Remove icon hover highlight

Butters · 16 Sep 2012

I wanted to know if it was possible to remove the hover\press highlight that appears on the icons on the desktop and in Windows Explorer. Here's a picture to show you what I mean.

I did some searching and found there is no up front way to do this, as it requires modifying some (system) files. I am familiar with Resource Hacker and such;I just need to know which files to modify. And also, which resources (images and such) would need to be changed. Thanks!

Bongo · 17 Sep 2012

If you are using the default Aero theme you should not edit it you should create a new custom theme so you do not corrupt the original Aero theme, look at the Post #38 of this thread Start menu color change ?? it will show you how to start a new custom theme and then you can edit it. You will need to do 1 of these 2 ways of Enabling custom themes for it to work.
Enabling Custom Themes - Windows 7
Or
Theme - How to Apply Custom Themes

You will need to edit the Theme.msstyles that you created above the image numbers you will need to edit image # 601, 602, 603, 604, 630, 632, 645, the first four numbers are for the desktop hovers they also remove the hovers in the navigation pane of Explorer the last three numbers remove the hovers from Explorer.
Look at Post #6 of this thread Windows Explorer Properties window background color will show you how to use a resource hacker to extract and edit and import images into the Theme.msstyles

If you need more help let me know.
Jerry

Butters · 19 Sep 2012

Thanks Bongo. They're in the .msstyles. There's just one problem, when I replace the images with blank (transparent) ones, I can't tell when I've clicked on something, as there is no indication of it (e.g. the Windows Classic theme shows a solid color when you click on an icon, just like in versions of Windows before Vista.) Is there any way to fix this?

Bongo · 20 Sep 2012

For the desktop add color to image #601
For Explorer add color to image #632

Jerry

fred999 · 01 Mar 2013

I've been doing this for windows 7...but i've just upgraded to windows 8..
Is there a way to do this tweak in windows 8?

Thanks so much

Bongo · 01 Mar 2013

fred999 said:

I've been doing this for windows 7...but i've just upgraded to windows 8..
Is there a way to do this tweak in windows 8?

Thanks so much

Welcome to the Seven Forums

Windows 8 Forums

Here are the #s for the default aero theme in Windows 8.

Explorer hoover

Hot #599
Selected #598
Hot Selected #600

Desktop hoover

Hot #627
Selected #626
Hot Selected #628

Jerry

fred999 · 02 Mar 2013

Thanks so much Jerry! I will go and give this a try

Bongo · 02 Mar 2013

fred999 said:

Thanks so much Jerry! I will go and give this a try

You're welcome

fred999 · 14 May 2013

Hi everyone.

I've been trying for ages to get rid of the desktop hovers in windows 8. I've created a new theme, and changed the images for 598,599,600, 626, 627, 628 in resource hacker, but whenever I enable the theme, nothing changes. i've double checked the .theme file and everything is correct. The theme shows up with the others and can be selected..but it seems identical to the standard windows theme, despite me changing the images. Can anyone help?

Thanks

Bongo · 14 May 2013

fred999 said:

Hi everyone.

I've been trying for ages to get rid of the desktop hovers in windows 8. I've created a new theme, and changed the images for 598,599,600, 626, 627, 628 in resource hacker, but whenever I enable the theme, nothing changes. i've double checked the .theme file and everything is correct. The theme shows up with the others and can be selected..but it seems identical to the standard windows theme, despite me changing the images. Can anyone help?

Thanks

How did you create the new theme?

When you are editing the .msstyles are you using that theme or another, you must switch to a different theme log off and then log on then you can edit the new theme.

Jerry