With the default installation settings, most of the classic desktop programs create their shortcut icons on the desktop upon installing them. While some programs offer an option to install programs without creating the desktop shortcut, some not. Program shortcuts usually have a shortcut icon over them to indicate that they are, well, shortcuts.
As you might have observed, some programs create desktop shortcuts with a shield icon on them. As you can see in the picture below, the yellow and blue shield icon shows up on the lower right area of some program shortcuts.
What’s the shield icon on program shortcuts?
The yellow and blue shield icon indicates that the program will always require administrator rights to run. In other words, it will always run as administrator. When you double-click on a program shortcut which has the shield icon on it, you will get the User Account Control screen (unless you have disabled the UAC) where you need to click the Yes button to run the program with admin rights.
A large number of PC users either hide desktop icons or don’t prefer to have program shortcuts on the desktop. That said, there are users who prefer to have program shortcuts on the desktop so that they can launch programs quickly and easily.
If you are one of those users who keep program shortcuts on the desktop, you might want to get rid of the yellow and blue shield to give all program icons a uniform look. Luckily, with a little bit of effort, you can remove the shield icon from the desktop shortcuts without hampering their functionality.
Remove the yellow and blue shield icon from program icons
Step 1: Right-click on the desktop icon that has the shield icon over it and then click the Properties option.
Step 2: Switch to the Shortcut tab. In the Target box, add the following path at the beginning of the existing target path.
cmd /c start “”
Step 3: Click the Apply button. If you get the Access denied dialog, click the Continue button. Close the dialog box. That’s it! The program shortcut on the desktop will no longer display the blue and yellow shield icon, but it will continue to prompt the UAC screen upon double-clicking on it. You might notice a small delay (negligible) while launching the program now.
If the original program icon is replaced with a Command Prompt icon or any other icon, right-click on the shortcut icon and then click Properties. Note the path to executable of the program in the Targets field. Switch to the Shortcut tab, click the Change icon button, click the Browse button, navigate to the executable of the program, select it and then click the Open button to see the original icon. Click the OK button, click Continue when you get the Access Denied dialog, and then click the Apply button.
To restore the old behavior of the program shortcut, delete the newly added path (cmd /c start “”) from the target field.
Scott Harker says
This works but the Defender badges did not appear on any icons before recent Win 10 updates. I want to fix the problem, not use a work around. Before the updates I never had to verify the user account control when opening those icons. I now have 5 icons on which the defender badges magically appeared on one computer and 3 on another system. Microsoft sucks. What is the real solution? Can this be corrected in the Registry?
Duy Q. Vo says
It worked but you need to add a space to separate it from what was originally there. For example, it should look something like this: cmd /c start “” “c:\program files\games\blackdesert.exe”
Also as someone else stated, you have to type it out instead of copy-pasting the command from this page.
mk says
didnt work when i copy/pasted the “” symbols, but when i manually typed them it worked, thanx
swierk says
better solution to get rid of all badges will be to find alpha mask for a badge and edit it to be all transparent. this is probably in registry as shortcut arow. they did it like that for shortcut arrows.
Mick says
Worked thanks heaps. I love customising my pc desktop but hell, i get lost sometimes and don’t know what i’ve done to the pc haha atm all my .exe icons are stuck with the same icon. Good Times. Thanks for getting rid of the annoying shield blocking my pretty programs.
Nexus Zeta says
stupid windows what security would that shield add! just makes the icon cheap and dumb
Ben Afleck says
this really is a bad work around for a even lousier OS.
Microsoft forcing these icon overlays on programs shortcuts adds nothing to security.
L says
Did exactly as URPersonalITGuy wrote and it worked perfectly. Doing as it says in the article will get rid of the icon, but make it useless. You NEED the spaces for everything to work properly!
URPersonalITGuy says
Confirmed working if syntax is exactly correct, there is a {space} between start and “” and there is a space in between “” and “C:\…. – see below
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start “” “C:\MyProgam.exe”
BenJon says
What a piece of shit work-around. Sitting there doing it individually for all files fml that’s annoying & tedious, you people have too much spare time.
Case says
Works like a charm. Be aware you really need to use the “” at the end of cmd /c start “” and it needs to be followed by thee original string within quotes or else it just opens a command prompt at the Start in location.!
So: cmd /c start”””C:\……”
Jordy Vh says
When I get rid of the newly added path, the UAC shield just comes back
Jodena Love says
I have removed the shield but the icon want work when double clicking it.
Shark Trager says
Not working. Yes, the shield is gone but the icons became useless. I got this message when trying to execute the program by double-clicking on the icon.
Windows cannot find “””C:\Program Files\(Path of the said program).exe”‘. Make sure you type the name correctly, and then try again.
Sandy Wood says
Thank you so much! That was driving me crazy and I wouldn’t have figured it out on my own.