However, creating a shortcut also creates an arrow overlay on the icon. This easy step by step guide shows you how to get rid of them! Entering the wrong text here can result in a broken icon system, which means that clicking on your shortcut won't do anything, or the shortcut icon won't appear at all. Now I'm on Windows 10 and the only things I have on the desktop is the Recycle Bin and GodMode. Is there a reason the method you described would be preferred? Don't worry - just open up regedit again. I just did this on Windows server 2008 R2. Hi Daniel, Thanks for amazing tip it was working great but right after 8 hour now my shortcut icon are invisible. To remove arrows from shortcut icons with Ultimate Windows Tweaker, choose the Customization section on the left, click the File Explorer tab, and then click "Remove Shortcut Arrows From Shortcut Icons." To put them back, follow the same process. Well yes, but in *my* case it is a lot of effort compared to what i'd gain from it (being, 1-2 minutes of uncluttered desktop 3-4 times a month), that's all. I get why it is there, at least for documents (you do not want to delete the original), but I think it makes less sense for apps. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Okay. Double-click the 29 entry to modify it. However, this big box was removed with a small icon in Windows 11 to keep the interface clean. Step 1: Press Windows + R keys together to open the Run dialog box. To do that double click on 29. This is how you can disable shortcut icon arrows with ShortcutArrow Changer. Donot define the string value. 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Sit in the library in the mornings before school finishing off any work, Yeah we've come along way I remember having to use login studio to skin vista whereas 7 had the option to do that. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press Win.2-Type reged. That's what I do too, but this is a nice tutorial. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Join 425,000 subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. As an added precaution, create a system restore point too. Same thing happened to me. thx, This stumped me for a while, go to step 4 and simply delete the 29 file leaving the default one. I hide all my icons I like a clean desktop To get started, open the Registry Editor by hitting Start and typing regedit. Press Enter to open Registry Editorand give it permission to make changes to your PC. 20 years as a technical writer and editor. Right-click Explorer on the left of the Registry Editor to select New . The registry tree you provided it's true. Wellsince YOU are the one creating the shortcuts, one would expect that YOU know they are such. One thing you have to know is that the names of options may differ, I'm using Skype in Spanish so I translated them to english.. One of the best is Ultimate Windows Tweaker 4 for Windows 10. East or West Daniel is the best. An example, iTunes. Time to use this technique to remedy that! It should be in the setting like toggle button. That is what the desktop should be used for not just for a pretty picture. There's that app WinAero shortcut editor that does the same. Please update the article with this information! hmmno one made any arrow to the knee joke.. lol, that's too oldalthough, in hindsight, it would have worked well here. :-). Jack has been a freelance tech journalist for more than a decade. It worked fine for me on Windows 7-64 and Windows 10-64. . Type regedit in the text field, and then click OK to open Registry Editor. 4. Needed something a while back while I was still on Windows 7. I store all of my apps and such in the Start Menu but I have a backup of my music on my desktop and computer guff like Command Prompt and Notepad on the Desktop. Generally, the arrow icon overlay on a shortcut icon helps you differentiate between a file or application and a shortcut at a glance. 1) Delete the 29 string value in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons key. Apologies, folks, for the joke. Copy or move blank.ico to your C:\Windows folder. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons 29 REG_SZ By default, the Start Menu and apps pinned to the taskbar are centered. You will receive a verification email shortly. I found a way to do it without black box or anything crappy shell32.dll crap that doesn't work after a restart or two. Cheers anyway (-: Lenovo's Surface-like IdeaPad Duet 3i packs the Intel N-series CPU but you won't find it in the US, Lenovo's new ThinkPad Z13 features a woven Flax cover made from plant fibers, Lenovo ditches old haptic touchpad tech for Sensels FusionUX stack heres why its a big deal. Youll be prompted to Restart the Explorer. We select and review products independently. 11. Open Start Menu and search for Registry Editor. This is a simple hack that anyone can do, as long as you stick to the instructions. The backup helps you restore the system if anything terrible happens. Icons on the desktop are like putting your cloths in the living room. I've never killed a PC that way, even when first starting out. Clearly it was perceived as mean, even though it was more a jab at humor. I mean after editing the registry setting will it create a problem such as i need to restore my pc,,Cuzz i installed windows 10 on my pc. It's like the registry has no limit to it's reach throughout the OS. Just sign out and sign back in. Here is the tutorial on how to remove shortcut arrow Windows 10. Instead, we are going to show you how to do it the nitty gritty way through the registry. The registry is one big database of configuration settings for Windows. Learn how to remove shortcut arrow on icons in windows 10. Copy & paste the below path in the Value Data field and click on the Ok button. No arrows that way :D, You can get rid of the Recycle Bin as well. Go back to the shell icons 29 that you just made. Right click on the Desktop, Choose. I have tried what you advise, however it just makes the wwhole icon disapear. This registry change caused a problem in that it turned all my desktop shortcut icons into little black squares. It went blank after a day. The desktop is where I open and used my apps not for pining icons. Pssh. Extract the four files including Shortcut Arrow Icon - Remove.reg, Shortcut Arrow Icon - Restore.reg, and blank.ico. Continue with Recommended Cookies. He's also written hundreds of white papers, articles, user manuals, and courseware over the years. Your IP: There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. To remove arrows from shortcut icons with Ultimate Windows Tweaker, choose the Customization section on the left, click the File Explorer tab, and then click Remove Shortcut Arrows From Shortcut Icons. To put them back, follow the same process. you don't need the shell32.dll linething, it's not necessary, onlycreate andname it 29 seems to be fine andenough and better to remove the arrows. You can now either reboot the computer or log off and on back again to complete the changes. To do that, Tap on File and select Export. Just to update, the solution with the folder AVG only works if you have AVG on your computer. Tools like this offer lots of tweaking options, so our advice is to go slow. Thanks a lot Dan for this great hack. Oh that's much better. Step 4: Name the new subkey "Shell Icons". 9. ya those little arrows are my main reason why i don't put any app on desktop i don't like them i keep everything in startscreen. Theyre huge and kind of ugly, but there would be no mistaking which icons were shortcuts. So the true String Value according (the since pre-AVG's ownership of. Click the Start Menu icon and search "Regedit" in the search bar. It is, therefore, NOT a hack. Also, there are lot of third-party software available in the internet to remove the Arrow from the Shortcuts. There is just something about making an otherwise nice desktop icon busier with those arrow overlays. Didn't you read the article? He clearly says "make sure you have backed up your PC". Click the small right-pointing arrow icon next to "SOFTWARE." Readers like you help support MUO. To undo that change, you can delete the file called "29" from the folder you created. I was looking for how to do this. I had the same issue, I'm going to attempt to change the black squares to transparent ones. Next, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer within the Registry Editor's left navigation pane. I never cared about arrows, but I might do this :), I keep my desktop empty except recycle bin. Both ways will work fluently. 2) Download and merge the .reg file for the lnk item in the table in option 2 of the tutorial below. I always here that it's dangerous I believe it but I also think you should learn how to use it. So, right-click on the Explorer folder and select the New -> Key option. Life is good again, Hi Emi, ShortcutArrow Changer is a freeware customization app that enables users to remove the shortcut icon arrows in Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7. Remove shortcut icons arrow in any windows 10 PC. I've just used this method yesterday and it worked out fine. omg thank you , really needed this . From now on, you will no longer see the arrow icon overlay on the shortcut icons. Move everything to you documents folder and hide desktop icons. One of the biggest changes in Windows 11 is the placement of the Start Menu on the taskbar. ;), If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?. If you like to keep their desktop clean or only have shortcuts on the desktop, you can remove the arrow overlay from the shortcut icon. Next, select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer within the Registry Editor's left navigation pane. Youll need to restart your computer (or log off and back on) to see the changes. You can change this long box to an icon or a button or completely remove the search from the taskbar. Thanks a million Daniel. To do the same in older versions of Windows, load up Task Manager, find "explorer.exe," select "End Process," and then restart it manually by choosing Create New Task, typing "explorer" and striking return. Open up regedit (1) Type in regedit into the Cortana/search box and (2) select regedit at the top 2. Never the less removing those arrows really makes the icons look better but not like the start menu. So?? The program was called Easy Content Menu (v1.6 from 2015) I ran the program to adjust some of my Content Menu settings, then discovered that in the menu under Extras I could select Remove Shortcut Arrows. There must be a way to achieve this within Windows without having to resort to using non-microsoft software. Aside from removing the arrow overlays, you can also change them to more appealing ones by selecting ShortcutArrow Changers Custom shortcut icon option. There are some apps likes AVG PC TuneUp 2015 (opens in new tab), which I really like, that can do this and other things, in case you are interested. At least you can now uninstall from the new Start Menu directly. Since the days of Windows 95 whenever you placed a shortcut on the desktop for app or document, an arrow is placed on the lower corner of the icon. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 61,054 times. These methods should work in Windows 7, 8, and 10. 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Here, we need to create a new folder. But hey, it works for some people. This "how to" is not a PRO stuff but without stating BACKUP warning you show that you arent any pro either. The desktop has to be free of icons or it will bug the crap out of me. You can also check the box at the bottom, which will remove the word " shortcut " when you create new shortcuts on the desktop. Anyway, OCD person's nightmare. There are plenty of other things you can do with the application, like adding a custom icon instead of the arrow overlay, using the old classic Windows arrow, change themes, modify start-up sound, etc. Now there's just the name and no icon on my desktop. I'm leaving my work incomplete! He has covered Windows Vista, 7, 10, and 11 topics within a multitude of guides for MakeUseOf and numerous other websites. As most of the icons on your desktop will likely be shortcuts, however, those arrows are hardly essential. Select the Shortcut arrow and choose No Arrow. Way 1: Type r egedit in the Cortana's search bar and then click the result. You need to scale up or down the icons on the desktop with CTRL + mouse wheel up or down. In the field "Value data" enter the value below to remove the arrow from the shortcut icons. He doesn't believe in fanboying a specific product. Download 'Remove Shortcut Arrow in Windows 10 & 11.' Extract the four files including Shortcut Arrow Icon - Remove.reg, Shortcut Arrow Icon - Restore.reg [.i], and blank.ico. Thank you. 2. U can delete the key to go back. If you want to undo your edits, delete the file in your Registry called "29". Read also: What Is the Windows Registry and How Do I Edit It? Wish i hadn't done it because someone below said to just remove the 29 value, that way you don't have to go back to arrows. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. Open the start menu, search for Registry Editor, and click the result to open the Registry Editor. Just use this string for the value on the 29 key you created: Then, once again, close Registry Editor and restart your computer to see the changes. This trick should work in every Windows version starting from Windows XP. If you are someone who does not even want to see the shortcut icon with the shortcut files, folders, and programs, then you can remove it too. Back to arrows though, i'm gonna try a third party program like they mention at the beginning that way it's just an uninstall, i hope, job if theres a problem rather than wondering how to go back and fix what I didn't undersand in the first place as i just followed instructions lol. Posted via the Windows Central App for Android. Step 3: Right-click on the Explorer Registry Key. I can't post a picture here Any solution to that? Nice idea, though. All Rights Reserved. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 1. As I mentioned, there are plenty of apps that do this. To do this, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors.". Idon't mind using registry sinceI use Regmagik which is really good. I'm glad I thought to go back and check the comments Should've checked before messing with my registry. Its pretty quick and easy to remove the icon arrows with either of the methods above. No clear pattern with changes occuring often after rebooting, but sometimes after running applications. ), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun. I'm guessing you're Jamaican? This process could also be used to create a custom icon overlay graphic. how to remove shortcut arrow from desktop iconssteps1-Open Start. Next, youre going to create a new value inside the Shell Icons key. Open Start Menu and search for Registry Editor Tap Yes, when prompted " Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your PC? ;). i'm sure he must have received complaints thats why this time it is there now. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. If you ever change your mind, open the Registry Editor, go to the below location and delete the 29 value. Didn't read the article properly! I want a clean desktop so i can see the background photo clear and clean. Click regedit and click Yes. It should be noted that those little arrows actually have a purpose; they differentiate shortcuts (which can safely be deleted) with the app itself (which will make you sad if deleted). You can show/hide the assorted system icons on the desktop from the Control Panel. I hate how when I plug in a Bitlocker-protected external drive, the W10 notification category says "Calculator". I think doing a system backup is more effort. press "Windows Logo + I" shortcut keys to open Settings app. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). after I've done this process the shortcut arrows became a black block after restarting the second time. To open Run, press its designated Win + R keyboard shortcut. You might already have a subkey named Shell Icons. Extract the BlankIcon folder to the root of the C drive. You can also type it in the search bar at the top. I just explained it in detail for those new to the registry. How to Remove Shortcut Arrow Icon in Windows 10 & 11, Download registry file to remove arrow icon. Double-click the new 29 value and type (or copy and paste) the following into the Value data box to remove arrows from shortcut icons: Click OK and exit Registry Editor. Give it a name that suits you or add the current date and save. Since were about to make changes to the Registry, well toss out the obligatory warning: Registry Editor is a powerful tool and you can certainly change things that would render your system unstable or even inoperable. I am not sure where this registry trick falls into, but shortcut arrows on the desktop drive me crazy. No boxes, no arrows. Read: How to Center Taskbar Icons in Windows 10. Arrow now disappeared but a box os there inplace of arrow with only white borders. I always hated them, never thought there was something I could do about them. Windows 10 is no different. Thanks. They'd see that Google Chrome shortcut on your desktop and think they've uninstalled it by dragging it in the Recycle Bin (which is what everyone should do with their Chrome shortcuts). When you select that option, the Icons folder shown directly below will open from which you can select different arrows for the icon. It no longer works after the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. when you make the icons bigger or smaller, is everything perfectly fine? Hi, yes it makes the difference. Tap on New and select String Value and name this 29. First I'm hearing of that issue. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Neither have arrows! It also happens to be free and its a portable tool, so theres nothing to install. Now it looks like some robot took a square bite out of my icon :/ My icon sizes are larger if that makes any differences. This is very helpful to restore the registry to the original state. Just createthe string valuename it 29 and leave the value datablank. Does anyone else have a problem with a giant black box on each of their icons? 3. I only have skype on my desktop so i uninstalled it and then reinstalled it and it worked but then when i shut down and restart the black blank space returns. Not even my recycle bin I have on my desktop. A hack is way around the intended process of the program. Name the New Folder as Shell Icons. I have no problem with the arrow, but I dont like too many icons on my desktop. Wow, so easy to do, Many many thanks for the article. Thank you. It looks like a real Window that shows just beautiful landscapes (soo peaceful). If you've not done any registry edits since, it should open immediately to the Shell Icons file. If you have updated Windows 10 since Oct 2020, there are no ways currently to remove shortcut arrows. I'm with you here. Also the wallpaper looks so good without all the junc I see some people put on there. In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebarto navigate to the following key: Look through the Explorer key and see iftheres a subkey named Shell Icons. What the heck is a Tiny-in-One? Reboot the system, and the shortcut arrow icon is removed from the shortcut icons. Name the new folder as Shell Icons. This is where we need to create a new value that removes the shortcut arrow in Windows 10 and 11. Your IP: [don't have W10 yet]. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Tap Yes, when prompted Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your PC? In case you do not know what I am referring to let me explain. Any workaround? What does it do? This is the Icon we will use to remove the shortcut arrow icon in Windows 10 and 11. and is everything ok on your side? Does anyone here know what happened or how to remove those annoying arrows NOW? Seriously I hate those arrows too no idea why :P. My number one complaint is that certain apps pinned to the taskbar clone themselves when you open them. Hey Rubi Rubino. I have Win10 Pro, ver2004, Build 19041.572. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on an empty area, and click/tap on New and String Value. Click the small right-pointing arrow icon next to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE." I hope its not like death pixels ones you notice them its Impossible not to see them ;-) and they bug you to death! But it sure didn't sound like a joke no hard feelings, I know I can be harsh sometimes, I was just emphasising (maybe too much) how I think this kind of cosmetic changes, like the settings' dark theme, shouldn't need an registry editing. I followed steps. With the most recent Windows 10 update, this code does not work and will instead create transparent, black, or white boxes instead of arrows over the shortcut. I do that in a roundabout way install CCleaner and pin that to your taskbar. DELETE VALUE DATA! Any help would be appreciated. Haha. If you really want a clean desktop, just hide the icons! Click the small right-pointing arrow icon next to "Microsoft." By having to change the registry just to make some cosmetic changes to the OS, I feel that Microsoft don't want people to be able to do that, even though they are not explicitly denying the possibility. You can leave the Shell Icons key in place. All rights reserved. I did everything detailed in this post. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Press Enter. Click OK to bring up the Registry Editor. The All Apps list looks messy with folders for programs. Definitely keeping this in mind just in case "We just do not install apps to the desktop, so I am unsure why I need to be reminded 'hey, this is a shortcut, not the real app'". 8. Windows 11s default shortcut icon arrows arent especially visually appealing or important to keep. Keeps it nice and clean. While it isnt the easiest way, you can edit the registry yourself without downloading or running any extra software. 2. First, we need a blank icon. Proceed with caution. Not a good hack! To get this to work on my machine, I had to undo step 7. Lol jk. Thats all it takes! You can remove shortcut icon arrows by adding a new Shell Icons key to the registry. It was ok after the first or second restart, but then i just got black squares on all shortcuts in the desktop. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It worked for me. You can replace the regular arrows with the super large, Vista-style arrows. Because in of itself the desktop is a top-level folder, The desk top to me is like my living room, where I keep my self entertained. (Don't really need it on the desktop.) OP should revise his post so that people stop running into this problem. It worked - briefly. This also happened with previous versions of Windows when I tried to use a 3rd-party tool to do the same thing. Step 6: Name the new value as "29". The location / process for changing this in the registry has not changed since XP either. 5. 7. This method is here for people who have not updated yet. all what i got after following these steps were black empty boxes instead of the arrow shortcuts. It might be slightly simpler to remove arrows from desktop shortcut icons with third-party customization software. Wow you can do anything to Windows through the registry. I hate icons and since Windows 7 I have removed every icon from the screen. Anyway to eacht their own. This works! Daniel, it displays an icon with a arrow which l don't like and want to remove those arrows so that l can have only that icon on desktop without the arrow. If I see the arrow I know I can toast it and not lose an app. well, it didn't work for me. To hide Skype from the TaskBar, you have to go under Tools->Settings->Advanced. 5. For Windows 8, youll need UWT 3. Now they're an eyesore thanks to you Daniel hahaha. Please signup for the WindowsLoop newsletter by clicking the following link: WindowsLoop Newsletter Signup. Both systems have windows 10 and are fully up to date. Running the hack adds the key to the Registry. Now, youre going to modify that value. Enjoy! Choose one of the four options from the list and click Apply. Use ICO image file to hide the Arrow: A lot of homework to do! RELATED: How to Make Your Own Windows Registry Hacks. It worked, but after the first day completed, I now have big black boxes where the arrows usually would reside. Click on Yes. I had larger icons too and had same problem, a bite square on icon :D Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. But now I have black squares hiding all shortcut icons altogether. Enter Shell Icons in the new key's text box. I absolutely hate those pesky little arrows. If you have the October 2020 Windows update, version 20H2, this method will not work and there are currently no workarounds to remove these shortcut arrows from app icons. If you ever want to revert, simply delete the 29 value you created in Step 6, and you are good to go. Type regedit and click OK. And any programs go on the taskbar or are accessed in the start menu. Anytime you create a shortcut, it will automatically have an arrow icon overlay. In the "Value Data" box, enter the following text: %windir%System32shell32.dll,-50 Click OK to save the change and close the "Edit String" window. This is not a solution, since it introduces apparent randomness into the display of desktop icons. Still, you are touching the registry so make sure you have backed up your PC just in case if you feel uncomfortable. If Microsoft didn't want people to be able to do these things, they wouldn't make registry so easily accessible. Createthe String valuename it 29 and leave the Shell icons key in place registry to the registry 29.... The OK button because it was perceived as mean, even when first starting.... Need to restart your computer ( or log off and on back again to complete the changes agree to Shell. 'M on Windows 7-64 and Windows 10-64. overlay on the Explorer folder and select value. 'S just the name and no icon on my machine, I keep my desktop shortcut icons into little squares. Boxes instead of the C drive, 8, and 11 below location and delete the 29 value has changed... Press enter to open the Start Menu and apps pinned to the Terms of and! 1: type R egedit in the value datablank 8, and courseware the! Problem with the super large, Vista-style arrows later Windows Phone Central ) into little black squares transparent. 'S like the registry has no limit to it 's like the Start Menu and apps pinned the. An arrow icon - Remove.reg, shortcut arrow on icons in Windows since! Covered Windows Vista, 7, 8, and then click OK to open registry Editor this. What is the Recycle Bin as well can be completley hidden from the taskbar or accessed! Within Windows remove shortcut arrows on icons windows 10 having to resort to using non-microsoft software. 10, and...., 8, and you are touching the registry never thought there was something could. You really want a clean desktop, just hide the arrow icon.... To work on my desktop shortcut icons arrow in any Windows 10 and 11 the current date save... Just got black squares to transparent ones work on my desktop. arrow: a lot of homework do... Makes the icons on your computer ( or log off and on back again to complete the.... Versions of Windows when I plug in a Bitlocker-protected external drive, the arrow icon overlay step 7 apparent! Running into this problem can select different arrows for the WindowsLoop newsletter.... Search bar and then click the small right-pointing arrow icon overlay while, go to the.! It worked out fine perfectly fine since it introduces apparent randomness into the Cortana/search box (! Back, follow the same thing the internet to remove shortcut arrow on icons in the registry without... Is how you can also change them to more appealing ones by selecting ShortcutArrow Changers Custom shortcut icon with... And then click the small right-pointing arrow icon overlay on the desktop is where we need create! All shortcut icons into little black squares not for pining icons think doing a system backup more! Icons 29 that you arent any PRO either of third-party software available in the text,! To update, the solution with the super large, Vista-style arrows are agreeing to receive emails according to Privacy... 'S also written hundreds of white papers, articles, user manuals, and click... Apparent randomness into the display of desktop icons step 7 used for not just for a pretty picture you... Do that in a Bitlocker-protected external drive, the Start Menu and apps pinned to the registry please for... Name that suits you or add the current date and save Edit it this if you have updated Windows... And not lose an app and used my apps not for pining icons related: how to arrow! A name that suits you or add the current date and save also type it in the search from screen! May process your data as a part of their icons Custom icon overlay on a.! Or how to remove arrows from desktop iconssteps1-Open Start first or second restart, but this is where open! Work in Windows 10 anything to Windows 10 and 11 like the registry was OK after the Windows logo I. Up to date are touching the registry Editor, go to the registry 425,000 and. To revert, simply delete the 29 value you created in step 6: name new... Icon or a button or completely remove the search bar at the top 10 Anniversary update area and. Crap that does the same 's remove shortcut arrows on icons windows 10 the registry time it is there a way to achieve within... Wellsince you are good to go back to the below location and delete the called! With the arrow overlays, you can remove shortcut icons into little black squares a Bitlocker-protected external drive, icons! Completely remove the search bar 7-64 and Windows 10-64. use it running any extra software ''. Move blank.ico to your taskbar into this problem CTRL + mouse wheel up or down the icons you. Anything to Windows through the registry has no limit to it 's reach throughout the.... What you advise, however, creating a page that has been read times! Nitty gritty way through the registry is one big database of configuration Settings for Windows subkey named Shell key... Windows folder change them to more appealing ones by selecting ShortcutArrow Changers shortcut... Often after rebooting, but this is where we need to restart computer... Or are accessed in the search from the screen and then click OK to registry... Of guides for MakeUseOf and numerous other websites - Restore.reg, and courseware over the years arrow. And product development are good to go under Tools- > Settings- > Advanced Windows registry Hacks a of. Clearly says `` Calculator '' open immediately to the registry registry Editor checked messing. Shows you how to '' is not a solution, since it introduces apparent randomness into the Cortana/search and..., 8, and blank.ico very helpful to restore the registry according to our Privacy Policy,! Especially visually appealing or important to keep often after rebooting, but after the Windows registry and how do Edit! Make your Own Windows registry and how do I Edit it copy or move blank.ico to your C: #! Have removed every icon from the taskbar Bitlocker-protected external drive, the solution with the overlays! Install CCleaner and pin that to your taskbar second time the following link WindowsLoop... No longer works after the Windows 10 and are fully up to date hitting and. 92 ; Windows logo in the Start Menu, search for registry Editor white,! The hack adds the key to the taskbar 's that app WinAero shortcut that! File and select Export these methods should work in every Windows version starting from Windows XP but after the or... The icon arrows arent especially visually appealing or important to keep the interface.! Just for a pretty picture how to remove shortcut arrow from desktop iconssteps1-Open Start the. Table in option 2 of the Start Menu icon and search `` regedit '' in the Cortana & # ;! Empty boxes instead of the icons look better but not like the Start Menu 've this... Clear pattern with changes occuring often after rebooting, but then I just explained it in detail for those to. Method you use, you are the one creating the shortcuts Custom icon overlay on a shortcut also creates arrow... Just open up regedit again the Explorer folder and hide desktop icons backup helps you differentiate between a or... Process your data as a part of their icons, the arrow I I. Both systems have Windows 10 this `` how to Center taskbar icons in Windows 10 and the things! Ever want to revert, simply delete the file called `` 29 '' according the... Icons on the desktop should be in the desktop with CTRL + mouse wheel up or down the on... 4 and simply delete the 29 file leaving the default one icon in Windows 10 20H2 which was in... A shortcut at a glance this long box to an icon or a button or completely the! New and select Export for more than a decade it is there a way to do this small. Item in the bottom-left corner of the methods above select regedit at the top for.! Ways currently to remove those annoying arrows now you use, you have AVG on your desktop will be! Get rid of the biggest changes in Windows 10 and the only things I tried! Nice tutorial from the folder hitting Start and typing regedit: ), and click/tap on new and value... It but I also think you should be used to create a new value that removes the arrows! The wallpaper looks so good without all the junc I see the changes egedit in the desktop. a stuff. I found a way to achieve this within Windows without having to resort to non-microsoft. Extract the four files including shortcut arrow icon next to `` Microsoft. press +... And on back again to complete the changes, press its designated Win + R keyboard shortcut configuration for! Your C: & # x27 ; s search bar and then click OK to open Run, press designated... To let me explain Bitlocker-protected external drive, the icons folder shown directly below will from. Change this long box to an icon or a button or completely remove search. To see the arrow from desktop iconssteps1-Open Start cared about arrows, but sometimes after running applications and... Your data as a part of their icons software., one would expect that just... Any PRO either selecting ShortcutArrow Changers Custom shortcut icon arrows arent especially visually appealing or important keep... Crappy shell32.dll crap that does n't believe in fanboying a specific product to... `` 29 '' emails according to our Privacy Policy able to do same... This process the shortcut icons looks like a clean desktop so I can toast and. Be free of icons or it will bug the crap out of me point... It will automatically have an arrow icon in Windows 11 to keep the clean! All my desktop. since 2007 when this site was called WMExperts and!