Make icon invisible

[doofenshmirtz]

Hi all,

Using Win 7 Home Premium 64 Bit
I added Notepad and Excel Icons to desktop and assigned shortcut keys
I would now like to make the icons invisible so as to clean up the desktop

I was able to make the text invisible with Alt + 0160
How can I make the icon invisible as well with the shortcut key still functioning

Thanks
goss

 

[Mike Connor]

Right click on the desktop;





Uncheck the box.


To make a single icon invisible;

http://www.777icons.com/invisible-shortcut-on-windows-desktop.htm

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[doofenshmirtz]

Thanks Mike,

Sorry if I was clear
I want to make icons invisible on a one-on-one basis, not all icons

thanks
goss

 

[ie9]

Try this tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/78151-icons-make-shortcuts-folders-invisible.html

 

[Mike Connor]

Thanks Mike,

Sorry if I was clear
I want to make icons invisible on a one-on-one basis, not all icons

thanks
goss

Sorry, I was still editing the post. How to make a single icon invisble is also there.

The tutorial ie9 posted seems a little more elegant!

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[doofenshmirtz]

When I right click the Icon, the change Icon button is ghosted out
How can I activate the button?

Thanks
goss

 

[ie9]

Have you installed any icon changing programs?

 

[whs]

How about putting the icons into a toolbar. Then they are invisible and always quickly accessible: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/72092-toolbars-how-use-windows-7-vista.html

 

[rap33042]

Why don't you just drag it to the recycle bin? It won't delete the program and the icon will be gone.

 

[Kari]

Am I missing something here? Why don't you just hide the shortcut?



Kari

 

[whs]

Kari, I think you are hiding the file, not the shortcut on the desktop.

 

[SledgeDG]

I don't seem to be able to wrap my head around this whole thing and get the point of the action. Why don't you just put all the shortcuts, you don't want on your screen, into the Quick Launch Bar. The Keyboard shortcuts should still work no matter if the bar is shown or not

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/888-quick-launch-enable-disable.html

-DG

 

[Kari]

Kari, I think you are hiding the file, not the shortcut on the desktop.

No, Wolfgang. OP asks how to make an icon invisible . I did tell how in my post. The screenshot is from shortcut.

Using file properties, you can hide (= make invisible) any shortcut icon, file or folder. I do not believe he has copied the programs on desktop, rather that he has shortcuts to them.

Kari



EDIT: Let's try once again.

If I understand OP correctly, he wants to make a shortcut icon on desktop invisible, and open the program that icon opens with a keyboard shortcut.

This solution, as told in my previous post, is the easiest and simplest. It works with every type of shortcut icon whether it is a shortcut to a program or folder:

Right click the shortcut icon. Choose Properties from context menu. Click Shortcut tab, click inside Shortcut text field and assign a keyboard shortcut by pressing a shortcut key of your choice. Click General tab, select Hide, click OK.

The shortcut icon is now invisible (hidden) as OP wanted, and can be run with assigned keyboard shortcut.

 

[James Colbert]

All solutions presented are viable, IMO. What works best for me is a combination of what Kari, Mike Conner & whs have suggested, with a twist.

• My desktop icons are generally hidden via right click/View/Show icons (but I have the Desktop toolbar showing in the Taskbar)
• I have a folder called Desktop Shortcuts in my Start Menu folder, (which contain shortcuts to the programs I use most). I have created hotkeys in all of these shortcuts' properties.

If I need other than hotkey access to the shortcuts on my desktop, I can either access them via the Desktop toolbar (through browsing the popup list or right clicking and opeing the folder for an explorer view), or click on the 'Show Desktop' item.

Also, I keep a current copy of the Desktop Shortcuts folder on a different partition, always ready when needed after a new install (or reinstall) on any machine.


James

 

[whs]

Sorry Kari, but it just does not want to work. I even clicked "Apply" - but the shortcut kept being visible. I also tried it on a file (new folder on desktop). That did nothing either. maybe my system is haunted.

 

[ie9]

Sorry Kari, but it just does not want to work. I even clicked "Apply" - but the shortcut kept being visible. I also tried it on a file (new folder on desktop). That did nothing either. maybe my system is haunted.

Could it be that you are showing hidden files and folders?

 

[Mike Connor]

Sorry Kari, but it just does not want to work. I even clicked "Apply" - but the shortcut kept being visible. I also tried it on a file (new folder on desktop). That did nothing either. maybe my system is haunted.

By something invisible?

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Kari]

Whs, I can just say it works without a single problem on all my rigs. Assign a keyboard shortcut, hide the icon and that's it.

Did you refresh the desktop after hiding the icon? Check folder options so that Show hidden files and folders is not enabled.

Kari

 

[Mike Connor]

All solutions presented are viable, IMO. What works best for me is a combination of what Kari, Mike Conner & whs have suggested, with a twist.

• My desktop icons are generally hidden via right click/View/Show icons (but I have the Desktop toolbar showing in the Taskbar)
• I have a folder called Desktop Shortcuts in my Start Menu folder, (which contain shortcuts to the programs I use most). I have created hotkeys in all of these shortcuts' properties.

If I need other than hotkey access to the shortcuts on my desktop, I can either access them via the Desktop toolbar (through browsing the popup list or right clicking and opeing the folder for an explorer view), or click on the 'Show Desktop' item.

Also, I keep a current copy of the Desktop Shortcuts folder on a different partition, always ready when needed after a new install (or reinstall) on any machine.


James

Yep, more or less what I do as well, although I only really use the desktop folder as a sort of glorified drop box for stuff like screenshots etc.

As you can see here, the desktop on the screen is "empty", and I have a folder where I can do whatever I want with the contents;




Most people find some particular way of working which suits them, and then stick to it. Can be quite difficult to acquire new habits when one wants to do something else.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[whs]

Whs, I can just say it works without a single problem on all my rigs. Assign a keyboard shortcut, hide the icon and that's it.

Did you refresh the desktop after hiding the icon? Check folder options so that Show hidden files and folders is not enabled.

Kari

Aha, now we are getting somewhere. "Show hidden files and folders" is enabled. Thanks Kari