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To remove the shadow effect from desktop icons in Windows 10, here are updated and comprehensive methods
Method 1: Disable Drop Shadows Via Performance Options
This method involves adjusting the visual effects settings in the System Properties.
- Press Win + R to open the Run command window.
- Type
sysdm.cpl
in the Run command search field and press Enter. This opens the System Properties window. - In the System Properties dialog box, select the Advanced tab.
- Under the Performance section, click on the Settings button. This opens the Performance Options dialog box.
- Under the Visual Effects tab, look for Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop and uncheck the option.
- Press Apply and then Save to apply the changes and exit.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
- If shadows still appear, repeat steps 1-3 and uncheck Animate controls and elements inside windows.
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Method 2: Disable Shadows Via Registry Editor
For users without administrator rights, the Registry Editor can be used to disable drop shadows.
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Run from the context menu.
- Type
regedit
in the Run command search box and press Enter. This opens the Registry Editor window. - Copy and paste
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
into the Registry Editor address bar and press Enter.- On the right side of the window, look for the DWORD (32-bit) Value – ListViewShadow and double-click on it.
- In the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value dialog box, set the Value data field to 0 to disable the drop shadow effect.
- Press OK to save the changes and exit.
- To re-enable shadows, change the Value data to 1.
- Ensure you create a backup of the registry settings before making changes.
Method 3: Disable Transparent Start, Taskbar, and Action Center
If adjusting icon labels doesn’t remove the shadow effect, try disabling transparency effects in Windows settings.
- Press Win + I to open the Settings app.
- In the Settings window, click on Personalisation on the left side.
- Select Colours on the right side.
- Scroll down to Transparency effects and turn it off.
- Close the Settings app and restart your PC for the changes to be effective.
Method 4: Via Task Manager
Restarting Windows Explorer through Task Manager can help remove the shadow effect, especially if it’s caused by system glitches.
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Task Manager from the context menu.
- In the Task Manager window, under the Processes tab, locate Windows Explorer.
- Right-click on Windows Explorer and select Restart.
- This action will reboot Windows Explorer, potentially removing the shadow effect from the desktop icon text.
Method 5: Through the Settings App
Changing the desktop background to a solid color can sometimes resolve issues with shadow effects on desktop icons.
- Right-click on the Start menu and select Settings from the context menu.
- In the Settings app, click on Personalisation on the left side.
- Click on Background on the right side.
- In the Background screen, go to the Personalise your background field and select Solid colour from the drop-down menu.
- Select your preferred color in the Choose your background colour section.
- Close the Settings window. The drop shadow effect should now be removed from your desktop icons.
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