How to Enable or Disable Drop Shadows for Icon Labels on Desktop in Windows 11

Option 1Use Performance Settings

Performance Options is the quickest way to turn drop shadows for icon labels on or off. This built-in window controls Windows visual effects, so you can change how your desktop looks without editing any system files. Follow these steps to find the right checkbox.

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard. A small window called “Run” opens.
2. Type SystemPropertiesPerformance.exe into the box and click OK. A window called “Performance Options” opens.
3. Click the Visual Effects tab at the top. You should see a list of checkboxes for visual effects.
4. Scroll through the list until you find Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop.
5. Check the box to turn the shadows ON. This is the default.
6. Uncheck the box to turn the shadows OFF.
7. Click OK at the bottom to save your changes. The window closes. Look at your desktop and the icon labels should now look different.

If you change one checkbox, the radio button at the top switches to Custom. That is normal. It just means you no longer use one of the preset profiles.

If you pick Adjust for best performance, Windows unchecks almost every effect in the list, including this one. If you pick Adjust for best appearance, it checks them all. If the shadows change and you did not mean to change them, check which preset is selected.

The change normally shows on the desktop straight away. If the labels look the same, sign out and sign back in. To undo the change, open the same window and tick or untick the box again.

Option 2Manually Edit the Registry

Be careful here, because a wrong edit in the registry can cause system errors. You need administrator rights to make these changes. Back up the registry before you start.

To make a quick backup, open Registry Editor, click File, then Export. Choose All as the export range, name the file, and save it somewhere safe. If something goes wrong, you can double-click that file to restore it. Creating a restore point is another safe option.

1. Press Windows key + R on your keyboard.
2. Type regedit.exe into the box and click OK. If Windows asks for administrator permission, click Yes. Registry Editor opens.
3. In the left-hand pane, go to this location. You can expand each folder in turn, or paste the path into the address bar at the top of the window.

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

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4. In the right-hand pane, find the item named ListviewShadow. If you cannot see it, check that you are in the right location. You can also use the Performance Options method above instead.
5. Double-click ListviewShadow. A small "Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value" window opens.
6. In the Value data box, enter one of these values and click OK:

   • Type 1 to turn the shadows ON. This is the default.
   • Type 0 to turn the shadows OFF.
7. Close Registry Editor. The change does not show up yet.
8. Restart your computer, or sign out and sign back in, to see the change.

To undo the change, repeat the same steps and enter the other value. If you made a backup and something else broke, import the exported file to restore it.

Summary

Controlling Windows 11 drop shadows for your desktop icon labels is simple once you know where to look. Use the Performance Options window for a quick change that takes effect right away. Use the registry method if you prefer to edit the value yourself, and remember to back up first and sign out or restart afterwards. Both methods give you control over how your desktop text looks, and you can switch back at any time.