Creating Custom Mac Folder Icons in Freeform

Macs should already have something similar to Softrino's Folder Colorizer. Anyways, thanks for the tutorial! I'm always amazed.

I use GIMP, and you've just given me more ideas!

unfortunately, those adjustments are only visible on the mac not on icloud / iphone

I actually use the Softorino's Folder Colorizer app- which does everything you need in a clock or two, including changing the folder color! ANd you can do multiple folders at as time.

This is really cool. Sadly these customized folder icons are not visible in the Folders app in the iPad OS. 😢

Is it possible to change the default folder colour in mac, so that all create new folder creates a new folder with red colour instead of blue colour?

Gary this is just so cool! I have a bunch of folders I want to customize. The first folder came out fine but the other folders just are not pasting onto the folder that shows at the top left of the info page... What am I doing wrong?

Believe it or not, folders have been copy paste capable in the Get Info window from the early days of OSX, certainly Tiger if not even earlier. I find a custom folder icon very useful. Thanks for this tip.

BTW, I love Freeform on my iPad. I am a quilter & it is fun to collect & arrange quilt photos. Going to work on creating grandkids photos in it too

My Mac Mini is too old for Ventura. I am still on Monterey.
I am always jealous because I miss out on fun stuff!

All good except when a custom folder is dragged from the Finder into the Dock, the modification goes away. Doing something wrong or is that just the way it works?

You've got some serious skillz, Gary.

Didn’t know this. Hopefully I can find time to update some of my folders that I think would benefit me to have customized.

Awesome video

love it, thanks for shearing

Amazing! Where do you find these hidden gems!! This is really useful. I wonder is there also a way to modify the folder icon that appears in the left pane of the finder window? I keep a bunch of favourites there, but the modified graphic of the folder does not come across. Just the usual uncoloured folder outline. Thanks, as always, Gary, for super information!

I love this! I can find my most used folders in a second now!

Do the custom icons persist after an os update? Love your channel!

Cool tip!

Be aware, if you add text to the folder, and the bounding box of the text is wider than the folder graphic, the folder will be scaled down, so make sure to use the centre drag handles on the text box after you have the font size you want.

Brilliant!

Fun and useful. It’s great to see topics that go beyond utility. Great video, Gary

Thank you so much for the video. Very interesting and informative. Unfortunately on other devices the changes are not visible. Is there any possibility that when you make changes in the icloud they will be visible on other devices as well?

A great tutorial, thank you I have been waiting for something like this. Just one comment, Please take it slower so it's easier to take notes. thanks again.

Brilliant!

After clicking on the folder icon and trying to paste, in multiple ways, it doesn't change in Get Info. I know it's copied because I can paste it into a doc...

This is a fabulous tutorial, Gary. Very cool. Thanks. As always, you make things interesting and easy. Much appreciated. I used to play with folder customization back in OS9 but gave up with OSX. Now I'm inspired to explore this some more and make up some custom folder icons.

Thanks bunches. I still have my circa 1986 Mac SE and Apple dot matrix printer in the attic. I have always held the belief that when a new folder is created, Apple should give the user some ability to customize the folder--at least change the color. I have watched all of the other videos on changing folders, but this seems the easiest for me to understand. I need to go back and watch your Freeform video's again as I thought I would ever use Freeform. The world in an icon based world new it seems and the concept of folders looking like "folders" is outdated. I really like the ability to just use icons instead of folders looking like folders. Would it be possible to use pictures from Photos? For instance my wife and I have a folder (looks like a folder) containing our life time documents. It would be so nice just to use a picture of us instead of a folder looking like a folder. Or to use a picture of our 1965 Mustang which we still have (bought new) on the folder that has information on the car? Kinda make sense what I am asking?

1 thing to keep in mind is that these icons DO NOT SYNC across iCloud or anything. They are local only.

OK Now I have different take on Freeform! Thanks Gary.

Man! Please use Dark Mode it's best for low vision people can see than liglhtl mode it's too bright. Could you please remake it and upload? Thanks!

Gary, I am finding that file folders that are in iCloud only (showing the download arrow) do not copy the folder onto Freeform. Only files that are on my local machine seem to be able to be copied from the Info dialog box as you show. Is this your experience?

Thanks very much, Gary, for this very informative video! This will keep me happy for hours 🙂

Thanks Gary, Folder icons are great for Project based hardware design work, I work on several design hardware projects at the same time, I keep my active projects on the desktop until the project is completed, The other week i actually said, it would be nice to have a picture of the product on the folder for quicker recognition, So i made a crude image and pasted it to the folder icon, its great, but process was fiddly, I have freeform, so lets see if its a little easier.

Will these new folders be backed up with pictures on with Time Machine ?

Nice! I never thought I would use Freeform, now I just did.

Cool - do you think this could be done on an iPad with iOS 16.2 and use them on the Mac? Also, do you think there is a way to change Safari Icons for websites that don't have icons?

Doesn’t work on iPad , its the only device I use now. Have tried to copy it but it does nothing. Ah well

love this! thanks gary

Thank you for this! I have just decorated my iCloud folders on my Mac. It is a pity that the customisation is not picked up when you access the folders on my iPhone! Perhaps a future update.

I wondered what I could do with Freeform and now I know. Great tutorial 👍

Thanks Gary I’m now busy putting ‘photo’ image’s onto my folders….great idea and fun to do…you are my 🦸🏻‍♂️

Just clip art or can you use a photo image?

Very useful! Thanks

Thank you for the video. Please tell us how to get the application. Thank you.

My goat Gary. Thanks been missing u. I was out abit

Great Video! I wish Apple allowed this to work across devices in iCloud.

genius

Thanks Gary. Do you have to leave space for the “shared folder” background?

Oh and your procedure does not seem to work for shares folder?’?!

It’s all quite puzzling why Apple created freeform, preview and photos editor each with overlapping graphics editing capabilities. For example freeform & photoeditor can crop an image but preview cannot.

Then there is Keynote that can do everything that freeform can do and more!?

This is what I've been needing for 'kin ages! Thanks!