Shortcuts are a convenient solution for quick access to folders you use frequently, but if you've gone overboard or installed a lot of new programs recently, your desktop can quickly become cluttered.

William Beaver asked for “a simple, safe” way to remove the arrows from the shortcuts on his desktop. Shortcuts point to files–usually but not always programs–that are stored elsewhere on your drive.

The Windows desktop is iconic. Some of the backgrounds, the green rolling hills featured in Windows XP, have even become a bit of a meme. However, I do one thing very differently: I have completely ...