15 Comments

How-To: Restore iTunes 6 icon

September 13, 2006 by in Apple,AV,Entertainment,Howto with 15 Comments

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I’m not sure where everyone else stands on this one, but I know I think that the blue iTunes 7 icon is an eyesore in comparison to the original green. Thankfully the process of reclaiming the little green icon requires nothing more than a little know how, a shareware app known as Pacifist, and a resource editor (check out ResKnife).

  1. If you have an iLife CD, or a Restore Disk, use Pacifist to extract a iTunes 6 package. Within that you will find the necessary resources folder containing iTunes 6 icns’s. Fortunately, the extracted resources folder can be downloaded here (1.9MB zip) for those unable to acquire the necessary install disks.
  2. Open your Applications folder and right-click on iTunes 7. Select Show Package Contents. Then go to Contents > Resources. Open the Resources folder that you downloaded above and copy all of the .icns files from iTunes 6 into iTunes 7.
  3. Arrange your folder windows so that you can clearly see iTunes 6 Resources folder on the left, and iTunes 7 Resources folder on the right.
  4. In the iTunes 6 Resources folder, right-click on the iTunes Helper and select Show Package Contents > Resources. Do the same in the iTunes 7 Resources window that you have opened as well.
  5. Copy the iTunesHelper.icns from iTunes 6 into the iTunes 7 window.
  6. Return to iTunes 7 application, right-click and select Show Package Contents. Return to Contents > Resources. Open iTunes.rsrc in a resource editor (see ResKnife). Do the same with the iTunes.rsrc found in the iTunes 6 Resources folder.
  7. The next step may be somewhat confusing – we want to copy and paste elements from the iTunes.rsrc from iTunes 6 into the iTunes.rsrc found in iTunes 7. Match the corresponding values and copy ‘n paste accordingly:

    icns ID 128
    PICT ID 280, 281, 284, 285

Restart or Log Out to guarantee that the changes were made completely. Note that iTunes updates will most likely overwrite your changes requiring you to redo the above steps in order to retain that familiar green iTunes color. Luckily no restart or Log Out was required in order to return iTunes to its green state.

Note that ResKnife creates backups of any .rsrc files that it changes. Look in the parent directory for the duplicate backup file denoted with a ~.


  • http://addiqtmedia.com Addiqt-media

    Yeah, I initially didn’t like the new blue- But I’ve come to like it over the course of the day… I think it was time for a change.

  • easier way

    an easier way is if you can get a hold of the old itunes app is to just get info (Command+I) click the icon and from the edit menu choose copy, do the same on the new icon but instead of copying the icon choose paste

  • Dylan

    From the tone of the article, I’m almost afraid to ask. But, would you mind posting the icon resources for the new, blue, iTunes icon? I kinda sorta, maybe in a day or so, eventually, like it . . .

  • http://steve.deadlycomputer.com steve

    i hate the new icon, alot.
    but is there a way to do it for windows?
    cause unfortunataly, i am still stuck in windows for the time being, and its a pain there, i did some simple things, and still couldnt figure out how to change it:
    http://blog.deadlycomputer.com/2006/09/12/452/
    im still looking but this is good, if its possible for osx, itll be possible for windows.

  • maijc

    you know why they change it?, because its looks like an icon from vista (i believe is the WMP icon, but im not sure), and they dont want to be confused by a 2nd class App.

  • jeremiah johnson

    That’s a lot of work to change an icon that you only look at once in a while.

    I like the blue one. Even if I didn’t I wouldn’t bother to change it.

    I guess this question is deeper – do you use your computer as a hobby or do you use your computer to accomplish work? Those of us that use a computer as a tool to perform work don’t give a poo about the icons. Those that use the computer AS THE WORK could care, I guess.

  • Hellraiser

    Why do u exchange the icon so difficult? All u have to do ist copy and paste the icons in the information pane.

    Peace out

    Hell

  • http://5thirtyone.com Derek

    The tutorial goes through and changes more than just the dock icon. FIletype icons for iTunes related files are restored to their original green and white rather than the new blue and white.

  • jon

    Many people don’t remember, but blue is the color of (i believe) iTunes 2!!!!!!! dum dum dum… i was rooting for red

  • Ian

    Yes, though the color in iTunes 2 was a darker blue. Honestly, people dislike the blue because iTunes has been green for quite a while.

  • http://www.nolemonplease.com Caitlin

    I actually like the blue.

    I remember when the updates always came with new colors. Orange, and purple. And I was actually sad that the color hasn’t changed for a while.

    So I am happy that the icon is now blue.

  • http://www.dorksandlosers.com Tan The Man

    Green was better, but I’ll live…

  • http://www.ronaldpoi.com/ Ronald Poi

    I changed the icon the same day i installed iTunes 7. The blue icon looks awfull and i don’t like it at all… come on, colorfull!… the iTunes team should stop smoking that thing…

  • ClaMs

    I’ve already fallen in love with the blue icon. When I Apple-Tab the line of blue apps (iTunes, Mail, Finder, iMovie, iDvd, Word, Safari) is very nice.

    Still it would be grand to have a red iTunes icon, but somehow Apple hates that colour. Why the hell haven’t they ever released a red Nano? I hate pink!

  • johnny5

    i hate having all blue apps…i added photoshop to the dock to spice up the color a bit…

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