Shortcut arrow icons gone after Windows 8.1

After I upgraded to Win 8.1 64-bit Pro, I too lost the shortcut arrows, as well as the arrow overlays for junctions and symlink.

I finally traced it down to OneDrive/SkyDrive. OneDrive added three overlays to Windows Explorer. Unfortunately, Explorer can only handle a maximum of 15 overlays (if I understand correctly).

Not being a OneDrive user, I went into Group Policy Editor to check if it was enabled. (It wasn't, because I had purposely detached my Microsoft cloud login from my local machine login. But if it had been, I would have disabled it here.)

Then I went into Regedit and found the overlays here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers

There were three OneDrive overlays listed, and coincidentally, I was three over the limit of 15.

I exported the registry keys for the OneDrive overlays as a backup, and then deleted them out of the registry.

After a reboot, all of my shortcut, junction, and symlink arrows came back, and so far, they have been visible everywhere I've expected them to be.

Just wanted to let you guys know that this shortcut bug/glitch spontaneously got fixed at my end. They all appear now no matter how fast I go to the Desktop after a boot.

I have no idea what fixed it. Maybe after updating my nVidia drivers (to 344.48 WHQL) or something else from Windows Update.

After I upgraded to Win 8.1 64-bit Pro, I too lost the shortcut arrows, as well as the arrow overlays for junctions and symlink.

I finally traced it down to OneDrive/SkyDrive. OneDrive added three overlays to Windows Explorer. Unfortunately, Explorer can only handle a maximum of 15 overlays (if I understand correctly).

Not being a OneDrive user, I went into Group Policy Editor to check if it was enabled. (It wasn't, because I had purposely detached my Microsoft cloud login from my local machine login. But if it had been, I would have disabled it here.)

Then I went into Regedit and found the overlays here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers

There were three OneDrive overlays listed, and coincidentally, I was three over the limit of 15.

I exported the registry keys for the OneDrive overlays as a backup, and then deleted them out of the registry.

After a reboot, all of my shortcut, junction, and symlink arrows came back, and so far, they have been visible everywhere I've expected them to be.

Actually you were right about one thing,If you open the folder after about 1 minute the bug doesnt happen.If you open it instantly when windows boots up it will happen!

I have similar issues with shortcuts. Any suggested fixes useless. Affected only Windows 8.1. Any other OS works fine. After reboot all arrows on shortcuts missing.

Clean instal or upgrade makes no difference. So i guess Microsoft have no desire to fix this glitch.

Second bug about "move mouse to any corner",so on, i think this thingy named as out of box experience. So its just not running if users did some customizations right after fresh install of Windows 8.1. As result "you have new apps installed" not showing up on Start screen. However no problems if Windows 8.0 upgraded via Store.

About new apps not showing up on the Start screen; Microsoft did this by purpose since Windows 8.1, don't ask me why. They now show up in the All Apps view (click on the arrow pointing down in the lower left corner on the Start screen). If you want to have them on the Start screen, then you need to go there and rightclick on the app -> attach to Start menu.  

As for the shortcut arrows glitch; I have a feeling Microsoft will ignore this just as the famous ugly black shadow icons that appear in dialogs and context menus:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-files/windows-81-folder-black-shadow-bug-in-dialog/cd48dc8e-f07a-4713-8f57-77536d4c6d14?page=1&tm=1404921991580

I have similar issues with shortcuts. Any suggested fixes useless. Affected only Windows 8.1. Any other OS works fine. After reboot all arrows on shortcuts missing.

Clean instal or upgrade makes no difference. So i guess Microsoft have no desire to fix this glitch.

Second bug about "move mouse to any corner",so on, i think this thingy named as out of box experience. So its just not running if users did some customizations right after fresh install of Windows 8.1. As result "you have new apps installed" not showing up on Start screen. However no problems if Windows 8.0 upgraded via Store.