https://github.com/hatixntsoa/blank_icon
A Simple Windows Batch Script To Remove Arrow Icon On Windows Shortcuts
https://github.com/hatixntsoa/blank_icon
batch shortcut-icons windows
Last synced: 12 months ago
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A Simple Windows Batch Script To Remove Arrow Icon On Windows Shortcuts
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/hatixntsoa/blank_icon
- Owner: hatixntsoa
- License: mit
- Created: 2024-12-31T21:44:52.000Z (over 1 year ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-07-27T12:34:27.000Z (12 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-07-27T14:44:58.829Z (12 months ago)
- Topics: batch, shortcut-icons, windows
- Language: Batchfile
- Homepage:
- Size: 4.88 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.md
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Clean Shortcut Icon Script for Windows
This script allows you to remove the default shortcut arrow icon from Windows and replace it with a custom icon, such as a Unix-style clean icon. The script makes a registry modification to update the shortcut icon for a more streamlined look.
## Features
- Removes the default shortcut arrow from icons.
- Replaces it with a custom icon (`blank.ico`).
- Works by modifying the registry key for **Windows Explorer**.
- Offers a clean, Unix-like look for your desktop shortcuts.
## Prerequisites
- **Windows 7 or later**: The script is designed to work on modern Windows versions.
- **Administrator privileges**: The script requires elevated privileges to modify the system registry.
- **Git**: Ensure that **Git** is installed for the cloning process.
## Installation
### Step 1: Clone the Repository
First, clone the repository from GitHub to get the script.
1. Open **Command Prompt** or **PowerShell**.
2. Run the following command to clone the repository:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/hatixntsoa/blank_icon.git
```
3. Navigate to the `blank_icon` directory:
```bash
cd blank_icon
```
### Step 2: Run the Script
#### From Command Line
1. Ensure you are in the `blank_icon` directory (where `scripts\blank.bat` is located).
2. Run the following command to execute the batch file as an administrator:
```batch
runas /user:Administrator ".\scripts\blank.bat"
```
3. You will be prompted to enter the full path to the `blank.ico` file. If the `.ico` file is located in the same directory as the script, the script will automatically detect it.
#### From Windows Explorer
1. Navigate to the `scripts` folder inside the `blank_icon` directory.
2. Right-click the `blank.bat` file and select **Run as administrator** from the context menu.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to enter the path to the custom `.ico` file (if necessary).
### Step 3: Restart Windows Explorer
The script will automatically restart **Windows Explorer** to apply the changes. This will remove the shortcut arrows and apply the custom icon.
## How It Works
- The script checks if the `blank.ico` file is located in the same directory as the batch script.
- If the `.ico` file is not found, it prompts the user to provide the full path to the `blank.ico` file.
- The registry key for **Shell Icons** is updated to associate the `blank.ico` with all shortcut icons, removing the default shortcut arrows and replacing them with a clean Unix-like icon.
## Reverting the Changes
If you want to revert the changes and restore the default shortcut arrow icon, you can use the `revert.bat` script.
### Step 1: Run the Revert Script
1. Navigate to the `scripts` folder inside the `blank_icon` directory.
2. Right-click the `revert.bat` file and select **Run as administrator** from the context menu.
3. The script will remove the custom icon and restore the default Windows shortcut arrow.
Alternatively, you can run the `revert.bat` script from the command line using the following command:
```batch
runas /user:Administrator ".\scripts\revert.bat"
```
### How It Works
- The `revert.bat` script deletes the registry entry for the custom shortcut icon.
- It then restarts **Windows Explorer** to apply the changes and restore the default icons.
## Notes
- Ensure the `blank.ico` file exists and is named exactly `blank.ico` before running the script.
- The script requires **administrator** privileges to make changes to the Windows registry.
- To restore the default icon after running the `blank.bat` script, you can use the `revert.bat` script as described above.