rightclick your desktop
refresh
worked for me
Green checkmarks on desktop icons
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Anonymous
How do I get rid of the green check marks on my desktop icons and photos in windows 10?
I must have done something, but I don't know what---today, when I went to my photos, there's these checkmarks on each photo--
I googled and can't seem to fix it---the word Drop Box comes up and I have no idea what that is--
Can someone help?
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Settings
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Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
Answer accepted by question author
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(89.60000000000001, 18%, 18%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EJD%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
John DeV
170.2K
Reputation points
Independent Advisor
Hello MaryWilliamsRN,
I'm John an Independent Advisor and a Microsoft user like you. I'll be happy to assist you today. I understand you have a problem with green check marks on your icons on windows 10.
This indicates that those files are synchronized with Microsoft OneDrive
Look for OneDrive(Cloud) icon on the bottom right side of your taskbar (system tray)
Right click it then select Close OneDrive
Click Close OneDrive again
If it doesn't work, Safely restart your PC
Kindly let me know if this helps or if you have any further concerns.
Sincerely,
John DeV
Independent Advisor
48 additional answers
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Anonymous
2021-03-12T05:13:34+00:00 If you use Norton and have backed up My Documents or other files that have desktop icons, by default Norton puts a green check mark on the icon to let you know it is backed up.
Ad Freeray said, go to Norton's Backup settings and turn off "Backup Status Overlays". You don't need to reboot, just right click somewhere on the open desktop and click Refresh and they should go away.
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Anonymous
2020-12-23T05:33:55+00:00 I don't know about DropBox. It sounds like OneDrive to me.
(a) Did you turn on Files On-Demand at "OneDrive, Help & Settings, Settings, Settings tab"?
(b) At the "Backup tab, Manage Backup button", did you select the Desktop & Pictures folders?
That will put icons on your OneDrive folders & files, as explained in here...
Save disk space with OneDrive Files On-Demand for Windows 10
(a) A blue cloud means the file/folder is only available online (at the OneDrive site).
But when you open an online-only file in File Explorer, a copy is downloaded.
(b) A green checkmark in a white circle means you've accessed the file in File Explorer,
& a copy now exists offline. It may go online-only again automatically. depending on your
Storage Sense settings at "START, Settings, System, Storage". Or, you can right-click the file
& select "Free up space".
(c) A white checkmark in a green circle means the file is always available offline, i.e., you
right-clicked it, & selected "Always keep on this device".
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Anonymous
2021-11-28T19:16:03+00:00 I am so confused. I've attached a screen shot of my issue. Those green checkmarks in the lower left-hand corner of my file icons are ANNOYING. I would like to know how to turn that feature off. They clock my view when I'm trying to find a picture ... I do not use the cloud. Clouds are for rain. Cookies are for milk ... thank you very much.