How To Remove shield icon from Windows 10 desktop shortcuts.

[Damiana]

You may have noticed some annoying ugly yellow-and-blue shield icons on your desktop shortcuts. This is how to get rid of them.

There are at least a few different ways to do this, which you can find easily on Google search. Some pose security concerns or require you to wreck files. The easiest is to add cmd /c start “” to the shortcut target, but it doesn't always work. There's also a method using scheduled tasks, which I haven't tried because it looked like a hassle. This is what I do now, which I haven't seen suggested anywhere:

Open the directory where your game executable is located. Create a new text file and name it [executable filename].bat . . . game.exe would be game.bat. In the BAT file, put this text:

START X:\\path\"folder name with spaces"\executable.exe

Create a shortcut for the BAT file and place it on your desktop. Change the shortcut's icon.

If that's not clear . . .

Easy method from second paragraph:

Remove Yellow & Blue Shield From Shortcut Icons On Desktop In Windows 10

What does the yellow and blue shield on program shortcuts on desktop indicate? In this guide, we will know what is the shield icon and how to remove it.

www.intowindows.com

My method:

How to Start an Exe in a Batch File

Steps on how to start or open an exe file from within a Windows batch file.

www.computerhope.com

The BAT file method would also be good if you use any other programs, like streaming or macro software, when playing games, because it enables you to launch multiple programs with one shortcut.

 

[Frag Maniac]

An alternative method is just to right click the shortcut, click properties, and in the shortcut tab add this line before the target path...

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start ""

... you also need to put a space between it and the original target path.

This makes Command Prompt open the executable, so you'll see CP flash onscreen before it launches.

An even simpler way, if it doesn't cause problems (sometimes apps need to be run as admin to avoid such problems), is just to right click the shortcut, click properties, and on the compatibility tab, uncheck Run this program as an administrator. Only programs that are set to run as admin have this shield.

Finally, yet another way, and one that also greatly reduces desktop clutter, is to make custom Taskbar Toolbars, in which you can categorize and alphabetize all your desktop shortcuts. I have 5 on my taskbar, Net (browsers), Apps (various utilities and such), Media (editors, media files, etc), Security (CCleaner, Malwarebytes, etc), and Games. This will make basically a tree of all the shortcuts you put in it, each having their own smaller original shortcut icon, but without the shield. You can also of course launch them with a single click once the tree is opened.

To do this you first make your categorized shortcut folders in a suitable location, place the shortcuts in them, then just right click the taskbar, click toolbars, new toolbar, then browse to the folder, and end by giving the toolbar an appropriate name. Then you'll see the toolbar appear on the taskbar with that name and a small arrow tab to the right of it you can click to open it.

 

[Damiana]

Finally, yet another way, and one that also greatly reduces desktop clutter, is to make custom Taskbar Toolbars, in which you can categorize and alphabetize all your desktop shortcuts. I have 5 on my taskbar

That's pretty cool. It's like adding as many start menus as you want.

How to Create a Custom Toolbar on the Windows 7 Taskbar - dummies

Windows 7 makes it easy for you to personalize your computer by offering a variety of options for customizing the new taskbar. One of the ways you can make your

www.dummies.com

I tried just now to see, and you can name folders with emoticons. It takes some trial and error to find one that looks good, because they don't display in color like they do on websites.

 

[Damiana]

Finally, yet another way, and one that also greatly reduces desktop clutter, is to make custom Taskbar Toolbars, in which you can categorize and alphabetize all your desktop shortcuts. I have 5 on my taskbar, Net (browsers), Apps (various utilities and such), Media (editors, media files, etc), Security (CCleaner, Malwarebytes, etc), and Games. This will make basically a tree of all the shortcuts you put in it, each having their own smaller original shortcut icon, but without the shield. You can also of course launch them with a single click once the tree is opened.

This site is perfect for finding the best high-visibility symbols for folder names: https://copychar.cc/symbols

I'm using those taskbar toolbars from now on. Great tip!

 

[Frag Maniac]

This site is perfect for finding the best high-visibility symbols for folder names: https://copychar.cc/symbols

I'm using those taskbar toolbars from now on. Great tip!

I should mention that one caveat is that custom toolbar trees can take a little while to open if you have tons of shortcuts placed in them, especially just after the PC is booted up.