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.reg
Download
(Content of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"link"=-
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\NamingTemplates]
"ShortcutNameTemplate"=-3 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.reg
Download
(Content of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"link"=hex:00,00,00,00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\NamingTemplates]
"ShortcutNameTemplate"="ShortcutNameTemplate"4 Save the REG file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded REG file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 Either restart explorer process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.
8 You can now delete the downloaded REG file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
