- Some users reported seeing white icons on their “Office.docx” files instead of the Word icon.
- This type of problem is usually caused by a conflict with the default program settings in Windows.
- If you suddenly notice that the Microsoft Word icon is empty or missing and not displaying properly on your Windows 10 computer, you can check the possible solutions listed below.
In some cases, users may not see the Microsoft Word icon in their “.docx” files because a conflict would occur with the default Windows settings.
Microsoft Office Icons
In the Microsoft 365 architecture icon set, you can find templates and icons for your architecture
Check the solutions listed below if, suddenly, the Microsoft Word icon on your Windows 10 computer disappears or is not displaying properly on Office .doc and .docx documents.
Why doesn’t the Word icon appear in .docx files?
- Microsoft Office and Windows can be incompatible if they are outdated, causing the MS Word icon to malfunction.
- A corrupted or a missing .docx file association may result in an icon problem.
- In some cases, a corrupt icon cache database may explain the docx icon issue.
- In some cases, MS Office installations can become corrupted, leading to the missing Word icon.
- Having installed MS Word, it can still fail to claim the links to .docx files in Windows.
- An icon problem can occur if the MS Word application’s registry keys are misconfigured or corrupted.
How to restore .docx files that do not display the Word icon?
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Updated: April 2024
Microsoft Office Icon
Open Microsoft Office Picture Manager by choosing Office Tools. This will fix the icons in Microsoft Office.
Open a .docx file using Winword.exe
- File Explorer should be opened first.
- Click “Open with…” from the right-click menu.
- Click “Other applications” in the field “How would you like to open this file?”.
- Check the box “Use this application whenever I open a .docx file” in the same window.
- To find another program on the computer, click the “Find another program” button.
- Navigate to the site where the “Winword” application is located in the “Open” window.
- Click “Open” after selecting “winword”.
Remove the icon cache from the local folder
- The “Run” window can be opened by pressing Windows + R.
- By typing “%temp%” in the “Run” window, you will be able to open the program.
- In the address bar, click “Local”.
- Select “View” from the menu.
- Again, click “Options”.
- There will be a new option under the “View” tab in the “Folder Options” window.
- If you want to see hidden files, folders, and drives, select the radio button next to it.
- Once you have clicked “Apply”, click on “OK”.
- The “Iconcache” file can be found by searching.
- Click “Delete” on the “Iconcache” file when you find it.
- Restart your computer after closing File Explorer.
Changing the DefaultIcon value
- You can find the search bar by clicking the Windows icon and entering “Regedit”.
- Press “Enter” after that.
- Navigate here:
Word.Document.12/DefaultIcon in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. - You can change it by double-clicking the “(Default)” key.
- In “Value Data:”, paste the following.
The Word icon will be located in C:/ProgramsMicrosoft Office/root/Office16/wordicon.exe,13 if you are using Word 2016 (64-bit).
It should be located at C:/Program Files (x86)/Microsoft Office/root/Office16/wordicon.exe,13 for Word 2016 (32 bit). - Your changes will be saved when you click “OK.”.
- Restart your computer after closing Registry Editor.
RECOMMENATION: Click here for help with Windows errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fix the Word icon in .docx files on Windows 10?
If the Office icons are blank after installing Office from the Microsoft Store, open Settings -> Apps. Find Microsoft Office Desktop Apps in the list of applications, select it, and click Advanced Options. Click Restore. Then wait for the process to complete and restart your computer.
How do I restore the Word icon to my desktop?
- Right-click on your desktop and select Properties.
- Click the Desktop tab.
- Click Customize Desktop.
- Click the General tab, then click the icons you want on your desktop.
- Click OK.
How do I recover a DOCX file?
- Open Microsoft Word and click File.
- Click Open and select the .docx file where the problem occurred.
- Click the down arrow next to the Open button and select Open and restore.
How do I fix the docx icon?
- Press the Windows key and type: Standard apps in the search function.
- Now open Select default applications by file type and expand the option before .docx.
- Then select Word and repeat the same for .docxml.
- Now restart your computer and see if the icon problem has been resolved.
With WPS Office Suite, you can easily manage documents across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices, making it a viable alternative to Microsoft Office .
Mark Ginter is a tech blogger with a passion for all things gadgets and gizmos. A self-proclaimed "geek", Mark has been blogging about technology for over 15 years. His blog, techquack.com, covers a wide range of topics including new product releases, industry news, and tips and tricks for getting the most out of your devices. If you're looking for someone who can keep you up-to-date with all the latest tech news and developments, then be sure to follow him over at Microsoft.
