Problem: custom icons for folder aliases not showing
System drive and external drive custom alias folder icons don't showup on desktop or external drive (OS14.6 Sonoma 2023); they only show-up as plain folders or with an odd document icon.
Alias doesn't connect to image; however it's there, easily accessible via spacebar.
Finder doesn't save the custom icon to the alias.
See below for workaround.
Summary: I have custom alias icons on my desktop linking to their source files on the system drive and external drive.. however they do not display the custom icon.
After upgrading from OS10.14 Mojave to OS14.6 Sonoma 2023, system drive & external drive custom alias icons no longer display the icon on either drive (there is a work-around for Mojave; see history section).
Personal impact: hampered file navigation and workflow; I'm lost, can't tell where anything is; not having my icons makes it especially difficult to navigate my files and hampers my workflow significantly.
Desired outcome: all custom icons for folder aliases linking to source files (on system & external drives) appear on the desktop, and in all directories on system & external drives (including encrypted external drives).
Status.. August 2024: called apple support, they said there is no solution, and there are no plans to fix it, and no plans for a fix in OS 15 Sequoia (in public beta now)
Action:
❯ leave feedback at https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos/
❯ join this campaign to fix this once and for all! -- After 20 years of dealing with this issue.. we need to fix this.
History:
▪ OS 10.14 Mojave 2018: external drive alias icons don't work; because upon startup, the icon images for these files disappear; because when system starts it loads the system drive icons but not the external drive icons because it's password protected, hence icon information does not get loaded; alias icons can't connect with unmounted external drive @ boot; however it's there, easily accessible via spacebar
the FIX: alias the icons on the desktop each time after boot, however the names are altered
▪ OS X 10.11 El Cap 2015: drag the icons to a folder then back to desktop.. sometimes this works
I stayed on OS9 as long as possible because of the OS10 icon problem
▪ OS 9: all custom alias folder icons worked fine
Givens:
space bar has fast access to icon -highlight alias and press space bar -- seems that it would be a simple solution, since the image is there -- get info for alias also has the image in preview
How to make a custom icon:
open a pic (typically from a screenshot; .png), select image with cursor with shift key down (for a perfect square), copy ⌘C, click target folder, get info ⌘I, click on folder icon on top left corner, paste ⌘V
Fix -- How? --make a solution
approach for a macOS dev?
some bash process to link to icon; how to access icon
Swift?
process to renew the alias icon
process goes through all desktop icons.. fixes them; new icon, correct name
routine where all icons on desktop link to their files
easily making a new alias.. as easy as making a regular alias; cammand L, etc
make alias search for the image
app that makes alias
create custom desktop.. a GUI w links
--
INTERIM FIX / WORKAROUND
create a new folder on your desktop, name it, place it's alias inside the folder, fix the icon, when you open the desktop folder, you will then have to click on the alias --this is very time-consuming and tedious
note: there may be easier options for OSs prior to Sonoma; review History section
workflow:
symbol note: ⇧ shift, ⌃ control, ⌥ option, ⌘ cammand
create new folder on desktop ⌘⇧N , name it.. if the name is already taken by the alias, change the alias's name; for example.. alias it ⌘^A
click on this new folder then ⌘I (get info)
click on the alias, open source location ⌘R (or ⌘⌥^A on older OSs), click on source file (if not highlighted) then ⌘I (get info) , click on folder icon on top left corner, copy ⌘C
click on the get-info window you opened for the new folder, click on folder icon on top left corner, paste ⌘V (if not working see ¹ below), close each of these windows with ⌘W
place the associated aliased folder into the new folder
you can also do this in groups of folders (3-6 seems is optimal).. for example.. move 3 alias icons to clear area on desktop, create 3 new folders and place them below the aliases, select all aliases and ⌘C, open a text document and ⌘V, fix names & name new folders, select new folders, ⌘I, select target aliases, ⌘R, ⌘I for each, move the alias windows below the new folder windows, copy/paste icons from source to new file, close these windows, place alias folders into new folders
¹ if paste function not working.. move on to the next folder and come back.. it can be moody, if it's not working at all.. restart the computer
note2: some icons now have a yellow streak at the bottom
let us know if you have any solutions or workarounds, or can code this (provide a script or app)