How to Change, Remove, or Restore the Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Windows
Information
This tutorial will show you how to change, remove, or restore the default shortcut arrow overlay on all shortcut icons in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.
You must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do the steps in this tutorial.
Warning
Removing the shortcut arrow will make it harder to tell which files are shortcuts or not.
You can still tell by right clicking or press and hold on the file, and click/tap on Properties to see if you have a Shortcut tab or not.
OPTION ONE
Using "Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover" Program
1. If you have not already, click/tap on the Download button below to download the Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover (Vista Shortcut Overlay Manager) program below for the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows you have installed. Save the .msi file to your desktop, and install it.
32-bit (x86) Windows
64-bit (x64) Windows
2. Double click/tap on the program's shortcut to run the program.
3.To Change, Restore, or Remove the Arrow for All Shortcuts
A) Select (dot) the arrow option you want for the shortcut arrow. (See screenshot below) NOTE:If you selected Custom Arrow to change the shortcut arrow, then click on Select and navigate to and choose a ICO (icon) file you have downloaded to use as the shortcut arrow.
A) Check the box to also remove the - Shortcut name extension for new shortcuts that are created.
5. Click/tap on Apply.
6. Click/tap on Yes to log off to apply the changes. (See screenshot below) NOTE:If you like, you could also just restart explorer instead to apply your changes.
7. Log back on and your done.
Warning
If you used the Light Arrow or No Arrow option and uninstall "Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover", then they will be undone the next time you log off/on or restart the computer/explorer.
The Arrow (default) and Custom Arrow options will not be undone if you uninstall "Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover".
OPTION TWO
To Change the Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon in Registry Editor
1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog, type regedit, and press Enter.
2. In regedit, navigate to the location below: NOTE:If Shell Icons it is not in the left pane under Explorer, right click on Explorer, and click on New and Key. Type Shell Icons for the new keys's name, and press Enter.
3. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on an empty area, and click/tap on New and String Value, and name it 29.
4. Double click/tap on the 29 sting value to modify it.
5. Type in the full path of the custom .ico file within quotes, OR copy and paste the path below for what overlay icon you would like to use, and click/tap on OK.
(Transparent) %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-50
%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-30
%windir%\System32\imageres.dll,-154
6. Log off and on, or restart the computer to apply.
OPTION THREE
To Change the Shortcut Arrow Overlay Icon using a REG File
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below.
Remove_Shortcut_Arrow.zip
2. To Remove the Shortcut Arrow
A) Open the downloaded ZIP file (step 1), and extract (drag and drop) the Blank.ico file, and the Remove_Shortcut_Arrow.reg to the desktop.
B) Right click or press and hold on the Blank.ico file, and click/tap on Properties. Under the General tab, click/tap on the Unblock button if there. (See screenshot below) NOTE:If the Unblock button is not there, then the file is already unblocked. Continue on to step D below.
Warning
If you do not unblock the Blank.ico file first before moving it in step 2C, then you will only get a default white icon instead of the blank transparent icon like below.
C) Copy and Paste the Blank.ico into the C:\Windows folder, then click/tap on Continue, and Yes (UAC) to approve the copy.
D) Double click/tap on the extracted Remove_Shortcut_Arrow.reg file to merge it.
E) Click/tap on Run, Yes (Yes), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
F) Go to step 4.
3. To Restore the Default Shortcut Arrow NOTE:This step will only work if you had originally removed the shortcut arrow using step 2 in OPTION THREE above.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and save it to your desktop.
Default_LNK_(Shortcut).reg
B) Double click/tap on the Default_LNK_(Shortcut).reg file to merge it.
C) Click/tap on Run, Yes (Yes), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
D) In the C:\Windows folder, right click or press and hold on the Blank.ico file, and click/tap on Delete, Continue, and Yes (if prompted by UAC). NOTE:This file will only be there if you used step 2 above to remove the shortcut arrow.
4. Log off and log on, or restart the computer to apply.
5. You can now delete the downloaded files on your desktop if you like.
The shortcut icon arrows in Win 7 are actually overlaid icons. These icons live in the shell32.dll file. As it happens, the old winxp shortcut arrow also lives in this file.
Warning
Please only attempt this if you are comfortable making changes to the registry. Usual disclaimer etc,etc.
1. Open the Start Menu, and type regedit in the search line and pres Enter.
2. In regedit, navigate to the location below: NOTE:If Shell Icons it is not in the left pane under Explorer, then right click on Explorer and click on New and Key. Type Shell Icons for the new keys's name and press Enter.
3. In the right pane of Shell Icons, right click on a empty area and click on New and String Value, and name it 29.
4. Right click on 29 and click on Modify.
5. Type in C:\Windows\System32\shell32.dll,29 and click on OK. NOTE:The 29 is the XP standard shortcut arrow number. Substitute a different ‘number’ in the data value field for other overlays or set the path to an ico file somewhere else on the hard drive.
6. Restart the computer to apply the small XP arrow, or the one you have selected, will show on all your shortcut icons.
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP d4996t (upgraded) OS XP MCE .... XP Pro 64 .... W7 U x64 CPU E6750, 2.67GHz C2D Memory 4GB, PC2 6400 Graphics Card GeForce 9400GT Monitor(s) Displays Twin Samsung 2443BWT Screen Resolution 1920x1200
PSU 460W Hard Drives Many .. 3 Installed Internet Speed Cable
System Manufacturer/Model Number Custom Build OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64 CPU Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Motherboard ASUS P5K-E Memory 8GB DDR2 Graphics Card GeForce 8800 GTS 512
Read the Tutorial again ... You have to make the "Shell Icons" Folder .. If it's not there.
Quote:
NOTE:If Shell Icons it is not in the left pane under Explorer, then right click on Explorer and click on New and Key. Type Shell Icons for the new keys's name and press Enter.
Don't feel bad ... I missed this on my first pass also.
System Manufacturer/Model Number HP d4996t (upgraded) OS XP MCE .... XP Pro 64 .... W7 U x64 CPU E6750, 2.67GHz C2D Memory 4GB, PC2 6400 Graphics Card GeForce 9400GT Monitor(s) Displays Twin Samsung 2443BWT Screen Resolution 1920x1200
PSU 460W Hard Drives Many .. 3 Installed Internet Speed Cable
Not working for me. I put it in the keys listed here as well as in the explorer section of the "Wow6432Node" key which has the same structure. Running Windows 7 Ultimate RTM 64-bit.
I'm trying to link it to an icon called "larrow.ico" in "C:\Shortcuts", so the "29" bit has the data:
"C:\Shortcuts\larrow.ico,0"
Any ideas? I just want the same arrow that you get with a TweakUI'd XP.
Information
OPTION ONE 
%windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-30 
%windir%\System32\imageres.dll,-154
Note
Warning
Way to remove shortcut arrow thing? 
