Personalization Enable or Disable Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Windows 11


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This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable using drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop for your account in Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Windows uses drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop by default.

Depending on if your desktop background is light or dark, using drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop may make reading the icon label easier or harder.

If harder, then you can turn off use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop to remove the drop shadows.


Contents

  • Option One: Turn On or Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Visual Effects Performance Options
  • Option Two: Turn On or Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop using REG file
  • Option Three: Turn On or Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Registry Editor


EXAMPLE: "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop" turned on and off

Use_drop_shadows_for_icon_labels_on_the_desktop_on.jpg
Use_drop_shadows_for_icon_labels_on_the_desktop_off.jpg





Option One

Turn On or Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Visual Effects Performance Options


1 Run (Win+R) SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe to open Visual Effects Performance Options.

2 In the Visual Effects tab, check (on - default) or uncheck (off) Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

Use_drop_shadows_for_icon_labels_on_the_desktop.png





Option Two

Turn On or Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop using REG file


This option will not work when Administrator protection is turned on.


1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you want.

2 Turn On Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop

This is the default setting.


A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Turn_on_use_drop_shadows_for_icon_labels_on_the_desktop.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"ListviewShadow"=dword:00000001

3 Turn Off Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop

A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the REG file below, and go to step 4 below.​

Turn_off_use_drop_shadows_for_icon_labels_on_the_desktop.reg


(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced]
"ListviewShadow"=dword:00000000

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 the explorer.exe process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

8 You can now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.




Option Three

Add or Remove Notification Bell icon on Taskbar in Registry Editor


1 Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe).

2 Navigate to the key location below in the left pane of Registry Editor. (see screenshot below step 3)

HKEY_USERS\<SID>\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Substitute <SID> in the key path above with the actual SID for the account you want to apply this to.

For example:
HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-2498639629-3946114050-4100787084-1001\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced


3 In the right pane of the Advanced key, double click/tap on the ListviewShadow DWORD to modify it. (see screenshot below)

ListviewShadow-1.webp

4 Enter 0 (off) or 1 (on - default) for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)

ListviewShadow-2.webp

5 Either restart the explorer.exe process, sign out and sign in, or restart the computer to apply.

6 You can now close Registry Editor if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

Attachments

Last edited:
Option One didn't work, but Option Two did. Thank you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windws 10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Tutorial updated to add option three. :alien:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom self build
    CPU
    Intel i7-8700K 5 GHz
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Maximus XI Formula Z390
    Memory
    64 GB (4x16GB) G.SKILL TridentZ RGB DDR4 3600 MHz (F4-3600C18D-32GTZR)
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS ROG-STRIX-GTX1080TI-O11G-GAMING (11GB GDDR5X)
    Sound Card
    Integrated Digital Audio (S/PDIF)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    2 x Samsung Odyssey G75 27"
    Screen Resolution
    2560x1440
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    4TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2,
    8TB WD MyCloudEX2Ultra NAS
    PSU
    Seasonic Prime Titanium 850W
    Case
    Thermaltake Core P3 wall mounted
    Cooling
    Corsair Hydro H115i
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless K800
    Mouse
    Logitech MX Master 3
    Internet Speed
    1 Gbps Download and 35 Mbps Upload
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Defender and Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Logitech Z625 speaker system,
    Logitech BRIO 4K Pro webcam,
    HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M477fdn,
    CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD
    Galaxy S23 Plus phone
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PC
    CPU
    Snapdragon X Elite (12 core) 3.42 GHz
    Memory
    16 GB LPDDR5x-7467 MHz
    Monitor(s) Displays
    15" HDR
    Screen Resolution
    2496 x 1664
    Hard Drives
    1 TB SSD
    Internet Speed
    Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4
    Browser
    Chrome and Edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender

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