Shortcut Arrow

How to Remove or Change the Shortcut Arrow and Name in Vista​

   Information

This will show you how to remove, restore, or change the Shortcut Arrow on shortcuts. You will also see how to enable or disable the Shortcut name extension when new shortcuts are created.

   Note

If you accidentally used a XP method of doing this by removing or renaming the IsShortCut registry, then the shortcuts in Favorite Links, Media Center, and in the Games Explorer disappear or will not work anymore. Vista uses this value to track links, lots of programs and features that use links will not work correctly like the ones above. You can use this program below to fix them by restoring the shortcut arrow, then you can make any changes you like afterwards.

   Warning

Removing the shortcut arrow from shortcut icons can make it hard to tell which files are shortcuts or not. This can lead to you accidentally deleting the actual file instead of just a shortcut to it.

OPTION ONE

Using a Program

1. If you have not already, click on the Download button below to download the Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover (Vista Shortcut Overlay Manager) program below for the 32-bit or 64-bit Vista you have installed. Save the .zip file to your desktop, extract (drag and drop) the .msi file to your desktop, and install it.​

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32-bit (x86) Vista​

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64-bit (x64) Vista​

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2. Double click on the program's shortcut to run the program.​

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3. To Change or Remove the Arrow for All Shortcuts ​

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A) Select (dot) the arrow option you want for the shortcut arrow. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If you selected Custom Arrow, then click on Select to navigate to and choose a ICO (icon) file you have downloaded to use.​

4. To Remove the "Shortcut" Name from All Shortcuts ​

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A) Check the box to also remove the - Shortcut name extension for new shortcuts that are created.​

5. Click on Apply.​

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6. Click on Yes to log off to apply the changes. (See screenshot below)​

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7. Log back on and your done.​

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OPTION TWO

To Manually do this Through the Registry

NOTE: This option will allow you to only remove or restore the shortcut arrow on all shortcuts old and new.

1. Click on the Download button below to download the file below.​

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Remove_Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.zip​

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2. To Remove the Shortcut Arrow​

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A) Open the ZIP file (step 1), and extract the Blank.ico file, and either the 32-bit or 64-bit Remove_Shortcut_Arrow.reg file for your Vista version to the desktop.​

NOTE: To see if your Vista is a 32-bit or 64-bit version, open the Start Menu and right click on Computer and click on Properties. Under System Type, you will see what version of Vista you have.​

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B) Right click on the Blank.ico file and click on Properties.​

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C) Under the General tab, click on the Unblock button if there. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If the Unblock button is not there, then the file is already unblocked. Continue on to step D below.​

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D) Copy and Paste the Blank.ico into the C:\Windows folder, then click on Continue and Continue to approve the copy.​

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E) Right click on the 32-bit or 64-bit Remove_Shortcut_Arrow.reg file for your Vista version and click on Merge, then click on Continue, Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

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F) Go to step 4.​

3. To Restore the Shortcut Arrow​

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A) Open the ZIP file (step 1), and extract the Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.reg file to the desktop.​

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B) Right click on the Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.reg file and click on Merge, then click on Continue, Yes, and OK to approve the merge.​

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C) In the C:\Windows folder, right click on the Blank.ico file and click on Delete, Continue, and Continue.​

NOTE: This is for when you have used step 2 above to remove the shortcut arrow previously.​

4. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.​

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5. You can now delete the downloaded files on your desktop if you like.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Remove the Shortcut Prefix On the Shortcut Name in Vista
• How to Change a Default Open Window Size for a Shortcut in Vista
• How to Create a Keyboard Shortcut for a Program in Vista
• How to Change the Target Path Location of a Shortcut in Vista
• How to Change a Shortcut Folder or File Icon in Vista
• How to Hide or Show Desktop Icon Text in Vista
• How to Hide or Show File Names in Vista
• How to Hide a Folder or Shortcut Icon in Vista
• How to Fix Game Shortcut Links in Vista Games Explorer

 

[Brink]

Hi Maslib, and welcome to Vista Forums.

That method was for XP and is not recommended for Vista. If you delete the registry entry IsShortCut, then the Favorite Links in Windows Explorer disappear. Another problem occurs with the Media Center and Games Explorer, their shortcuts may be displayed, but they don't work when you click on them. The method used in the tutorial program replaces the shortcut arrow file responsible with a transparent one instead. This way the above still works with no or changed shortcut arrows.

Shawn

 

[hsrstud]

I have a 64-bit machine. When I installed the x64 version of Vista Shortcut Manager and tried to apply the change, I received the following unhandled exception message:

See the end of this message for details on invoking 
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.
 
************** Exception Text **************
System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception: The system cannot find the file specified
at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at VistaArrowGone.Form1.btApply_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnClick(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.OnMouseUp(MouseEventArgs mevent)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseUp(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ButtonBase.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Button.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
 
 
************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework64/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
FxVisor
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Frameworkx/FxVisor/FxVisor.exe
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.1434 (REDBITS.050727-1400)
CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
 
************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.
 
For example:
 
<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>
 
When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

 

[Brink]

Hello Hsrstud, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might double check to make sure that you have downloaded and installed the 64 bit version and not the 32 bit one by mistake.

Do you have UAC turned on? If not, turn it on and see if it will run properly afterwards.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/48893-user-account-control-uac.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[hsrstud]

Fortunately, when I clicked on the Continue button on the error window, the arrows changed. I'm not sure why there was an error message, but it seems to have worked.

 

[Brink]

Hsrstud,

I'm happy to hear that it still worked for you. Did you have UAC turned on or off?

 

[hsrstud]

It was turned on.

 

[Brink]

Um, I'm not sure what may have caused you to get that error. You might report it to Frameworkx to see if it something that they may need to update the program for, and to see what they say about it.

 

[hsrstud]

No matter. All's well that ends well!

 

[BleepingCrazy]

Hi guys,

that arrow was driving me nuts. I didn't really like the one used by Vista Shortcut Manager either...a bit flamboyant for me. LOL

here are 2 icon files to use with Vista Shortcut Manager (both taken form the shell32.dll)...right-click and save as:

default (sized down by yours truly): "shell32 264_SB-sized.ico"
black/white one: "shell32 030_shortcutArrow.ico"

EDIT: what kinda icon sizes you guys using? i'm using 32x32 on my 22" wide screen.

 

[parodysrivas]

hello there, I have used the tweak (sorry, don't really know how to call it) in the past, a couple of months to be exact and has worked with no problems, but this morning I fired up my machine and this has happened:


so, if you would be soooo kind please...to help me with this!!
the laptop works perfect, is just very anoying to see my desktop like this. Thanks in advance.

 

[Brink]

Hello Parodysrivas,

Your image is not working. Use the paperclip icon to upload the image, then click on the paperclip icon again to select the uploaded image and attach it to the post.

Thank you,
Shawn

 

[parodysrivas]

http://www.mediafire.com/file/nmhmnzmlnjn/12122008_190754.jpg

Sorry about that, there is the pic, thanks again!!

 

[Brink]

Use the same program again, but select the normal shortcut arrow to restore it. This should restore your default shortcut icons for you hopefully.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[parodysrivas]

It did indeed!! thanks very much for the help.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Parodysrivas. I'm happy to hear that it is fixed now.

Shawn

 

[nigel3]

A wonderful tip! Couldn't wait to get rid of all those little blue arrows.

 

[BlueCrayon]

This worked great. Thanks.

Is there any way to remove the UAC logo from icons?
I've downloaded these nice looking icons, but the logo kind of ruins it.

 

[Brink]

Hello BlueCrayon, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Sorry, but no. The shield icon remains to let you know that it will require UAC permission when you open the item.

Shawn

 

[Wighty44]

The Frameworkx program link in the first post no longer works. Does anyone have a copy of the x64 version they can send my way?

Thank you...

 

[Brink]

Hello Wighty,

The link has been updated to a good one now for both the 32-bit and 64-bit Vista in METHOD TWO of this tutorial.

Shawn