If you have restored the show desktop icon, you might want to make a shortcut to the screensaver in Windows 7 as well. Of course, the screensaver will automatically start after a few minutes, nonetheless it might be handy to have a shortcut.

Create Desktop Shortcut to Screensaver

1. Create a new shortcut on your desktop.
2. Right-click on the shortcut and click on Properties
3. As the Target enter the full path to the screensaver that you want to launch, e.g. %systemroot%\system32\Bubbles.scr /s

4. Replace Bubble.scr with the name of your screensaver.

Tip: All screensavers are located at C:/Windows/system32/ – enter Bubble to jump to the Bubble.scr and then click on sort by type at the top

5. Change the desktop shortcut icon. I used a blank icon and moved the icon so that only half of it is visible:

You can download a blank desktop icon here, that also allows you to remove the shortcut arrow in Windows 7.

List of all Windows 7 Screensavers:

Replace Bubble.scr with one of the following screensavers if you don’t like the Bubble screensaver:

• Mystify.scr
• PhotoScreensaver.scr
• Ribbons.scr
• ssText3d.scr (3D Text screensaver)
• scrnsave.scr (blank screensaver)

Aurora Screensaver

If you want to customize the default screensaver in Windows 7 read our guide: How to customize Windows 7 screensaver

Should you miss the Aurora screensaver that you might know from Vista, get it here:  Download Aurora Screensaver for Windows 7

Create More Shortcuts

Want to create even more useful shortcuts?

• Shortcut to desktop
• Shortcut to shutdown

• 
  Black Ops 2
• 
  Halo 4
• 
  God of War 4
• 
  Crysis 3