This tutorial will show you how to add or remove the - Shortcut extension being added to the filename of newly created shortcuts for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you right click or press and hold on a file, folder, or drive and click tap on either Show more options > Create shortcut or Send to -> Desktop (create shortcut), a shortcut to that file, folder or drive will be created with the - Shortcut extension added at the end of the filename by default.
This will only affect new shortcuts you create afterwards, and will not affect shortcuts that already have the - Shortcut filename extension.
Shortcuts that already have the - Shortcut filename extension can only be manually renamed if you wanted to remove the - Shortcut extension from the shortcut's name.
EXAMPLE: "- Shortcut" file name extension
Here's How:
1 Do step 2 (add) or step 3 (remove) below for what you want.
2 Add Shortcut Name Extension for New Shortcuts
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Add_Shortcut_name_extension_for_current_user.bat
(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
REG Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer" /V link /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\NamingTemplates" /V ShortcutNameTemplate /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe3 Remove Shortcut Name Extension for New Shortcuts
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Remove_Shortcut_name_extension_for_current_user.bat
(Content of BAT file for reference)
Code:
@echo off
REG ADD "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer" /V link /T REG_Binary /D 00000000 /F
Reg Delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\NamingTemplates" /V ShortcutNameTemplate /F
:: To kill and restart explorer
taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
start explorer.exe4 Save the BAT file to your desktop.
5 unblock the BAT file.
6 Double click/tap on the .bat file to run it.
7 You will now notice your screen flicker as the explorer process is restarted to apply.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
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