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 Home screen provides easy access to all apps and services in smartphones and tablets. This is made possible given that system services and downloaded apps typically have shortcut icons displayed ...