How to Change Default Shortcut Name Extension Template in Windows 7, 8, and 10
Information
A shortcut is a link to an item (such as a file, folder, or app) on your PC.
When you right click or press and hold on a file, folder, or drive and click tap on either Create shortcut or Send to -> Desktop (create shortcut), a shortcut to that file, folder or drive will be created with the - Shortcut extension at the end of the filename by default.
This tutorial will show you how to change the shortcut name extension template to what you want for your account in Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
Note
This will only affect shortcuts that you create afterwards, and will not affect shortcuts that already have the - Shortcut file name extension.
EXAMPLE: Shortcut name extension template
Here's How:
1. Press the Win+R keys to open Run, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.
3. In Registry Editor, browse to the key at the location below. (see screenshot below)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\NamingTemplates
If you do not have a NamingTemplates key (not there by default), then right click on the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on Key, type NamingTemplates, and press Enter.
4. In the right pane of the NamingTemplates key, double click/tap on the ShortcutNameTemplate string value to modify it. (see screenshot above)
If you do not have a ShortcutNameTemplate value (not there by default), then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane of the NamingTemplates key, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type ShortcutNameTemplate, and press Enter.
To undo this custom shortcut name extension template, you would just need to delete the ShortcutNameTemplate string value.
5. Type the value data below you want to use as the default shortcut extension name template, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
(To remove "- Shortcut" extension)
(For custom extension name)
Substitute Extension Name in the value data above with the actual extension name you want instead.
For example: "%s - Link.lnk"
6. When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.
That's it,
Shawn
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Change Shortcut Name Extension Template in Windows
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New #1
In the Windows 7 forums someone (Jarmezrocks) posted a program to remove both the word 'shortcut' and the file extension. This doesn't work in W10 and I can't find an update anywhere. Lots of different methods for removing the former but not the extension. No, I can't work without seeing the file extension so changing that option is no solution for me. For example am I looking at a png a jpg or a bmp. However I just want a shortcut with a small, clean name and the arrow to distinguish it as a shortcut - I wouldn't want to delete a folder instead of a shortcut (my habit is to bypass the bin). Perfectly happy to keep the lnk extension - it isn't visible in Q-Dir (Explorer replacement). Can this template be suitably amended?
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New #2
Hello tomdickharri, and welcome to Ten Forums. :)
Shortcuts do not have the ".lnk" file extension showing by default.
This tutorial will let you remove the "- Shortcut" name extension to only have the file name showing.
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New #3
I'll try to explain with an example...
I create a shortcut to 'runthisprogram.exe' and get 'runthisprogram.exe.lnk' (I've already suppressed the 'shortcut' bit). I don't want the file extension in the name!!!!! i.e. runthisprogram.lnk (by the way, the lnk bit can be seen in programs like 'BulkRename'). It's so easy in XP (as are so many other things).
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New #4
They don't show in File Explorer if you wanted to use it instead. Otherwise, you'll have to look to see if that program has a setting to not show them.
Change Shortcut Name Extension Template in Windows
How to Change Default Shortcut Name Extension Template in Windows 7, 8, and 10Published by Shawn BrinkCategory: Customization
12 Sep 2017
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