In this guide, we will show you the detailed steps to remove the arrow symbol from the shortcut file icons in Windows 11. Users opt for quite a few methods to quickly access their files and/or applications. These include the likes of using the Run dialog box, via the URI command, using CMD, or simply creating its shortcut file on the desktop. If you opt for the latter approach, then Windows will automatically add a couple of distinguishing factors to that file. First off, it will add the -shortcut keyword at the end of every filename.
Next up, it will also append a rightward inclined arrow to the app’s icon. Both of these things are done so that users could identify in just a single glance that it’s a shortcut file and not the original EXE. However, some users don’t want these add-ons and instead want these shortcuts in their default state. In this regard, we have already discussed how to stop Windows from adding the shortcut keyword at the end of the file. So now we will show you how to remove the arrow symbol from the shortcut file icons in Windows 11.
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How to Remove Arrow from Shortcut File Icons in Windows 11
As opposed to our other registry Editor tweaks in which we mostly use the binary values (0 and 1) to disable or enable certain features, things will be a tad different this time around. Since there doesn’t exist any direct approach to remove the shortcut arrow, we will be replacing it with a blank icon file. Before proceeding ahead, make sure to take a backup of your registry files.
- To begin with, download the blank icon file and extract it to any convenient location on your PC.
- After that, head over to the Start Menu, search Registry Editor and open it.
- Then copy-paste the below location in its address bar and hit Enter:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
- Now right-click on the Explorer folder and select New > Key. Name it Shell Icons.
- Then right-click on Shell Icons and select New > String. Name it 29 and double click to open it.
- Type in the location of the extracted bank icon file in its Value Data field and hit OK to save the changes.
- Finally, restart the File Explorer for the changes to remove the arrow symbol from the shortcut file icons in Windows 11.
How to Bring Back the Arrow in Shortcut Files
If you wish to revert the changes and bring back the arrow in the shortcut files then just delete the Shell Icons key present under the Explorer registry field [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer].
How to Change the Shortcut File Icon in Windows 11
As you would have noticed, in order to remove the arrow symbol from the shortcut file icons in Windows 11, we just replaced it with a blank icon file. What if we had replaced it with another icon file? Well, then the shortcut icon will be changed to that icon itself!
So dig deep into the plethora of preset Windows 11 icons or download one of your choices (from a trusted site) and then copy its location. After that, open the ’29’ file that we had earlier created, paste the icon file location in its Value Data field and enjoy the new shortcut icon!
On that note, we round off the guide on how you could remove the arrow symbol from the shortcut file icons in Windows 11. Likewise, we have also listed the steps to change this icon file. If you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
