Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10  

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    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10

    How to Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Windows 10
    Published by Category: Customization
    24 Jan 2020
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Windows 10

    A shortcut is a link to an item (such as a file, folder, or app) on your PC. You can create shortcuts and then place them in a convenient location, such as on the desktop, so that you can easily access the item that the shortcut links to. Shortcuts can be distinguished from the original file by the arrow that appears overlayed on the icon.

    This tutorial will show you how to change, remove, or restore the default shortcut arrow overlay on all shortcut icons for all users in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to change the shortcut arrow icon.

    If you have a custom .ico file you would like to share, then please feel free to upload and post it here.



    Contents

    • Option One: To Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow using a REG file
    • Option Two: To Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow in Registry Editor






    OPTION ONE

    To Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow using a REG file


    1 Do step 2 (remove arrow), step 3 (default arrow), step 4 (classic arrow), step 5 (large arrow), step 6 (small down arrow), or step 7 (large down arrow) below for what icon you want for a shortcut overlay.


    2 To Remove Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file you want to use below, and go to step 8 below.

    (transparent with outline)
    Transparent_outline_shortcut_overlay.reg

    Download

    OR

    (transparent - see TIP box below to get transparent.ico file)
    Transparent_shortcut_overlay.reg

    Download

    OR

    (blank - see TIP box below to get blank.ico file)
    Blank_shortcut_overlay.reg

    Download

    If you downloaded the Transparent_shortcut_overlay.reg or Blank_shortcut_overlay.reg file above, you will also need to download the transparent.ico (48x48 pixel) or Blank.ico (24x24 pixel) icon file.

    You will then need to unblock the downloaded transparent.ico or Blank.ico file, and move it into the "C:\Windows\System32" folder.


    3 To Restore Default Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-default_shortcut_arrow.png Restore_default_shortcut_arrow.reg

    Download


    4 To Change Shortcut Overlay to Classic Arrow Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-classic_arrow.png Classic_shortcut_arrow.reg

    Download


    5 To Change Shortcut Overlay to Large Arrow Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-large_shortcut_arrow.png Large_shortcut_arrow.reg

    Download


    6 To Change Shortcut Overlay to Small Down Arrow Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-small_down_arrow.png Small_down_arrow.reg

    Download


    7 To Change Shortcut Overlay to Large Down Arrow Icon

    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the .reg file below, and go to step 8 below.
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-large_down_arrow.png Large_down_arrow.reg

    Download


    8 Save the .reg file to your Desktop.

    9 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    10 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    11 Restart explorer to apply.

    If the shortcut overlay icon shows as a solid black square, then sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply instead.


    12 When finished, you can delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.






    OPTION TWO

    To Change, Remove, or Restore Shortcut Arrow in Registry Editor


    1 Download and merge the .reg file in step 3 of OPTION ONE above to reset the registry back to default before getting started below.

    2 Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit into Run, and click/tap on OK to open Registry Editor.

    3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

    4 In Registry Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)

    If you do not have the Shell Icons key, then right click or press and hold on the Explorer key, click/tap on New, click/tap on Key, type Shell Icons for the name, and press Enter.


    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Icons

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-shortcut_arrow_registry.png

    5 In the right pane of Shell Icons, double click/tap on the 29 string value to modify it.

    If you do not have the 29 string value, then right click or press and hold on an empty area in the right pane, click/tap on New, click/tap on String Value, type 29 for the name, and press Enter.

    If you want to restore the default shortcut arrow overlay icon, then delete the 29 string value.


    6 Type in the full path of your custom .ico file within quotes, OR copy and paste the data value in the table below for what overlay icon you would like to use, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-shortcut_arrow_registry-2.png

    If you like, you can download the transparent.ico (48x48 pixel) or Blank.ico (24x24 pixel) icon file that doesn't have an outline.

    For the best results, unblock the downloaded transparent.ico or Blank.ico file, and move it into the "C:\Windows\System32" folder.


    Shortcut Overlay Icon Data value
    Transparent with outline (leave value blank)
    OR
    %windir%\System32\imageres.dll,-17

    OR (If used downloaded .ico file above)
    %windir%\System32\transparent.ico

    %windir%\System32\Blank.ico
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-classic_arrow.png (classic) %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-30
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-large_shortcut_arrow.png (large arrow) %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-16769
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-small_down_arrow.png (small down arrow) %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-232
    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-large_down_arrow.png (large down arrow) %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-231

    7 Restart explorer to apply.

    If the shortcut overlay icon shows as a solid black square, then sign out and sign in or restart the computer to apply instead.



    8 When finished, you can close Registry Editor if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn






  1. Posts : 1
    64-bit Windows 10
       #1

    Hi, I see you do lots of tutorials that are really good, is there any way to remove the shield overlay or replace it with blank.ico maybe with regedit in a similar way to how the shortcut overlay can be removed. I really hate how its covering up 1/4 of my icons on the desktop.

    I know about the elevated shortcut method and while this did remove the shield, the executable did not work properly afterward, its a launcher to an online game and after using the elevated shortcut it started downloading files and did not start properly. Running the launcher from the original location also did not work until the task was deleted, an error message would show saying "versions can't be compared". I have also turned off uac to the minimum setting and reset the icon cache to no change, and checking the run as administrator in compatibility but nothing is getting rid of the shield.

    Thank you for your time
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello Lixun, and welcome to Ten Forums.

    I'll add it to my list, and will let you know if/when I get one made for it. :)
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Home
       #3

    Brink, thanks for these great downloads. They're very useful and I'm storing them in a folder for future use in case I need them.

    You refer to a black solid square in your post. I'm not sure if that's what I'm getting now I've removed the arrow but on every shortcut icon I can now see a very thin pale square the size of the whole icon that seems to be in the background and it does seem to be transparent. Even after restarting my PC, it is still there. Any ideas on how to remove it?

    Rich
    Last edited by RichStone; 01 Aug 2015 at 14:34.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Hello Rich, and welcome to Ten Forums.

    Please go ahead and post a screenshot showing this to see what it may be. :)

    https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...en-forums.html

    For now, use a medium icon view on the desktop to see if that helps.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Home
       #5

    Here you go. It's quite clear on the small icons so I've left my desktop as it is.

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-icon-box.jpg
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #6

    Ah, ok. It's from the icon you referenced not supporting that size properly. Selecting a different icon that does, or using medium icons view should sort it.
      My Computers


  7. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Home
       #7

    I've now tried medium and large icons and it's still there, although the box remains the same size...

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-icon-box1.jpg

    Shortcut Arrow Icon - Change, Remove, or Restore in Windows 10-icon-box2.jpg

    I used the download you provided to set the clear icon so I'm not sure where I could find another that's suitable.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #8

    As a test, how do the other arrow options in the tutorial work for you?
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 4
    Windows 10 Home
       #9

    The other arrow options work perfectly!
      My Computer


 

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