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In all desktop operating systems created by Microsoft, the desktop icons in the lower left corner always have a small addition on the labels - arrows. It is difficult to say for what purpose the chevaliers from Microsoft decided to introduce such a twist, but not all users are delighted with it. Moreover, some people, immediately after installing the distribution, first of all solve the question “how to remove arrows from shortcuts in Windows 7”.

Existing options

Unfortunately, there is no way provided by the developer to remove arrows from desktop icons. The user has only two options for solving the problem: install a special program for setting up system parameters and deactivate the display of arrows, or use a workaround by replacing the standard image with your own. Both methods are equally effective at removing markings from labels. Therefore, each user must make his own choice.

Invisible picture

The notorious arrow is an image that is automatically superimposed on the desktop application icon. The exceptions are the system “Trash” and “Computer”. The need for such an imposition is stated in the register. It is thanks to this that shortcuts for Windows 7 acquire a “decoration” in the form of an arrow. One of the simplest ways to correct the situation is to edit the system registry. We hasten to warn some “hot heads” against hasty actions: if you simply delete the entry that forces the operating system to place arrows on the labels, then in place of the pointer there will be a black spot - a square. The result, frankly speaking, is terrible. Therefore, it is very important not only to carefully study how to change labels, but also to understand what causes certain requirements.

So, the user must create an empty (transparent) image with dimensions of 48 x 48 pixels and a color depth of 32 bits in any graphics editor. Calling it, for example, blanc.ico. After this, you need to open the registry editor regedit and follow the path “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\explorer”. Here you need to create a string parameter “Shell Icons”, in which you place the item “29”, the value of which is the exact path to blanc.ico. That is, if you copy the created file with a blank image to the windows folder, then in “29” you need to write “C:\Windows\Blank.ico,0”. After this, all you have to do is restart your computer and enjoy the “new” desktop icons without the annoying arrow. This is one of the ways to remove arrows from shortcuts in Windows 7. And it does not require installation additional applications. If for some reason there is a need to return everything to its place, then Shell Icons must be deleted (not the file!).

Changing a registry value

Eat alternative solution. However, it does not apply to all versions of Windows. Having launched regedit ("Start" - "Run"), you need to follow the path HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

In the left column you need to find Lnkfile and click once on this entry with the left button. A list of variables will appear on the right. Among them is IsShortcut. By selecting the “rename” command, you need to change the name to IsNotShortcut. Returning to the issue of partial compatibility, it is worth noting that in some systems, for example, WinXP, the entry is not renamed, but instead it is assigned the parameter “1” (“allow display”) or the item is deleted (“deny”). A reboot is required for changes to take effect.

Aero Tweak program

In addition to making changes to system registry, a computer owner looking for a solution to the question of how to remove arrows from shortcuts in Windows 7 can use third-party applications. Most customization programs allow you to hide annoying arrows from icons using simple manipulations. One such application is Aero Tweak.

Despite his very advanced age ( Last update was back in 2010), it can quite effectively solve this task. After installation, you need to select the section “ Windows Explorer", and on the right check the box that prohibits the display of arrows. Again, a reboot is required for the changes to take effect.

Windows Shortcut Arrow Editor utility

In addition to combine programs that allow you not only to figure out how to remove arrows from shortcuts in Windows 7, but also to configure many other operating system parameters along the way, there are highly specialized solutions created specifically to control the display mode of arrows on icons. One of them is Windows Shortcut Arrow Editor. You should run it as an administrator, selecting the mode right click mice. After initialization, a window will be displayed in which the user is asked to make a choice from four options. Activating the top one will give the reins of power to the operating system. The second one from the top will make the arrows the same as they were in the outdated Windows XP. The third point will completely relieve the user of any additions to the icons. Well, the fourth one will allow you to replace the arrow with an arbitrary picture. This utility has several advantages:

  • it does not require installation, that is, it is initially portable;
  • no need to reboot. Just check the selected item and the system Explorer will automatically reboot, which is very convenient, as you can quickly evaluate the changes;
  • performance is guaranteed in operating systems from Vista to modern Win 8.1, and of any bit depth;
  • the program really works.

Harvester Winaero Tweaker

The following application is offered by the same developer as the previous utility. Accordingly, it copes with its task “excellently”. After launching, you need to open the “Appearance” section on the left and select “Shortcut Arrow” from the list that opens.

As a result, the usual four points will appear on the right, allowing you to control the “behavior” of the arrow on the icons.

Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover app

This program, although it is very small (the distribution is less than 2 MB), requires installation. In addition, the user must download and install the version corresponding to the bit depth of the operating system used (32 or 64 bit). After this, four items known from Windows Shortcut Arrow Editor are displayed, the functionality of which is exactly the same. True, a reboot is required. The solution works great on Windows versions, which replaced Vista.

Looking for results

The abundance of solutions that allow you to refuse to display arrows on icons suggests that the Microsoft developers most likely miscalculated something. Many users are absolutely unhappy that there is no way to independently make a choice in favor of a given symbol or completely abandon it using the system itself. Perhaps in future versions this point will be taken into account and there will be no need to use third party applications or write something in the registry.

In Windows 8 and 8.1, it is possible to place shortcuts for all programs in the Metro interface of the Start menu, leaving only a beautiful picture that pleases the eye on the classic desktop.

This has one advantage - you do not have to close all the windows in which you are working to get to the desktop (instead of Win + D, press only one Win button).

You can move all shortcuts to the Start menu by right-clicking on the program shortcut, links, folders and selecting “Pin to Start Screen”.

But if there are too many shortcuts, it’s difficult to quickly navigate and find the one you need. Therefore, I would advise getting rid of heavy and long-loading applications that slow down and are completely closed only through the Task Manager, and leave the necessary minimum.

And with the help of the program OblyTile you can create custom tiles from your own icons (four sizes are provided) for program shortcuts, links to files and urls, which will be built into the metro interface.

Classic desktop

Using the classic desktop it is easier to group all the shortcuts and not get confused among them. To do this, you can use unusual desktop wallpapers. Now you can find many pictures with shelves, zones and cells, specifically designed for convenient and original grouping of links.

You can make such a picture yourself using Photoshop, adding shelves to it or delimiting separate zones for programs, utilities, links or files (if you create them on the desktop, which is not recommended) by topic or purpose.

For grouping desktop shortcuts.

Or use, for example, a utility like Fences– organizer of files and shortcuts on the desktop. It can: create dark areas for icons on the desktop, hide and show icons when clicked.

How to make a shortcut on your desktop

Copy the path to the desired folder, right-click on the desktop, select “New” ⇨ “Shortcut” and paste the path to the folder into the empty field ⇨ “Next”, select a name ⇨ “Ok”.

How to remove arrows from desktop shortcuts in Windows 8.1 (7, 8)

You can, of course, do this by rummaging around in the registry editor, but for ordinary users it will be easier to launch a small application from winaero.com - a program WindowsShortcutArrowEditor . With its help, you can easily remove arrows from desktop shortcuts, make them smaller, or change the shortcut arrow to a custom picture.

By default, all shortcuts in Windows 7 are indicated by an additional arrow icon, which is located in the lower right corner of the file or program icon. This arrow is needed so that the user can easily distinguish the real file from the shortcut. But many users are annoyed by these arrows on every label. If you also think that you don’t need arrows on shortcuts, then in this article you can learn how to remove arrows from shortcuts in Windows 7.

How to remove arrows from shortcuts using Registry Editor

There are several ways to remove arrows from labels. First, we'll talk about how to do this using the Registry Editor. Open the Run menu (combination Windows-R keys) and enter the command "REGEDIT". You can also enter this command V search bar V .

After executing the “REGEDIT” command, you should see . Here you should open this registry key:

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

You may not be able to find the Shell Icons section in Explorer. In this case, you need to create it. To do this, right-click on the “Explorer” section and select the menu item “Create – Section”. After this, a new registry key will appear, name it “Shell Icons”.

After that, open the created string parameter and give it the value “%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-50”.

After that, close the registry and restart Windows. After the next Windows startup The arrows on the labels should disappear.

How to remove arrows from labels using a REG file

The above changes to the registry can be performed using a REG file. To do this, open Notepad and paste the following code into it:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
"29"="%windir%\\System32\\shell32.dll,-50"

This is what it looks like in Notepad:

After saving, open the resulting REG file and confirm making changes to the registry. Next, the system itself will create the “Shell Icons” registry key, the string parameter “29” and enter the desired value into it. Now, in order to remove the arrows from the shortcuts, all you have to do is restart your computer.

How to remove arrows from shortcuts using third-party programs

You can also remove arrows from shortcuts using third-party programs. For example, this can be done using any fine-tuning program. Windows settings(usually such programs are called tweakers). As an example, we will demonstrate how this is done in the Windows 7 Tweaker program.

Open Windows program 7 Tweaker and go to the “System – Shooter Shortcut” section. After that, select “Hide” and click on the “Save and Exit” button.

After closing Windows 7 Tweaker, be sure to restart your computer.

Today I want to tell you how remove arrows from labels in Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. In the Windows operating system, the default settings are when shortcuts on the desktop are marked with special arrows, as if indicating that these are shortcuts (as if it weren’t already clear). But the trouble is that not everyone likes it, well, they don’t decorate the program interface, but vice versa. Moreover, Windows does not even provide for disabling them, at least I have not found how to do this anywhere.

The developers themselves do not provide an answer. This is what they write. I quote R12; " This display is standard for shortcuts and if there are problems with making changes to the standard functions of the product, then this issue cannot be addressed in this forum". By the way, here is a link to this support post about removing arrows.

On the Internet you can find many ways to remove them from labels. Moreover, there are both programs and you can manually correct the registry. In this article I will describe both of these methods (or rather, even three), and you can choose which one is most convenient for you. In my opinion, it is better to use a special program.

These methods work on both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. I personally tested it on Windows 8.1 64 bit version.

Attention! Not tested on Windows 8.

And further! Before performing these steps, first create a Windows restore point.

Method one. Remove arrows using special program namely with the help of Aero Tweak. There is no need to install it, it just starts and that’s it. Here's what the BEFORE labels look like. Those. arrows are present.

Now we find the downloaded program on the computer and run it.

Dim program interface. On the left side select “Windows Explorer” and on the right we find the item “ Don't show arrows on labels" and mark it with a tick.

That's basically it! Now all that remains is to restart the computer.

Reboot the computer, and Voila! The arrow on desktop icons is gone.

By the way, as you can see, the program has many more additional functions to configure the operating system, so if you are interested, you can experiment with it. But be careful, it is designed for Windows 7. On the eight, I only tested working with desktop shortcuts.

Method two. Disable arrows on the desktop by editing the registry with special files with the extension .reg

Download the archive with files called “remove_arrow.zip”

We find the folder in which it was downloaded and open it.

We see several files. We select the file we need based on what operating system you have installed. I have a 64-bit version, so I run the file “64-bit_Remove_Shortcut_Arrow”. If you have a 32-bit system, then select another file with 32-bit. Let's launch it.

We agree with the addition of information to the register. Click the “Yes” button

We receive a message that the information has been successfully entered into the registry. Click the “Ok” button

All you have to do is restart your computer and you're done.

If you are somehow not satisfied with the desktop with shortcuts without arrows, then you can return everything to its place. To do this, you need to run the file from the archive under the name “Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.reg”, agree to the addition of information and restart the computer. All arrows will fall into place.

Method three. This method is suitable for those who are already well versed in computers and do not want to use any third party programs. Those. here we will work (as it is now fashionable to say among programmers) with our hands, namely, to edit. If in the second method we edited the registry using ready-made files, then here we will do it ourselves.

So open the registry editor. To do this, right-click on the “START” button (this only applies to Windows 8), and find the Run command

IN command line type the command “regedit” and press the “Ok” button

We get to the registry editor. Here we need to expand the “HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT” section

In the directory tree that opens, on the left side, finds a folder named R12; Lnkfile. And on the right side we find and select parameter R12; IsShortcut, who is responsible for displaying arrows on desktop shortcuts.

Right-click on this parameter and select “Rename”

Rename it R12; IsNotShortcut, save it so it looks like the picture below

We restart the computer and rejoice in the absence of arrows.

That's basically it.

In the operating room Windows system The default settings are when shortcuts on the desktop are marked with special arrows, as if indicating that these are shortcuts (as if it wasn’t already clear). But the trouble is that not everyone likes it, well, they don’t decorate the program interface, but vice versa. Moreover, Windows does not even provide for disabling them, at least I have not found how to do this anywhere.

On the Internet you can find many ways to remove them from labels. Moreover, there are both programs and you can manually correct the registry. In this article I will describe three methods, and you can choose which one is most convenient for you. In my opinion, it is better to use a special program.

Method one. We remove the arrows using a special program, namely Aero Tweak. You can download it from here. There is no need to install it, it just starts and that’s it.
Here's what the shortcuts look like.


Now we find the downloaded program on the computer and run it.

We see the program interface. On the left side, select the “Windows Explorer” item and on the right, find the “Do not show arrows on shortcuts” item and check it.

That's basically it! Now all that remains is to restart the computer.

Method two. Disable arrows on the desktop by editing the registry with special files with the extension .reg


Download the archive with files called “remove_arrow.zip” - from here

We find the folder in which it was downloaded and open it.

We see several files. We select the file we need based on what operating system you have installed. I have a 64-bit version, so I run the file “64-bit_Remove_Shortcut_Arrow”. If you have a 32-bit system, then select another file with 32-bit. Let's launch it.

We agree with the addition of information to the register. Click the “Yes” button

We receive a message that the information has been successfully entered into the registry. Click the “Ok” button

All you have to do is restart your computer and you're done.

If you are somehow not satisfied with the desktop with shortcuts without arrows, then you can return everything to its place. To do this, you need to run the file from the archive under the name “Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.reg”, agree to the addition of information and restart the computer. All arrows will fall into place.

Method three. This method is suitable for those who are already well versed in computers and do not want to use any third-party programs. Those. here we will work (as it is now fashionable to say among programmers) with our hands, namely, to edit. If in the second method we edited the registry using ready-made files, then here we will do it ourselves.

So open the registry editor. To do this, right-click on the “START” button (this only applies to Windows 8), and find the command - Run

In the command line, type the command “regedit” and click the “Ok” button

If you notice an error, select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter
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