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

 

[headshot]

Hello Headshot,

If you are just wanting to remove or restore the shortcut arrow, then you can do METHOD ONE instead.

If not, then did you do step 2 and run it as an administrator?

yes, ive run it as administrator already. by the way, do i need to install microsoft .net framework 2.0 SDK for this software? cos i think vista already has it by default.

thanks.

 

[Brink]

Headshot,

I did not have to, but if you are having problems with it, I would recommend using METHOD ONE instead.

 

[headshot]

Headshot,

I did not have to, but if you are having problems with it, I would recommend using METHOD ONE instead.

actually method two is working fine in my computer. :D it did remove the shorcut arrow, but it happens like this:



1. i clicked on yes

2. then this happens:

3. i then proceed clicking " quit " and then fxvisor closed. then i go to task manager to restart explorer.exe.


when explorer comes back, i have all shortcuts with no arrow, but the problem is, why do i need to see this " error " message if i can do this method. it makes my computer seems like having a problem

 

[Brink]

I'm not sure either why you get the error since you did step 2 to right click on the program shortcut and click on "Run as administrator".

 

[headshot]

I'm not sure either why you get the error since you did step 2 to right click on the program shortcut and click on "Run as administrator".

hey brink, i found the solution!!

i just installed windows 7 and now FxVisor is working fine!! :D

 

[Brink]

LOL, that'll work to.

 

[headshot]

Hello Wighty,

The link has been updated to a good one now for both the 32-bit and 64-bit Vista.

Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover Download - Softpedia

Shawn

hey shawn, can u run it on ur 64bit win7? cos my win7 is 64bit, and i cant run that.

i can only run the 64bit version

 

[Brink]

Hello Headshot,

You will only be able to run the 64-bit version of Vista Shortcut Overlay Manager from the download in METHOD TWO of this tutorial in a 64-bit Vista.

 

[Omar F1]

3. i then proceed clicking " quit " and then fxvisor closed. then i go to task manager to restart explorer.exe.

Headshot, it worked and thanks for your time.

 

[Keithuk]

When I had my Vista laptop 16 months ago these short-cut arrows annoyed me. I make programs so I made an app to remove them which works great on Win9x/ME/2K/XP but Vista and Win7 are different. I searched and found this link so I downloaded Remove_Restore_Shortcut_Arrow.zip and it worked great for the past 12 months.

Over the weekend I had problems with a BSOD for only 2 seconds then it would restart, I didn't really catch the message or the stupid number. It wouldn't startup in Safe Mode to do a system restore it just stopped everytime while it loads all the files. I decided to do a rebuild as it hasn't been done for 16 months. A friend on another forum was having trouble running an app I made on Vista 64bit Free EOBD II Error Codes software so I decided to install Vista Ulimate x64 to see if I could sort the problem, I didn't because 64bit system are like a totally new system and none of the old bits work.

Anyway I put back im Vista Home Premium 32bit again and I tried Remove Restore Shortcut Arrow did a restart and the short-cut arrows just turned to larger icons so I can only see 3/4 of the short-cut. I downloaded FxVisor32.zip that worked. Now I don't need that change option there all the time so I uninstalled it and the cheeky sod put the arrows back.

Sorry if this is a long drawn out reply but I thought I would give you a bit of background whats been done.

Any suggestions for these short-cut arrows would be appreciated?

Cheers.

 

[Brink]

Hello Keith,

It sounds like you may not have "Unblocked" the blank.ico before moving it in OPTION ONE.

However, the program in OPTION TWO is the easiest way to do this.

 

[Keithuk]

It sounds like you may not have "Unblocked" the blank.ico before moving it in OPTION ONE.

Thanks for the reply Brink.

I checked the properties of blank.ico before I copied it to the Windows folder but I don't have an Unblock option on its properties with Vista 32bit. Is that a Windows 7 or Vista x64 properties box?

As I said it worked over a year ago thats why I saved it to a flash drive for future rebuilds.

Update: I do apologize I didn't read the first post carefully enough I didn't copy the blank.ico to the Windows folder, it works a treat as it should do now.

Actually I've just uninstalled Vista Desktop Manager and the arrows remained off the first time I did it they came back.

Cheers.