Customize USB flash drive [Icon, background & label]

Tweaking own USB flash drives in Windows 7/vista/xp by assigning icon, its background and it’s label/name is really a simple trick. Though USB customizer tools are available to download and using those tools one can customize own USB. It is discussed  here. But if we got the tricks to customize our own gadgets then no software or other tools won’t be required.


This post will show how we can customize our USB and make it a different from others one.
The following tutorial is divided into three parts:

1. Customize USB flash drive’s icon.

2. Changing USB flash drive’s background image.

3. Label your flash drive in own or other’s language.

So, lets start the tutorial and give the gadgets a new look. Customize USB flash drive’s icon: One Icon file (.ico or .bmp or .png) is needed to set an icon for USB. You can download lots of icons from Icon Archive, DeviantArt, VistaIcon or find out USB Icon on the web. Your selected icon will be shown when the USB will be connected to a PC.

1. Get an icon file to the USB. Suppose the icon file name is usb.ico
   
2. Create a new text document and write or paste the following lines
   
[autorun]
icon=usb.ico
   
   
3. Save the new text document as autorun.inf in the USB
   
   
4. Place the autorun.inf into the USB. If the autorun.inf is created into the USB then this step is not needed.
   
5. Remove your USB safely and plug it again.
   

Important: *.inf file name must be "autorun.inf" and icon file name must be declared in autorun.inf Changing USB flash drive’s background image: Previously I’ve discussed about changing the folder’s background. Now we are going to change USB flash drive’s default (white) background. This trick is also applied to local drives also. 

1. Put an image (*.jpg *.png *.bmp etc.) file into the USB drive. Suppose the image file name is back.jpg
   
   
2. Open the notepad and paste these lines.
   for windows xp:
[{BE098140-A513-11D0-A3A4-00C04FD706EC}]
iconarea_image=“back.jpg”
iconarea_text=”0xFFFFFF”
   For windows 7/vista:
[AveFolder]
IconArea_Image=back.jpg
ShadowedText=1
Recursive=1
   
3. Save the text file as desktop.ini into the USB drive.
   
   
4. Refresh the window or remove the USB safely and plug it again.
   

Important: Here "ShadowedText=1" and "Recursive=1" are optional. If ShadowedText=1 then all the text of folder or file will give a shadow effect and Recursive=1 means all sub-directories will have the specified background image file. Put “0” instead of “1” if you want to disable this function.
Label your flash drive in own or other’s language: You can add some words as your name or other’s and want to see the words instead of a default USB label. The process will show you how doing that.

1. Insert the line label=”your-name” into the autorun.inf and follow these sub-steps to complete the task.
   
   Already have an autorun.inf on USB:
   Open the autorun.inf double clicking on it and paste the line (without quotes) “label=your-name” where “your-name” is the name given by you in your own language.
   Create a new autorun.inf file:
   To give a name as USB label, USB must have an autorun.inf file which will contain the label declaration. Open your notepad and type [autorun] and then type label=”your-name” where “your-name” is the name given by you in your own language.
2. Type your name instead of “your-name” inside the autorun.inf. Here I’ve used my name in Bengali language.
   
3. Now save the file by going file option which is on the top left side of the notepad.
   
   
4. Select save as and check the file name is autorun.inf
   
5. Change the encoding to UNICODE. The Encoding option is located in the lower middle of save as window.
   
   
6. Safely remove your USB drive and plug it again. The new given label words are shown as your USB name.
   

The above tips are also applied for MicroSD, MiniSD or any other memory cards when they are connected as a storage device. Now start customizing your USB drive now. Don’t forget to leave a comment.