How Can I Change the Icon on Outlook 2013?

Question

I would like to change the Icon for Outlook 2013.

When I right-click and select Properties, 'Change Icon' is greyed out.

As a supplementary question, how can I 'Run As Administrator'? That option is greyed out too. Naturally, I am logged on as an Administrator.

Extra Information Current Workaround: I went to the root file in

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 15\Outlook.exe

Right-Click Send to desktop, create shortcut. Eureka, ‘Change Icon’ is available.

Puzzle. Pin to Taskbar – Problem as described above.

More Puzzling: Pin to Menu – Eureka Change Icon button is alive.

To be clear, it’s Pin to Taskbar that causes the problem.

One more point, I get this behaviour on two machines, but both installed from same .iso file.

Solution 1

I don't know if you managed to sort the problem out but I might have a solution here. I had the same problem: I couldn't change the icon because that option was greyed out.

I right clicked on the desktop and created a new shortcut, pointed it to Outlook and named it (just go through the prompts).

A new shortcut appeared on the desktop pointing to Outlook and I was able to go into that shortcut's properties and change the icon to whatever I wanted it to be (not greyed out anymore). Afterwards I pinned that shortcut to the task bar and deleted it from the desktop.

Solution 2

As a side note for all those that are curious, there is a program called windows enabler

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Miscellaneous/Windows-Enabler.shtml.

When you run it as administrator, you will be able to click on the grayed out buttons, and make them active, thus being able to (in this example) choose a different icon from the screen that was provided in the OP

Comments

[Ramhound]

I checked my shortcut and I was able to change both the icon and set Outlook to always run as an administrator ( although thats not requuired and basically pointless ) sounds like you don't have the permissions on your user profile required to do either.

[Guy Thomas]

I checked on a second machine, same problem for me. On both machines the user has Full Control on the security permissions tab. Additional information, these were updates rather than fresh installs.

[Ramhound]

I don't know what to say. I am not even logged in as an Administrator account and was able to change the shortcut to Outlook 2013. The "Run As Administrator` is disabled for every shortcut I checked but checking on a computer where I was logged in as an Administrator I was able to do so.

[Guy Thomas]

I am now wondering if its possible to change the icon of ANY program pinned to the taskbar.

[Ramhound]

I selected a random shortcut on my desktop. I opened up the program and pinned it to my taskbar. I went to the shortcut and was able to change the icon for the shortcut.

[Guy Thomas]

@Ramhound Thanks for checking on your system.

[RobH]

I don't know which version of Windows you're on, but in Windows 7 (I'm using the Enterprise edition), there simply are no Run as Admin or Properties commands when you right click on a task bar icon.

[Guy Thomas]

Great, it worked. I wonder if a service pack or patch increased the capabilities, or perhaps I missed it the first time around. (And did not pay proper attention to Ramhound's comment).

[Erick Robertson]

This works for me too. I believe that the reason there is a problem here is because Outlook changes the icon based on mail status. It uses the change in icon to notify the user of new mail, probably among other things. Once I set the icon to something else, this functionality is obviously lost.