How do you install icon sets in Mac OS X?

The simple way is to “copy” an image that you want to use as an icon. Select whatever you want to change and “get info” for it (cmd+i). Click its icon in the window and “paste” the new image over it.

Some places that have free icons:
Iconfactory
Pixelgirl Presents
Icon Buffet

hmm is there an easier way? I tried, and it worked. But for the “system” icon, nothing happens when i try to change it

For those pesky system icons you’d need something like Candybar. It’s about as good as it gets for managing and changing icons.

A great resource for free icons is the Releases section of MacThemes. There you’ll find alot of really talented artists. Scan the releases, if you like the icons, click on the link to the artist’s site next to their profile image.

Interfacelift is good for icon sets too. personally I think most of the apple icons are fine, but those new folders in Leopard are so ugly!

@bluemukaki

Certainly not as ugly as they were in Tiger! I would make sure to check out the Agua Leopard Folders by David Lanham. Those have always been a really nice replacement set, even in Tiger.

Actually, a program called LiteIcon does a pretty good job, you can drag the icons onto the program and LiteIcon will change them for you. This is really useful if you’re trying to change something like the icon for a standard folder. You can even change things like trash can icons on your dock etc.

As for icons, the Apple website has some pretty good sets, and otherwise i get my mine from InterfaceLIFT.

Some good solutions in apple site… and you can download some good free icon here