Remove Shortcut Icon via Registry
The registry hack is a simple way to remove the arrows from your computer without installing any third-party programs. It works on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 without any issue. You just have to be comfortable using the registry, but it’s a straightforward process.
Windows 8: To open the Registry Editor, on Windows 8, start typing regedit in the search box. (On Windows 7 and Vista, go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Registry Editor.) ..
Now navigate to the following key: Now navigate to the following key:
The Windows Shell Icon Key is used to change the appearance of the Explorer window. This key can be found in the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE – SOFTWARE – Microsoft – Windows – CurrentVersion – Explorer – Shell Icons
If you don’t have the Shell Icons key under Explorer by default, right-click on Explorer in the left-hand pane and choose New – Key.
A new key will appear in the left-hand menu and you’ll have to give it a name. Now type in Shell Icons with the capitalization shown in the screenshot above. Then click on Shell Icons in the left pane and you’ll see just a key named Default in the right-hand pane. Right-click on any white area in the right-pane and choose New – String Value. ..
29 The 29th entry in the key editor is the most recent.
If you have trouble closing out the registry editor, try restarting your computer and then logging in.
Windows Shortcut Arrow Editor
Windows Shortcut Arrow Editor is a nifty little program that is my favorite because it not only works on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 32 or 64-bit versions, but also doesn’t require you to mess around with the registry. ..
The first option is to run the installer as administrator. This will create a new folder called “Windows” in your current directory and place the “Windows.exe” file inside of it. The second option is to run the installer as a normal user. This will place the “Windows.exe” file in your current directory but won’t create a new folder called “Windows”. The third option is to run the installer as an unprivileged user. This will place the “Windows.exe” file in your current directory but won’t create any folders. The fourth option is to not run the installer at all and just leave it sitting in your current directory with its original filename.
The arrow is a smaller arrow than the default one and you can also choose a custom image if you want something other than an arrow to show up on the icon. The nice thing about this program is that you don’t even have to log off for it to work. Once you select the radio button, the desktop is automatically updated and you’ll see the arrows have disappeared.
Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover
Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover is a small program that takes the registry hack and wraps it into a small program. This little freeware application is by no means a stunning piece of software with loads of features, etc, but then again it’s usually the simple applications that everyone loves. The only downside is that it only works on 32-bit versions of Windows. ..
The new program is very simple to use and does its one job well. You can either shrink the arrow size for the arrow shortcuts or remove them altogether from your icons. Choose one of the four options from the list and click Apply. You can also check the box at the bottom, which will remove the word “shortcut” when you create new shortcuts on your desktop. ..
Your computer is not working properly. Try to fix it by logging off and then logging back in. Your arrows should either be gone or be reduced in size. I also tried to run this program on Windows XP, but it didn’t allow me to.
If you want to remove the shortcut arrows from Windows XP desktop icons, you can use my post on tweaking Windows XP using Tweak UI for XP. You can also tweak many other settings using the Tweak UI program.
