Is the "Set as Default Preset" not working?

That was my first impression as well: gray? My argument against icon change in that way is clearly that all tutorials suffer from what was done before. While the "shape" change will stay, I see no argument against it being red.

I understand to change it each time to red feels like one more step too much, and setting a preset, is not so much less work, while it might overwrite the already done settings.

… and yes, the red version was an easy-to-spot option for such a central tag.

Please check with tech-support, as the old PSD file option is now buried in a zip file, to my knowledge, and I haven't tested it at all with 2026, what side effects a change will have. That is tech support's strength.

https://www.maxon.net/en/support-center

With the same URL, you can also express the need to have it back in red using the "Share your Ideas".

You have my support, but it needs some input from your side as well to get it back.

Thank you so much for your input and time!

Cheers

If I set the application to Redshift in the Render Settings, the same four-part palette appears, as in your image.

I have no idea from which release you have updated to 2023.1 has that menu.

To answer your question, you can build your Windows and fill them with palettes. These palettes can have all the icons in the Command Manager. When assembled, you can set them in a vertical direction and use the Fold Pallete (right mouse click on the palette.
You can save the palette, integrate it and save the Layout; otherwise, after one layout change, it will be gone.

I stay on the standard Layout pretty much all the time. Perhaps setting shortcuts is much more efficient.

More about customization
https://help.maxon.net/c4d/2023/en-us/Default.htm#html/5225.html

All the best