Remove Focus Rectangle - Windows XP & Vista

Removing the Dotted Black Outline in Windows XP or Vista

Several users have inquired about eliminating the dotted black outline that occasionally appears when a file is selected. This article details a solution to address this visual issue.

The outline becomes visible when an icon is selected using the keyboard’s arrow keys, and then the mouse cursor is moved elsewhere. This phenomenon can also occur within other interface elements, such as tree controls.

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A utility known as the Universal Focus Rectangle Remover provides a means to resolve this problem. However, it is important to note that this tool is compatible only with 32-bit versions of Windows XP or Vista.

Installation

Begin by downloading and extracting the contents of the zipped file. Subsequently, copy the RemoveFocusRect.dll file to the System32 directory, typically found at:

C:\Windows\System32

You may encounter an access denied message during the copy process, but the file should be copied after following the on-screen prompts.

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To complete the installation, launch a command prompt with administrator privileges. Then, execute the following command to register the DLL file within Windows:

regsvr32 RemoveFocusRect.dll

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A confirmation message indicating successful registration should appear. If an error occurs, it is likely that you are running a 64-bit version of Windows, rendering the utility incompatible. In such cases, delete the copied file.

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After restarting your computer, the dotted rectangle should no longer be visible.

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Uninstalling

To uninstall the component, open a command prompt as an administrator and enter the following command to remove it from the registry (this step is crucial):