<div>
That is an icon for a file (not the program). <br />
<br />
Copy this file to another neutral location. Delete the original file (you have a backup), and delete the desktop icon. <br />
<br />
Now open Excel, open the saved workbook, save as new in the regular location. and check your icon.
</div>


That is an icon for a file (not the program).

Copy this file to another neutral location. Delete the original file (you have a backup), and delete the desktop icon.

Now open Excel, open the saved workbook, save as new in the regular location. and check your icon.

<div>
<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
why is excel saving files with this weird icon? see middle one.<br />
<a href="https://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2017/05_w20/1162993/Screenshot-2017-05-18-08.37.49.png" target="_blank" class="file-inline" title="Screenshot-2017-05-18-08.37.49.png (26 KB)"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 512 512"><path d="M67.508 468.467c-58.005-58.013-58.016-151.92 0-209.943l225.011-225.04c44.643-44.645 117.279-44.645 161.92 0 44.743 44.749 44.753 117.186 0 161.944l-189.465 189.49c-31.41 31.413-82.518 31.412-113.926.001-31.479-31.482-31.49-82.453 0-113.944L311.51 110.491c4.687-4.687 12.286-4.687 16.972 0l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.685 12.283 0 16.969L184.983 304.917c-12.724 12.724-12.73 33.328 0 46.058 12.696 12.697 33.356 12.699 46.054-.001l189.465-189.489c25.987-25.989 25.994-68.06.001-94.056-25.931-25.934-68.119-25.932-94.049 0l-225.01 225.039c-39.249 39.252-39.258 102.795-.001 142.057 39.285 39.29 102.885 39.287 142.162-.028A739446.174 739446.174 0 0 1 439.497 238.49c4.686-4.687 12.282-4.684 16.969.004l16.967 16.971c4.685 4.686 4.689 12.279.004 16.965a755654.128 755654.128 0 0 0-195.881 195.996c-58.034 58.092-152.004 58.093-210.048.041z"/></svg>Screenshot-2017-05-18-08.37.49.png</a>
</div>
</div>


Screenshot-2017-05-18-08.37.49.png

why is excel saving files with this weird icon? see middle one.

excel file icon - over last few months weird

Microsoft Excel topics include formulas, formatting, VBA macros and user-defined functions, and everything else related to the spreadsheet user interface, including error messages.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office is an integrated suite of applications that includes Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Visio and InfoPath, along with a number of tools to assist in making the individual components work together. Coding within and between the projects is done in Visual Basic for Applications, known as VBA.