remove arrows from icons

When creating a shortcut, you will notice that there is an arrow appeared on top of it. In fact this shortcut arrow is an overlay, which is stored in the master icon file named as shell32.dll located at C:\Windows\System32. If you don’t like this arrow to be shown on the shortcut, there is a way for you to create a shortcut without showing the arrow key.



Each of icons created has a shortcut number associated with it, which is 29. In order to remove the arrow from the shortcut, we will redirect number 29 to a different master icon file through simple registry hack:

1. Click on Start button, then type regedit in the search bar, then hit enter key.

2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer.

3. Right click on Explorer, choose New -> Key, and name the new key as Shell Icons.

4. Right click on Shell Icons, choose New -> String Value, then name it as 29.

5. On the right panel, double click on 29 and assign it with the value as %SystemRoot%\\noarrow.ico,0.

6. Download http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/ScriptsGuy/noarrow.zip , save it to root directory, C:\Windows\.

7. In order to make it effective of the registry changes, logoff from the computer and login again.

Once above steps are done, you will notice that all shortcuts created previously or any newly created shortcuts no longer have arrow attached to it

 

Good tip. Note that in Windows XP, you can download TweakUI and easily use that to replace or hide the shortcut arrow overlay.

 

If you have Vista, you may find it easier to remove the arrows using this tool: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/disable-shortcut-icon-arrow-overlay-in-windows-vista/

(There's also a light arrow option, which I like.)

 

Thanks for the tip. I read a similar hack a while back with a similar procedure - very handy. I can't imagine why Microsoft hasn't thought of making those shortcut arrows smaller, they are an eyesore!