SHS files are special OLE object files and cannot be opened directly. They can only be dragged into another opened document. When SHS files are created, an associated icon is placed on the desktop. If this icon is deleted, the scrap file is also deleted.
Support for scrap files was discontinued with Windows Vista. Earlier versions of Windows included the Windows Shell Scrap Object Handler, which is stored in the file shscrap.dll. This file handled the drag and drop operations to and from Word and Excel documents to create SHS files. However, SHS files cannot be opened in Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8, since these Windows versions do not include the handler.
NOTE: SHS files typically have a hidden ".shs" file extension. Be careful when opening them since they are executable and have been known to contain viruses.
Supported Operating Systems
When Microsoft released the Windows Vista operating system, the Redmond company opted to remove the dedicated handler file that allowed users to drag-and-drop SHS files to the desktop or to Word and Excel.Consequently, the following Windows versions are unable to handle SHS files:
- Windows Vista
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
- Windows Server 2012
The following versions of Windows, on the other hand, support the handling of SHS files:
- Windows 95
- Windows NT
- Windows 98
- Windows ME
- Windows 2000
- Windows Server 2003
- Opening a SHS File
Step 1
Launch either Excel or Word and resize the window so that both the Office program and the SHS shortcut on your desktop are visible at the same time.
Step 2
Drag the SHS file to a Word document or Excel spreadsheet. The program then automatically imports the contents of the file.
