I keep getting green check marks or boxes shown on my Windows 11 desktop icons

[NenHancer]

So I don't have any photos of this cause I found a quick fix (if it happens again I'll do a screen grab). But it's the 2nd time this has happened to me. I don't notice anything I'm doing out of the ordinary. First time this happened it was little boxes on my icons. And just earlier it was green check marks. The fix I found was to open File Explorer Options > View > and change any setting. Hit apply. And change it back. And that works. But I'd rather not have to keep doing this each time.

 

Everything I have found says this is linked to OneDrive. But I don't have OneDrive installed. I uninstalled it a while ago. Over a year I think and this just started happening.

 

Recent Windows update maybe? I can't figure out why it's happening. I found something that said to disable OneDrive using Autoruns. I thought maybe there's still some remnants of OneDrive lingering in my system but there was nothing on Autoruns either.

 

Any thoughts?

 

TIA

[Eigenvektor]

1 minute ago, NenHancer said:

Everything I have found says this is linked to OneDrive.

That would've been my first guess. The checkmark typically means the file is in sync.

 

Are you sure Windows did not reinstall OneDrive? I would leave it installed an simply disable it instead.

[Imprezzion]

I have noticed these weird boxes too lately on W11 newest build.. I do have OneDrive installed and active for desktop but I hid the icons with a reg tweak but the boxes still show up randomly.. it's really ugly and distracting haha. 

[Skipple]

18 minutes ago, NenHancer said:

But I don't have OneDrive installed. I uninstalled it a while ago.

Never underestimate Microsoft's determination to make you use a piece of software you don't want. 

You will use OneDrive good sir, and you will like it. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

1 hour ago, NenHancer said:

So I don't have any photos of this cause I found a quick fix (if it happens again I'll do a screen grab). But it's the 2nd time this has happened to me. I don't notice anything I'm doing out of the ordinary. First time this happened it was little boxes on my icons. And just earlier it was green check marks. The fix I found was to open File Explorer Options > View > and change any setting. Hit apply. And change it back. And that works. But I'd rather not have to keep doing this each time.

 

Everything I have found says this is linked to OneDrive. But I don't have OneDrive installed. I uninstalled it a while ago. Over a year I think and this just started happening.

 

Recent Windows update maybe? I can't figure out why it's happening. I found something that said to disable OneDrive using Autoruns. I thought maybe there's still some remnants of OneDrive lingering in my system but there was nothing on Autoruns either.

 

Any thoughts?

 

TIA

It is OneDrive. With Windows 11, Microsoft has decided that your Desktop, Photos, Videos, and Document folders by default need to be sync'd with OneDrive. It would be great if you know, you had more than 5GB of space. 

 

To turn it off, go to OneDrive Settings > Sync and backup > Manage backup 

From there, uncheck every folder you don't want to be sync'd with it's equivalent on OneDrive. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Skipple said:

Never underestimate Microsoft's determination to make you use a piece of software you don't want. 

You will use OneDrive good sir, and you will like it. 

I mean, I wouldn't mind if it still wasn't a pitiful 5GBs that Apple also gives you. 5GB was amazing back in 2010 when it was still called SkyDrive, but 14 years later, holy hell is it almost useless.