Fix: Folder Icons Showing Black Background in Windows 11

Quick Tips

• A thumbnail acts as a visual identifier for different folders and programs. Start by clearing the thumbnail cache using Disk Cleanup.
• Icon Cache takes care of the quick display of icons as it stores all the information about the file and folder icons. Rebuild the icon cache and see if the problem gets solved.
• Run SFC Scan on your Windows 11 system.

Basic Fixes

• Change folder icon: Right-click on the folder icon with black background > Properties > Customize > Change icon > select from the folder icon options > click Ok.
• Restore folder settings to default: Right-click on the folder icon with black background > Properties > Customize > Restore Default > click Ok and then Apply.
• Update windows 11: Installing the latest version of Windows 11 should fix this issue.

Fix 1: Clear Thumbnails Cache Using Disk Cleanup

Every folder icon in your Windows 11 computer is a thumbnail image preview. A thumbnail acts like a visual identifier for different folders and programs. If you see a black square background behind folder icons, we suggest clearing the Thumbnail cache by performing Disk Cleanup on your Windows 11 computer.

Step 1: Open Disk Cleanup, select C drive, and click Ok.

Step 2: Under the Files to Delete section, scroll down and click the checkbox next to Thumbnails. Then, click Ok at the bottom to confirm.

Step 3: Click on Delete Files to confirm your choice.

Once the Disk Cleanup is complete, check if the problem is solved.

Tip: Refer to our post to learn how to see the hidden files and folders on Windows 11.

Fix 2: Rebuild Icon Cache

Whenever you open a storage drive on your Windows 11 computer, the file and folder icons are displayed quickly or take some time to appear on your screen. Icon Cache takes care of the quick display of icons as it stores all the information about the file and folder icons. This is just like the App Cache on your mobile. If you still see the black background behind folder icons, here’s how to rebuild Icon Cache, which might have corrupted over time.

Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator on your Windows 11 PC or laptop.  

Step 2: Once Command Prompt opens, type the following path in the address bar and press Enter:

cd /d %userprofile%\App Data\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer

Step 3: Type the next command and press Enter:

attrib -h iconcache_*.db

Step 4: Type the next command and press Enter:

del iconcache_*.db start explorer

Step 5: Close the Command Prompt window and restart your Windows 11 computer to rebuild the Icon Cache.

After your system restarts, check if the problem is solved.

Fix 3: Update Display Driver

The Graphics Driver is responsible for the smooth rendering of all visual graphics on your system, including folder icons. If you haven’t updated the Graphics Driver in a while, it’s a good idea to do so right away.

Step 1: Open Device Manager and click Display Adapters from the list of options.

Step 2: Right-click on your video card name and select Update Driver from the list of options.

Step 3: Start the process by clicking on Search Automatically for Drivers.

Close Device Manager and check if the problem is solved.

Fix 4: Run an SFC Scan

SFC (System File Checker) scan is a utility that scans for corrupt or damaged operating system files and replaces them with the correct versions whenever possible. If you still see a black background behind the folder icon, here’s how to try fixing it using SFC Scan.

Step 1: Run Command Prompt as Administrator on your Windows 11 PC or laptop.

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter.

sfc /scannow

Step 3: After the system scan initiates, wait until the process completes.

Step 4: If you see Windows resource protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them on your screen, close the Command Prompt window.

Step 5: Restart your system and check if this fixed the problem.