes, this sounds like it might involve the Windows Icon Cache.  With Windows 10, it has gotten more complicated to clear and rebuild the cache (if that, indeed, is the cause of your problem) -- do a Web search to look for a solution.

Bob Schor

[JonathanMATech]

I think completely updating Windows AND Microsoft Store Apps fixed the icon for me.