What's new
Apple iPad Forum 🍎

Welcome to the Apple iPad Forum, your one stop source for all things iPad. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

FolderIcons (Free) - Change Your Folders’ Appearance

Mickey330

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 30, 2010
Messages
11,890
Reaction score
2,226
Location
Western NY state (USA)
EDIT (08/20/2012): I can now endorse this again. As of the latest version (v2.0.7), this tweak works fine on my iPad3 running iOS 5.1.1. I do, however, have to add this caveat: If you are also using the tweak "FolderEnhancer," you can only theme the top layer of folders (the ones you would see on the springboard). If you have any folders within folders, don't theme any of the inner folders because it will cause your iDevice to go into a Safe Mode loop. Just so's you know... But, as long as you don't go any deeper, this tweak continues to be a pretty cool way to theme your folders. As always, YMMV.

-------------

EDIT (10/19/2011): I withdraw my kudos about this app ... at this time. The review written below was made for FolderIcons version 2.0.0. The developer has since updated the tweak to version 2.0.1, which crashes my iPad1 on iOS 4.3.3. I've had to uninstall the tweak. I e-mailed the developer but have received no reply as of yet. I will update this update once (if) I hear of any changes. For now - please do not get this tweak.

------------

FolderIcons (Free) - Change Your Folders’ Appearance
[Cydia description]: Normally in iOS Folder Icon is made of folder background image and thumbs of icons in folder, this tweak allows you to set your custom icon for selected folder(s) instead of thumbs, each icon for each folder, also remove folder background, shadow or badge! Configure options from Settings app. Comes with few icons; you will add your own to the FolderIcons folder in the mobile-user's Media folder.

Now, I needed another way to tweak my iPad like I needed another hole in my head. But, this is so cool, I had to share it.

Essentially, with this tweak, you can make a folder on your iPad have any appearance you wish, as long as you have a PNG file installed. Any appearance - from icons, to pictures, to folders, etc. The only caveat is that you’ll want to keep the size of the PNG file down - else it’ll take up the whole screen…

The tweak installs with no additional springboard icon; everything is done via the iPad’s Settings app. It comes with some PNG images to start you off, but not very many - you’ll have to make your own. Again, any PNG image will do (the images that come with the tweak are 118 x 124 pixels).

Once you have some images, place them in the FolderIcons app folder. The address is var/mobile/Media/FolderIcons. Then, go to the Settings app and select FolderIcons. You have to activate it, as you can see here:

FolderIconsSettings1.png


All the iPad’s folders are listed here. Note that you can also turn off badges on the folders globally. Select one of your folders and you’ll get this screen:

FolderIconsSettings2.png


You are offered a lot of options for your folder creation. Under General, you can remove the badge for individual folders here, if you’ve decided not to pick the global removal option. And, I read somewhere that this tweak works best if you have “Remove Background” on - so that’s why I’ve selected that option.

Under the Custom Icon area, you do have to select “Enable" for FolderIcon to work on that particular folder. The “Compose Icon” = ON will enable the tweak to create an icon from image, just like App Store icons. With this option on, if you have a Winterboard theme installed that themes icons as you load apps, the folder icon created will also get themed.

The “Don’t scale icon” = ON ensures the PNG file will be displayed on the iPad at the size you’ve created. IOW, if you’ve made a 150x150 icon, it’ll appear that large on your iPad. This will not work, BTW - it looks terrible because it’s way too big. For my icons, I used a size of 81 x 89 (I didn’t want themed-standard looking icons). This does take some experimenting to get the size just right…

To pick the PNG you want to use for that particular folder, press “Icon Name.” It’ll load another page that will show all the PNGs you’ve loaded in the FolderIcons folder, like this:

FolderIconsSettings3.png


Once you’ve picked your image, respring the iPad and you’re done. This is what my folders look like on one of my springboard pages now:

FolderIconsScreenshot.png


And, they work just like proper folders. They open fine and you can drag 'n' drop an icon into them. They can also be moved around the springboard. They just don't look stock...

Yes, it’s a bit of work, creating icons and then getting them set up just right with FolderIcons. However, I like the uniqueness aspect of it and am very pleased with my results. Hope you find this tweak useful also.

Happy tweaking!

Marilyn

P.S. And, my hat’s off to RudyL90 in this thread: http://www.ipadforums.net/ipad-hacking/48467-foldericons.html. Without his question, I never would have tried this tweak. Thanks, Rudy!

P.P.S. BTW, the developer has offered the tweak for free. However, he does have a PayPal account for donations. If you like this tweak - and download it - please consider donating something for his work.
 
Last edited:

dnaL0R

iPF Noob
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Location
soCAL
was looking for the "categories" replacement for the longest time...
an awesome tweak, thnx !!
 

uhhman

iPF Noob
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Rotterdam
Tweak looks great..but keep on crashing!..i'm running jailbroken 4.3.3..no theme applied so no possible conflicts, only gridlock activated..anybody has solved this? Thx
 
OP
Mickey330

Mickey330

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Aug 30, 2010
Messages
11,890
Reaction score
2,226
Location
Western NY state (USA)
Oh, man, I forgot to post an update!

If you've installed FolderIcons version 2.0.1, it does crash the iPad (well, it crashed my iPad1 on 4.3.3). The review here was written when I was running the 2.0.0 version...which did work wonderfully well.

I e-mailed the developer (about a week ago, now), yet I've heard nothing back.

So, I can only withdraw my review on this - because if you can use it - why get it? So, my recommendation now is - don't get it or if you have got it, uninstall it because yes, it crashes.

Sorry I didn't say anything sooner.

Marilyn
 

uhhman

iPF Noob
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Rotterdam
When crashes it just need uninstall from cydia app with
device in safe mode..no big issue! If developer will inform when fixed please post it..it's a great tweak this one!
 

Most reactions

Latest posts

Top