How can I remove text shadows on Windows 11 desktop icons? By default, all desktop icons have a drop shadow under the text label. Sometimes, the shadow can make the icon label blurry and difficult to read against the desktop background. In this tutorial we’ll show you 2 simple methods to remove shadow from desktop icon text in Windows 11.

Method 1: Remove Shadow from Desktop Icon Label via System Properties

1. Press the Windows key + R together to bring up the Run box, type sysdm.cpl and press Enter to open System Properties dialog.

   

2. Choose the Advanced tab at the top, and then click the Settings button under the Performance section.

   

3. In the Visual Effects tab, uncheck the “Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop” option and click OK.

   

4. You must reboot your computer for the changes to take effect. The next time you sign into Windows, the drop shadow of each desktop icon label should be gone.

Method 2: Remove Shadow from Desktop Icon Label via Registry Editor

1. Open Registry Editor and navigate to the location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Double-click the DWORD ListviewShadow on the right side pane.

   

2. In order to disable drop shadows for desktop icon labels, change its value data from 1 to 0, and click OK.

   

3. Close Registry Editor and restart your PC to apply the changes.

That’s it!