How to customize user interface icons in 3ds Max 2017 and newer versions

Autodesk Support

Oct 8, 2023

Products and versions covered

Issue:

The new "flat" style icons in newer versions of 3ds Max (starting with 3ds Max 2017) contain less visual information and color cues than previous versions. Some users have requested that they be able to customize the new 3ds Max user interface by changing the icons to older versions, or to custom PNG files.

Causes:

Need for a customized icon workflow or for icons to contain more visual information and color cues for button functionality.

Solution:

Steps are listed in the 3ds Max 2017 Help file to achieve changing icons to older versions or to completely update an icon with a preferred PNG image.

If 3ds Max 2016 icons are preferred to the current ones in 3ds Max 2017 version (or later), a one-step workaround for some of the main icons (Main Toolbar and Command Panel) has been created to help users who would like to uses the old icons.

To use the icon workaround:

Extract the "Light" and "Dark" folders from the attached zip file.
- Note: Download the zipped folder for your current version of 3ds Max (2017, 2018) as the folder hierarchies for the icons are not the same.
Place the newly extracted folders in the 3ds Max Icons folder. The Icons folder is located in: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max <version number>\UI_ln\Icons
Start or Restart 3ds Max to view the old icons.
To change between UI themes (Light/Dark) with the appropriately colored icons, restart 3ds Max to implement correct icon changes. The Light and Dark themes will now display the 3ds Max 2016 icons accordingly:

3ds Max Icon File Downloads:

Icons for 3ds Max 2017
Icons for 3ds Max 2018

Products:

3ds Max;

Versions:

2017; 2018;

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