Solved Remove the "Focus Rectangle" from Icons

[Gornot]

The Focus Rectangle has always been a part of Windows, ever since Windows 3.1. But in Windows 7 it seems it acts a bit differently, or the way it appears and disappears randomly is simply a bug; I won't make any certain statements. But here's the deal:
Whenever you change the desktop background or a theme in Windows 7, the Focus Rectangle becomes visible.

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Now, I have found a few solutions or registry hacks to completely remove this (but only for XP), and as some people may actually use it, it's not recommended to completely remove it. So the answer is actually quite simple:
Restart the PC. On the next boot the Focus Rectangle will be gone and will not appear until you change the desktop background or the theme again.

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Perhaps a simple Log Off can do the trick as well, I haven't tested, but I think it should work as well.

Yet, if you really want to risk it and try to remove it, you can use the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover I found on the Neowin Forums. Use administrator priviledges when running whatever is in the ZIP file (I do not wish to test this).

Installation:
1. Unpack the downloaded archive
2. Use x86 setup for 32bit systems; for 64bit systems, you need to use both files included in the archive.
3. Log off or restart the PC.

This fix works for both Windows 7 and Vista!

EDITED to add new link, courtesy of Bongo

 

[Guntmeister]

Just a quick note to say that logging off and back on works also.

 

[Gornot]

Great. Thanks for that.
I tested the UFRR from the link and it works. The ugly rectangle is gone, but of course, the feature itself is still there.

 

[Psych0t1c]

What about x64?

 

[csharpHarp]

I signed up just to say thank you. That really helped me a lot, those dots drove me insane!

 

[Gornot]

Oh my, well thank you. You should stick around, though, as there is much more help offered here.

This little app supports x64 as well... I think.

 

[Gornot]

With the installation of IE9b, this fix does not seem to work anymore, unfortunately. I will try and find another solution for IE9 users, and post back any feedback.

Edit: Let me restate that the focus rectangle won't work in IE, but reinstalling it should work for Windows itself.

Edit2: Yes, it does

 

[Bongo]

The link is broken to the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover so I will post it here in a zip folder.

 

[kidego]

The link is broken to the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover so I will post it here in a zip folder.

Bongo - I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to realize the broken link, and being kind enough to post an alternative download method for those like myself. I have searched exhaustively all over the net and have come up with either broken links, or straight up b.s. links redirecting me somewhere else. Please keep it posted for others, for future reference. Thanks again...ROCK!!! ~johnny~

 

[kidego]

Universal Rectangle Remover...Why?

I am curious as to why this has recently become such a common issue with people all over the world. For example, I have had Windows 7 and been running it fine without ever running into the "Rectangle Box" Problem. Seriously, it has only been within the last several months, a year tops, that it has been an issue for me at least. Obviously it has something to do with Windows itself, and one possibility I was thinking may be from a recent Win Update. This of course being said admitting that I am no IT Tech. and could be way off base. But, it seems at least a logical question. In addition, I was thinking it may have something to do with the Win Cleaning Programs. For example, I use Ccleaner...possibly whatever it is cleaning could be ****ing with the registry too. Finally, I haven't pinned the exact cause as of yet, but what I have mentioned above are the only things that I can think of considering the only changes I have made personally, or new software I have used (Ccleaner) as mentioned above. Any thoughts on this topic as far as possible cause? If so, please respond because it has been seriously irritating the **** out of me to find out the cause. thanks in advance...

 

[Bongo]

The link is broken to the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover so I will post it here in a zip folder.

Bongo - I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to realize the broken link, and being kind enough to post an alternative download method for those like myself. I have searched exhaustively all over the net and have come up with either broken links, or straight up b.s. links redirecting me somewhere else. Please keep it posted for others, for future reference. Thanks again...ROCK!!! ~johnny~

I am curious as to why this has recently become such a common issue with people all over the world. For example, I have had Windows 7 and been running it fine without ever running into the "Rectangle Box" Problem. Seriously, it has only been within the last several months, a year tops, that it has been an issue for me at least. Obviously it has something to do with Windows itself, and one possibility I was thinking may be from a recent Win Update. This of course being said admitting that I am no IT Tech. and could be way off base. But, it seems at least a logical question. In addition, I was thinking it may have something to do with the Win Cleaning Programs. For example, I use Ccleaner...possibly whatever it is cleaning could be ****ing with the registry too. Finally, I haven't pinned the exact cause as of yet, but what I have mentioned above are the only things that I can think of considering the only changes I have made personally, or new software I have used (Ccleaner) as mentioned above. Any thoughts on this topic as far as possible cause? If so, please respond because it has been seriously irritating the **** out of me to find out the cause. thanks in advance...

You're welcome

This issue has be around for a long time it's not new.

Jerry

 

[Meanbunny]

Greetings all. I decided to register because of how super easy and simple of a fix I found to this problem. No download needed, or logging on and off. Just go to your desktop and simply press alt+escape. That should remove the dotted outline caused by using keyboard navigation. I hope this helps anyone else out there searching for a fix to this problem. Cheers everyone!

 

[Gornot]

The link is broken to the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover so I will post it here in a zip folder.

Thanks for posting this link, I have lost my backup of the archive in the meantime and like many others, just couldn't find it online

 

[Bongo]

The link is broken to the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover so I will post it here in a zip folder.

Thanks for posting this link, I have lost my backup of the archive in the meantime and like many others, just couldn't find it online

You're welcome

 

[xboxmember1978]

I know this is on old post but I have searched everywhere for a fix for this and all the solutions didn't work except for this! I have never had this issue except for the past month or two and it was VERY annoying. I could get it gone by restarting but would come back the second I used any keyboard buttons, using just the mouse on a fresh restart would make it go away. I don't know why using Windows 7 for years and now Windows 8 I have just ran into this issue but now I finally found a fix. Thank you so much!

 

[Ztruker]

Ditto on the old post. Just wanted to let folks know this does not work with Windows 8.1.

 

[xboxmember1978]

This does work with Win 8.1 Pro

 

[Ztruker]

I have 8.1 Pro X64 and it doesn't work for me.

 

[Joshatdot]

This no longer works .. something changed in the last few weeks. Even when I reapply the Remove Focus, or regsrv32 the DLL .. it does not work.

 

[aiu]

So anybody found any new solution that will work on 8.1 with update 1?