Our mission is to edit the registry so that we can remove the Windows 7
shortcut text which you see on desktop icons. As a preliminary step, make sure that you have a shortcut on your desktop! For
example, create a shortcut to calc.exe. Now you will be able to see
the changes you make in the registry!
Navigate to this path: ** HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Underneath \Explorer, create: A new REG_BINARY (Binary Value) called
Link set the value to 00 00 00 00
Once you have edited the registry
logoff then logon again. Now you should see the shortcut, but no
annoying Shortcut text.
** HKLM is an abbreviation of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKCU is shorthand for HKEY_CURRENT_USER. These acronyms are so well-known that you can even use them in .reg files, Windows 7 will understand
and obey the registry instruction.
Screenshot of Registry Key to Remove Shortcut Text
** HKLM is an abbreviation of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKCU is shorthand for HKEY_CURRENT_USER. These acronyms are so well-known that you can even use them in .reg files, Windows 7 will understand
and obey the registry instruction.
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It is also possible to remove the
text label underneath a shortcut. The trick is to rename the shortcut
with a null character, ASCII 255 is best.
Right-click on the icon which you wish to remove the text
Select Rename
Hold down the left Alt key, on the numeric keypad type 255
Troubleshooting - Removing text from Shortcut
Is the Num Lock on? or off? It should be on with the light shining.
Are you holding down the left Alt key? This technique did not work for
me with the right Alt key (Alt Gr in England).
Just to get your 'eye in', open notepad and try Alt key 172. You should
get a quarter character: ¼. Now try Alt 255 you should get a blank. Apply
this techniques to renaming the shortcut.
This is how to remove a shortcut arrow in Windows 7.
Preliminary step, download
noarrow.ico and save it to a
folder, for example C:\Icons.
Launch Regedit.
Navigate to this path: **
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Underneath \Explorer, create: a) A new Key called: Shell Icons (note
plural IconS, and the space between words) b) In Shell Icons, create a new
String Value (REG_SZ) called: 29
To the setting '29' assign the value
of: C:\Icons\noArrows.ico
Note:
noArrows.ico must refer to the
name of the file that you add to the C:\Icons\ folder. In other
words, download
noArrows.ico, extract the file
and copy it to C:\Icons\.
Once you have edited the registry, and
copied the noArrows.ico file, then logoff and log back on again.
** HKLM is an abbreviation of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKCU is shorthand for
HKEY_CURRENT_USER. These acronyms are so well-known that you can even use
them in .reg files, Windows 7 will understand and obey the registry instruction.
Screenshot of Shell Icons Registry Key to Remove Shortcut
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If you make a major mistake, e.g. creating a key called not Shell Icons, but
ShellIcons or Shell Icon, then nothing happens; you still get those annoying
shortcut arrows. However, if you create the correct key (Shell Icons)
and the correct String Value (29) but err on the value, then you get a
horrible icon as shown in the screenshot. My point is that it's the
value that wrong, and not the key.
Problem Arrows Return: After you remove the Windows 7 shortcut arrows, they
return
after a reboot. I encountered such a problem when I saved the .ico
file into the %systemroot% (Windows) folder, instead of a separate
folder e.g. C:\Icons.
Problem Ghosting: Icons strange ghosting.
Even though the arrows have gone, the icons seem to develop an all-over
glow or ghosting. While the effect goes if I press F5, nevertheless it is irritating.
Furthermore, I have not seen anyone else report this problem.
Latest theory, this ghosting has everything to do with an dodgy old
graphics card and nothing to do with removing shortcut arrows.
»
Summary of Windows 7 Remove
Shortcut Text
Those shortcut text and arrows can be most annoying. Fortunately, in Windows 7 you can remove the arrow from all shortcuts by
using regedit to add a Shell Icons key, then create a '29' String Value, and finally
assign it a value which points to special physical file called noArrow.ico.
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