An attentive user of a computer running the Windows operating system, for sure, drew attention to the unusual appearance of the desktop icons: the neat appearance of each picture spoils the image of a small arrow in the lower left corner. It is not clear what goals the system developers from the reputable Microsoft pursued by putting an arrow on each label (icon), but as they say there is - that is, and now we all have to figure out how to remove the arrows from the labels. The appearance of the icons with and without arrows are two big differences. It is worth taking a look at the appearance of the desktop with normal icons just once to become an ardent opponent of the images of arrows on the shortcuts. This is indirectly evidenced by the question "how to remove arrows from shortcuts in windows 7", often asked on thematic forums. Entire branches are dedicated to the solution.
The desktop icons themselves do not change. It’s just that they are additionally superimposed on the image of the arrow (the so-called layer or overlay). The task is to disable it.
There are several ways to remove arrows from windows 7 shortcuts: automatic, semi-automatic, and manual. The first is implemented through the use of various programs for fine-tuning the hidden parameters of the operating system (tweakers). Almost every such program provides such an opportunity. Even in the ancient XP Tweaker application of 2002 of release (by the way, partially working in the Seven) this function is provided. The use of third-party programs that help solve the issue of “how to remove arrows from windows 7 shortcuts” is nevertheless advisable if there is a fast Internet for downloading the setup program and you do not want to delve into the essence of the issue. After all, what could be easier than checking the “Remove arrows” checkbox (or something else). The method is recommended to be used by those users who need other features offered by the tweaker.
The semi-automatic method combined two seemingly opposite approaches - software and manual. It consists in downloading from the Internet previously prepared by someone reg-files that already contain the necessary changes for the Windows registry. It is enough to just “run” the desired file so that the question “how to remove arrows from windows 7 shortcuts” is resolved. Usually it is suggested to download three files (the names are taken as an example): “Remove arrows”, “Restore” and the ico file containing a transparent 48x48 image. When you start “Remove arrows”, an overlay with an arrow is replaced by a transparent (invisible, but existing) picture. Versions with two reg-files are inferior, because when they are used instead of arrows black squares may appear. In this case, everything is simple: the image of the arrow is deleted, however, it is not replaced by anything. As a result, in its place is a black square of the missing picture. Semi-automatic is a convenient and, most importantly, fast way - it is recommended for use.
Sometimes they ask, "how to remove arrows from windows 7 shortcuts manually?" To do this, you will need to make adjustments to the registry. In versions of Windows prior to Vista, arrows could be removed by erasing the lsShortcut parameter from the registry. However, by doing so in Vista - Win 8, the user will eventually encounter the inability to pin the icon in the taskbar, although the arrow disappears. The problem with the taskbar can also be solved, but it’s obvious that acting in this way is irrational.
It is necessary to create a transparent 48 by 48 picture in the graphics editor, for example, empty.ico and save it in the Windows directory. Then you should run regedit (Start - Run) and proceed to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer". Here you need to create the “Shell Icons” section, and in it - a string parameter with the name “29” and assign it the value “C: \ Windows \ empty.ico, 0”.
To accept the changes, it remains to restart the computer or restart the explorer. So simple.