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

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

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 be able to change the shortcut arrow icon.

*note 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 [/i] 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



Tip 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.


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.


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.


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.


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.


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

11. Restart explorer to apply.


Note If the shortcut overlay icon shows as a solid black square, then restart the computer to apply instead.


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





OPTION TWO [/i] 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. Open search (Win+Q) on your Start menu or taskbar, type regedit, and press Enter 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)


Note 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.


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




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


Note 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)






Tip 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.



[table][tr][td]Shortcut Overlay Icon[/td] [td]Data value[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Transparent with outline[/td] [td](leave value blank) OR %windir%\System32\imageres.dll,-17 OR (If used downloaded .ico file above) %windir%\System32\transparent.ico %windir%\System32\Blank.ico[/td] [/tr] [tr][td] (classic)[/td] [td]%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-30[/td] [/tr] [tr][td] (large arrow)[/td] [td]%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-16769[/td] [/tr] [tr][td] (small down arrow)[/td] [td]%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-232[/td] [/tr] [tr][td] (large down arrow)[/td] [td]%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-231[/td] [/tr] [/table]

7. Restart explorer to apply.


Note If the shortcut overlay icon shows as a solid black square, then restart the computer to apply instead.



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



That's it,
Shawn


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:)

 

Blue Arrows on folder and file icons

Those are the shortcut arrows.

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

 

Shortcut Arrows in the icons on Win 10 desktop

you would need to make some registry changes to turn of the overlay.

Warning - making incorrect changes in the registry could make windows inoperative.

have a look at this -
https://www.windowsphoneinfo.com/threads/shortcut-arrow-icon-change-remove-or-restore-in-windows-10.9712/

 

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. *Smile

 

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

 

Hello Rich, and welcome to Ten Forums.

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

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

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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









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

 

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

 

The other arrow options work perfectly!

 

Ok good. That helps to confirm that it's just an issue with the other selected icons you used.

 

Is there any progress on a fix for the remove shortcut arrow registry entry? That little square that is left is annoying so I have to stick with the shortcut arrow for now.

 

Hello Tom, and welcome to Ten Forums. *Smile

Other than using medium icons size on your desktop, not yet for the transparent (remove) icon.

 

FWIW, I have the same problem as RichStone -- there's a thin, pale outline of a transparent square where the overlay would be.