My MSIX app icons in search results is generic PNG icon

Question

Hello,

I packaged my desktop app and when installing my msix app, and search for it in Windows Search on taskbar, I see a generic PNG icon image in search results, both in left smaller and right larger.

It is not limited to my app only, new Outlook for Windows installed from Store, even Microsoft Store icon itself is shown as generic png image in search results!

Is this because I didn't include a specific size AppList.targetsize / AppList.scale / SmallTile / MedTile png?

Because it happens for all UWP apps, I also enabled file previews in explorer and reset icon cache.

Should something special be declared in AppxManifest.xml?

• It seems the issue is from disabled file previews in explorer, once enabled, the packaged apps' icons are showing in search results!
  Any workaround like including .ico for search results? Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi,

I don't think this is an MSIX packaging issue. If even built‑in apps like Outlook (new) and Microsoft Store show a generic PNG icon in taskbar search, that means the problem is with the Windows icon/thumbnail system, not your app.

Windows Search reuses the same thumbnail/preview infrastructure as File Explorer. When thumbnails/previews are disabled (or the cache is broken), Search often falls back to a generic icon for all packaged apps.

Try checking this:

1. Open File Explorer Options -> View.
2. Uncheck “Always show icons, never thumbnails”.
3. Check “Show thumbnails instead of icons” (and preview handlers if available).
4. Apply and sign out/in or reboot.

There is currently no AppxManifest setting or .ico that can override this behavior if the system’s thumbnail/preview features are disabled. MSIX / UWP apps don’t use a single .ico like classic Win32 shortcuts; they use PNG logo assets declared in the manifest, and modern surfaces such as Start and Search pick icons from those assets. Adding a .ico file will not change how Search renders the icon for an MSIX‑packaged app.

Separately, Microsoft’s iconography guidance recommends that apps provide at minimum 16×16, 24×24, 32×32, 48×48, and 256×256 icons so Windows can always scale down from a high‑quality 256px source instead of scaling up a smaller image, which keeps icons crisp across Start, taskbar, and Search surfaces (see App icon construction).

Finally as last resort if this doesn't work, you might have to reset icon cache.

Hope this helps.