Alter exe file

Doing so prompts a drop-down menu near your mouse cursor. Make sure you're right-clicking a blank space e. If your mouse doesn't have a right-click button, click the right side of the mouse, or use two fingers to click the mouse. If your computer uses a trackpad instead of a mouse, use two fingers to tap the trackpad or press the bottom-right side of the trackpad.

Select New. It's near the top of the drop-down menu. Selecting it prompts a pop-out menu. Click Shortcut. This option is in the pop-out menu. Doing so opens a new window. Click Browse…. It's in the middle of the window, just right of the name bar. Select your EXE file. Click OK. This will select the EXE file as the shortcut's destination.

Click Next , then enter a name. Type in the name that you want your desktop shortcut to have. Click Finish. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so adds a shortcut of the EXE to your desktop. You'll find this at the bottom of the drop-down menu. Click Change Icon…. It's at the bottom of the pop-up window.

If you don't see this option, first click the Shortcut tab at the top of the window. This is in the pop-up window that appears. Doing so brings up the File Explorer. Select your icon file. Go to and click the icon file that you created or downloaded earlier. Click Open. It's at the bottom of the window. This is at the bottom of the pop-up window. Click Apply , then click OK. Doing so will apply your new icon to the shortcut. If necessary, you can remove the shortcut's arrow to finish this process.

Method 2. Only icon files can be used with EXE files. Download and install Resource Hacker. Resource Hacker is a free program for Windows computers that allows you to edit EXE file properties, including the icon.

Click EXE install , then select a save location if prompted. Double-click the downloaded setup file. Follow the setup prompts. Open Resource Hacker. Open Start , type resource hacker into Start, and click the Resource Hacker result at the top of the Start window. Click File. This tab is in the upper-left side of the Resource Hacker window. A drop-down menu will appear. Click Open….

EXE file is a compiled file. If you want to change the file type, it must be converted or saved as the destination file type, with the appropriate file extension. Below is a listing of how to change the file extension for each of the major IBM compatible operating systems.

Before renaming a Windows file extension, you must have show file extensions enabled. By default, this option is disabled. If you want to rename or change the file extensions of multiple files, we recommend you enter the Windows command line and follow the steps below. That's why it's important to have a good antivirus program that you can use to scan the file first before you run it.

Double-click the EXE file to open it on Windows. Confirm that you want to run the program. Adjust compatibility settings if necessary. Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Double-click an EXE file to run it. EXE files are Windows executable files, and are designed to be run as programs. Double-clicking any EXE file will start it. If the EXE file was downloaded from the internet, you'll be asked to confirm that you want to run it.

Be wary when running EXE files from unknown sources, as this is the easiest way to get infected with a virus. Never open an EXE file downloaded as an email attachment, even if you know the sender. EXE files may not run properly if they were designed for an outdated version of Windows.

You can try adjusting the compatibility settings by right-clicking on the file, selecting "Properties", and then clicking the Compatibility tab. You can set what version of Windows you want run the EXE file as, but this is not guaranteed to solve the problem.

If you get error messages when you try to run an EXE file or nothing happens, there may be a problem with your Windows registry settings. Editing your registry may seem a little daunting, but it should only take a few minutes. Navigate to. Use the navigation tree on the left to open this directory.

Right-click on the " Default " entry and select "Modify". This will open a new window. Click OK to save the changes. Reboot your computer. After editing the three entries above, close the Registry Editor and reboot your computer. You should be able to open EXE files again. It is highly recommended that you try to track down what caused this problem in the first place. You may have a virus or malware infection, which could cause the same problem again in the future.

Click here for instructions on finding and removing viruses. Method 2. EXE file extension - Program executable. What is exe file? How to open exe files? File type specification: Program executable file type Email attachment blocked file type exe file icon:. The default software associated to open exe file: Microsoft Windows Company or developer: Microsoft Corporation A family of operating systems developed by the Microsoft Corp.

Help how to open: Double-clicking on exe file results in starting the program they are created for. Find conversions from exe file: exe to app exe to dmg exe to jar exe to mp4 exe to rar exe to swf exe to zip Find converter to exe file type: app to exe jpg to exe rar to exe sb2 to exe sb3 to exe swf to exe zip to exe File identification strings: HEX code: 4D 5A ASCII code: MZ. List of software applications associated to the. Software that open exe file - Program executable Programs supporting the exension exe on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile.

Programs that can create exe file - Program executable Programs supporting the exension exe on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Multiplatform: Microsoft Visual Studio. Software that import exe file - Program executable Programs supporting the exension exe on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile.

Software which is able to fix, repair or recover exe file - Program executable Programs supporting the exension exe on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Microsoft Windows: FixExec. Unspecified and all other actions for computer programs working with exe file - Program executable Click on the software link for more information about Microsoft Visual Studio.

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