Solved Can't remove icon arrows in select icons

rzn6jw · Jul 31, 2023

I used your registry hack trick to change most of my desktop icons to be without the arrows. However, there's a few that won't change, mostly from items related to Firefox and Steam icons (see below). Any idea how I can get rid of those, too, or even where they reside? With Steam, I went to each game in my library and chose to create a desktop icon. Doing that made the new icons look normal but sometime overnight something refreshed and the big green arrows reappeared. As you can see, the arrows are blocking most of the icon. Also, on random occasions my folder icons come up with a small 'tan file box' in place of the arrow (I don't have one to show at the moment. Any help would be appreciated.

antspants · Jul 31, 2023

I believe the green check mark on the icons means that Microsoft has successfully backed up your files to the cloud — OneDrive
However I’ve been wrong on many occasions before.

antspants · Jul 31, 2023

Found this, here you go.

What do the OneDrive Sync Status icons mean in Windows 11

This tutorial will explain and show you what the OneDrive sync status icons mean in Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and even through the...

www.elevenforum.com

rzn6jw said:
I used your registry hack trick to change most of my desktop icons to be without the arrows.

What registry hack trick?

Ghot · Jul 31, 2023

antspants said:
Found this, here you go.

What do the OneDrive Sync Status icons mean in Windows 11

This tutorial will explain and show you what the OneDrive sync status icons mean in Windows 10 and Windows 11. You can use OneDrive to sync files and folders between your computer and the cloud, so you can get to your files from anywhere - your computer, your mobile device, and even through the...

www.elevenforum.com

What registry hack trick?

Remove Shortcut Arrow Icon in Windows 11

This tutorial will show you how to remove the shortcut arrow overlay on all shortcut icons for all users in Windows 11. A shortcut is a link to an item (such as a file, folder, or app) on your PC. You can create shortcuts and then place them in a convenient location, such as on the desktop, so...

www.elevenforum.com

In the tutorial is the blank.ico file you will need. Below is the classic.ico file if you'd rather have that.
I tried the blank.ico file (no shortcut arrow), and it was too weird. So I opted for the classic shortcut arrow...

Classic shortcut arrows...

antspants · Jul 31, 2023

Cheers again @Ghot
The shortcut arrows and the green tick of “We’ve got your files FOREVER!” approval, are two different icon ‘arrows’ yes?

Ghot · Jul 31, 2023

antspants said:
Cheers again @Ghot
The shortcut arrows and the green tick of “We’ve got your files FOREVER!” approval, are two different icon ‘arrows’ yes?

Yeah. Those green checkmarks are OneDrive's evil marks of the beast.

rzn6jw · Jul 31, 2023

That would explain a lot. Stopped OneDrive backup since I already have Macrium Reflect as my drive backup. Now, is there any way of removing those green arrows?

Ghot · Jul 31, 2023

rzn6jw said:
That would explain a lot. Stopped OneDrive backup since I already have Macrium Reflect as my drive backup. Now, is there any way of removing those green arrows?

I'm sure there is, but I don't know how to do it.
I completely removed OneDrive, the very day I installed Windows 11.

In fact, I beat Windows 11 senseless, the day I installed it.
I un-installed everything with RED dots.

antspants · Jul 31, 2023

rzn6jw said:
That would explain a lot. Stopped OneDrive backup since I already have Macrium Reflect as my drive backup. Now, is there any way of removing those green arrows?

I don’t quite understand what they are referring to in Method 4
I found this link before, so I am unsure if Brink has covered it in his tutes.

Remove Green Check Mark on Desktop Icons: 4 Targeted Ways

Have you noticed that there is a green check mark on desktop icons? Why this phenomenon occurs and how to fix it? Check answers in this post.

www.partitionwizard.com

But as far as I understand it, if you have stopped onedrive and already changed the icons previously, they should’t change back. Are you sure you’re not still syncing your desktop folder?

rzn6jw · Jul 31, 2023

Disabled the drive and the green arrows went away. Thanks for all your help!!

antspants · Jul 31, 2023

Ghot said:
In fact, I beat Windows 11 senseless, the day I installed it.

rzn6jw said:
Disabled the drive and the green arrows went away. Thanks for all your help!!

Too easy

rzn6jw · Aug 2, 2023

OK, this is getting stupid. I went into OneDrive settings and turned off desktop and document syncing. The green arrows eventually disappeared. I get on my PC the next day, the green arrows are back so I check OneDrive and documents and desktop are back to syncing. Why is OneDrive ignoring what I put in settings?

I used ShellExView to disable:

ErrorOverlayHandler Class
SharedOverlayHandler Class
UpToDateCloudOverlayHandler Class
UpToDatePinnedOverlayHandler Class
UpToDateUnpinnedOverlayHandler Class

then restarted Explorer but the arrows are still there.

One other thing. I noticed that under the properties of some icons on the desktop, the location reads as:

Users/Public/Desktop

and other icons read:

Users/(my PC)/Desktop.

Why/how are they in two locations when I didn't put them there?

antspants · Aug 2, 2023

rzn6jw said:
OK, this is getting stupid.

So you want to allow some backups but not others? For that you might have to wait for someone better at this than I am.

I've only ever totally disabled onedrive via:

Bottom right corner, click the arrow to open hidden icons in the taskbar system tray.
Right click on the cloud icon, go to settings. Go into the folders and uncheck all of them. Go back and click unlink this pc, also in the onedrive settings.
Also in onedrive settings stop onedrive from loading on startup.

There is a tutorial somewhere but that's the process anyway.

I'm not sure about the locations issue.

rzn6jw · Aug 2, 2023

Sounds like a plan but won't the folders, etc that OneDrive has been syncing disappear from your desktop for good?

antspants · Aug 2, 2023

Nope.
Best you search “onedrive” in tutorials on this site. If you’re worried, copy your files/folders somewhere for the time being.

You seem to have done a lot to prevent these icon issues, some of which appear could of been very much unnecessary. I’m wondering what effect it has had on your OS. Also, the dbl up of icons could be your sync folder, again, I’m not very well versed on onedrive less to stop it from working. Many people disable onedrive immediately after a fresh install.

So to recap, this is all done in onedrive settings (via taskbar) I do it in the following order;

Bottom right corner, click the arrow to open hidden icons in the taskbar system tray.
- Right click on the cloud icon, go to settings.
- First stop onedrive from starting when OS loads
- Go into the folders section and uncheck all of them.
- Click unlink this pc.
Close, reboot.

There are tutorials for many things related to onedrive on this site in the tutorial section. I’m not with my pc and hate searching stuff on my phone.

Keep coming back though if you’re facing problems.

rzn6jw · Aug 2, 2023

In settings, there's no option to stop OneDrive from starting when the OS starts nor an option to unlink it from my PC. It's also not in Startup in Task Manager.

antspants · Aug 2, 2023

rzn6jw said:
In settings, there's no option to stop OneDrive from starting when the OS starts nor an option to unlink it from my PC. It's also not in Startup in Task Manager.

That’s odd mate because I literally did what I described yesterday, for win 11 pro, on both my laptop and PC

I just woke up and had half a coffee, I hit the tutorial sections. Try these methods. I’ve not seen them before mainly because the way I do it works, at least for me it does… on a fresh install. Maybe all that other stuff you did made my method un-doable?
So here are some avenues that should work for you. Come back again if there are issues

Turn On or Off OneDrive Run at Startup in Windows 11 Tutorial

Unlink Account and PC from OneDrive in Windows 11 Tutorial

And for good measure;
Enable or Disable OneDrive in Windows 11 Tutorial

The unchecking folders I do mainly because I move my default folder locations to another drive and this cant be done generally unless onedrive is unlinked to them. I didn’t find a tutorial for that but i know there's one on Ten Forums somewhere. You possibly dont need to do it if you leave your folders in default location.

antspants · Aug 2, 2023

I’m winging it here. Everyone more knowledgeable than me must be busy,

rzn6jw · Aug 3, 2023

Here's my settings page, which doesn't have your option.

antspants · Aug 3, 2023

I don’t think you are reading the replies to your problem properly.
I don't turn off onedrive in the settings page mate, right or wrong, like I wrote above, I go to the onedrive settings via the cloud icon in the task bar, which works for me.
(Not my image)

Those tutorials I posted above from @Brink should help you. They’re step by step precise instructions.

The method I use is from win10 forum, but I’ve used the method twice since installing win11 and by all appearances, seems to work, for me.

Solved Can't remove icon arrows in select icons

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