Green check marks on desktop icons

Anonymous
2009-11-10T23:14:51+00:00

Suddenly all my desktop icons have green check marks on them.  What does it mean?  How do I fix them?

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Anonymous
2011-02-14T02:55:52+00:00

Suddenly all my desktop icons have green check marks on them.  What does it mean?  How do I fix them?

Hi,

Do you use norton 360? Norton -> Settings -> Backup Settings -> Backup Status Overlays -> OFF -> Apply.  After you run your next backup (you can do it manually) the check marks will disappear.

Hope this helps.

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-03-06T04:03:17+00:00

    The original question was NOT how to get ride of them, the question is why are they there and what do the green check marks mean? Were the checkmarks put there by the Windows OS or by some app or service?

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-03-06T03:31:19+00:00

    I HAJVE ONE DRIVE, BUT LIKE I'VE PREVIOUSLY STATED, I'D CONTACTED MY ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE COMPANY!...…………..NO PROBLEMS SINCE MY POSTING!

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-02-28T17:45:10+00:00

    I have the same issue today. Have no norton no avg only kaspersky and onedrive.

    Kaspersky is not the thing which cause the issue.

    The problem is in one drive for me.

    It has option (when You click on it in toolbar) more... ->(or something I'm on polish version) and there are 'settings'->

    in that setting there are tabs : settings, account, automatic saving (automatic backup - I dont't know english version), network, office (in my case), informations.

    You chose  automatic saving (automatic backup) and as the first is protect important folders (or something). 

    Click the button above and UNCHECK what You want (there should be desktop, documents, photos).

    After that my green checks dissaperas.

    Be carefull because the icons which have that green circe WILL BE REMOVED after that changes in options, so make earlier copy of that icons (or programs, or anything You have on desktop and the other mentioned folders).

    If it happens stay come. That things should be still in one drive folder in their specific folder names (desktop, documents, photos).

    If every thing works fine remember to remove that folders (desktop, documents, photos) from one drive for space saving :) if You want to .

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-02-01T09:21:21+00:00

    The green tick indicates file/folder sharing. In my case, it was with Microsoft's OneDrive service (but it may be other software that provides a similar service).

    If you are not worried about sharing to OneDrive, or similar software, removing the green tick is easy........

    1. Right-click on OneDrive icon in task bar and select 'Settings'
    2. Click on 'Account' tab
    3. Uncheck 'Start OneDrive with windows' box
    4. Click on 'Unlink this PC' - this will remove the account associated with the OneDrive service

    Go back to your Desktop/folders and the green ticks will have gone :)

    Process should be similar for other software that backs up to a virtual server - you will just need to look through the settings to find the right check boxes/links.

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