Remove "Shortcut" Text From New Shortcuts in Vista
A source of annoyance for many Windows users is the " - Shortcut" text that is added to the name of newly created shortcuts, and every time you have to manually edit the shortcut and remove that text. Wouldn't it be great if there was a registry hack for this?
Most long-time geeks will remember that there was a hack for Windows XP, and probably already know that the same hack works in Windows Vista as well.
Notice the " - Shortcut" added to my pidgin icon.
Manual Registry Hack
Open up regedit.exe through the start menu search box, and then browse down to the following registry key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
On the right-hand side you'll find a key that is just called "link", with a default value of 1e 00 00 00. Open this key up and change the 1e to 00 instead, leaving you with 00 00 00 00.
You'll have to log off and then back on to make this change take effect. Please note that this won't affect existing shortcuts, only shortcuts that you create from now on.
To change the setting back, just change back to the 1e value, log off and back on.
Downloadable Registry Hack
I've provided these tweaks in a couple of registry hack files.
- RemoveShortcutText.reg - Removes the shortcut text from new shortcut
- RestoreShortcutText.reg - Restores the setting back to the default
marvelous! thanks geek.
Thanks a million! I've been waiting for this one.
I did this right after installing Vista, and it broke some stuff. I don't remember what it was, but it took some time before I figured out that this broke it. Sorry this isn't more helpful, but I blocked the memory. All I remember is that Vista needed it there for some reason.
It didn't work for me. I have two machines running Vista Ultimate, one a Dell version, the other is regular. On the Dell version, the reg value was indeed 1e 00 00 00 and I altered it to 00 00 00 00, but the word 'shortcut' was still there. I rebooted and tried again - nope. Luckily I'd exported the Explorer value, so I used the regfile to get back to the original.
But on the second machine, also Vista Ultimate, the value was 17 00 00 00 and when I altered it to 00 00 00 00 and rebooted, my display was screwed - just like 16 colors in W95 or W98! Again, I used the export to reverse the change and all is well again.
So, not sure why it works for others but it sure doesn't for me
Does the value above… "default value of 1e 00 00 00″ have a "Typo" or do different versions of Vista have different values? It seems some Vista machines have a different value to what's on this page. For instance my machine has a value of 15 00 00 00 NOT 1e 00 00 00
It worked for me; I tried the manual registry hack. Logging off and on doesn't help—end Windows Explorer from the Task Manager and then restart it. It works! And of course, restarting the computer definitely works.
hehe.. man ur the best
i did the manual work, (i always do) and it worked out just fine, just like everything else here.. ur side rox too btw..