FolderIconPainter

If you feel that you want to give Windows 11 slightly more flair, then one way to do so is to change the color of the default folder icon. Since no version of Windows included this possibility, you will need to rely on third party tools.

FolderIconPainter is a lightweight, Electron application that enables you to change the color of the default folder icon with just one click.

Although the app is not truly portable, it does not require installation, so all you need to do to get started is decompress the archive and launch the executable. The interface is rather rugged, but intuitive and unlikely to give you any troubles.

Simply put, the GUI consists of a single window that allows you to choose between several colors available. Afterwards, select the folder whose icon color you want to change and that’s it, as the changes occur immediately. It is worth noting that the program does not have a feature to revert the changes to default, so you have to do it manually in case you change your mind.

It is unclear whether the app works with all directories, as some may require you to alter the permissions to change anything. If you encounter a situation like this, then access the Security -> Advanced option from Properties and change the special permissions.

The application is still in Beta so you should expect various bugs or functions that are not working properly. For instance, during our testing, we cannot add a custom color, which would be an awesome feature to have, especially given the style and palette used by Windows 11. At the same time, the Settings button is not currently working.

Nevertheless, if you want a way to highlight various directories so that they are easier to spot when you search for them with standard colors, then perhaps you can consider giving FolderIconPainter a try.