Desktop icons generally don’t have any marks above them. But while using the computer, you might notice green check marks on the desktop icons. These indicators show that the folder has been synchronized with OneDrive, and the online storage has successfully created a backup.
There is no reason to be alarmed if you see a green check mark on desktop icons. This is not a virus, and your PC is not vulnerable. This is different from that.
Follow this article to find out why desktop icons have check marks and how to get rid of them in detail.
Let’s Start!
Why Do Desktop Icons Have Green Check Marks?
A green check mark on any icon states that the specific file or folder has sync approval.
Green is the general color to clarify the availability on the internet. Such as, A green dot on any social messaging platform for a particular person means he is available online.
If you have a green check mark, you will have access to the file when you are not connected to the internet. The green check mark doesn’t mean the PC has malware. There is nothing to worried about.
Moreover, with the green check mark, OneDrive indicates that the selected files or folders are backed up successfully. All of them are now accessible through the cloud.
If you lose your PC or suffer storage failure, all your important data will remain safe in the cloud.
What is OneDrive?
OneDrive is a product of Microsoft Corporation which provides cloud storage just like Google Drive. It allows access to files through different devices. Users just need to create an account to use it.
Whenever a file or folder is synced with this cloud storage, its icon gets a tick mark in green color. For a few, it may look like an ordinary sign as it is in green color. But some may feel it is annoying.
When a document, image, or similar kinds of stuff are uploaded and synced, the green check marks on desktop icons appear on these images and documents.
Types of OneDrive Check Marks
OneDrive demonstrates the location of data by presenting various signs both with the file and the folder. The miscellaneous signs and colors inform the different conditions of the data.
Here are the possible OneDrive signs and their details:
Red Cross
The red cross mark defines the file as not ready to store on the cloud. Probably the file is corrupted, or the cloud store doesn’t support the format.
It can be stored on a PC but not on OneDrive. There is no such way without changing the format of the file.
Blue Cloud
The blue cloud symbol is only visible along with the icons when the dedicated file or folder is apparent only on the drive, not on the device.
You’ll need an internet connection whenever you want to open the file.
Green Outline
You’ll see a green outline with the icon when you download a file from the drive. This means the file is now also available on the device. We can also say this is a local file icon.
Green Filled Check Mark
This is the standard check mark that indicates the file is available on the cloud and device. You can access it without an internet connection.
How to Remove Check Marks from Desktop Icons?
Many people are not familiar with check marks. However, Removing check marks from desktop icons is not so complex. I will propose some steps to remove check marks. Stay along and follow the steps.
These are the steps to remove check marks from desktop icons:
1. Disable OneDrive Sync
The green check mark indicates that files are on OneDrive and syncing. One way to remove them is to stop the sync service from the cloud.
Here are the steps to disable one drive sync:
- Go to the System tray.
- Right-click on the OneDrive icon.
- Select Pause Syncing from the menu.
- Choose a preferable time from the given options.
2. Turn off OneDrive
If you want to eliminate the check mark, try to turn this off from the root.
Follow the steps to turn off OneDrive:
- Go to the System tray.
- Right-click on the OneDrive icon.
- Click on Settings.
- Select quit drive to turn off the service.
3. Free Up Space
OneDrive allows free up space. After syncing, you can remove the local files with the help of this feature.
These are the steps to free up space:
- Right-click on the check-marked icon.
- Select Free up Space from the drop-down menu.
4. Delete Files
The green check marks will disappear if you remove the parent icons. You can delete the icons from your desktop if you don’t need them.
This won’t affect the parent files in OneDrive. They will remain safely saved in the cloud.
5. Rebuild Icon Cache
Try to rebuild the icon cache if the above solutions don’t work.
Here are the steps to rebuild the icon cache:
- Type cmd on the search box.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Write down the following commands and hit enter after every command line:
exe-show
taskkill/IM explore.exe /F
DEL /A /Q “%localappdata%\IconCache.db”
DEL /A /F /Q “%localappdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\iconcache”
Shutdown /p
Restart the PC after executing each command flawlessly.
FAQs
Does Restarting the Computer Remove the Green Check Mark?
No, this will not work; the possibility depends on the icon type. If the icon is green, restarting will not fix the problem. The restarting approach never solves the problem, although it can modify the icon type depending on the storage conditions.
What does a Green Check Mark mean on Outlook?
A green tick means that recipients are available to contact. A yellow clock signals that they are away and their computer is idle, while a red dot indicates they are busy. A purple arrow means they are out of the office, and a purple dot means they have set up an automatic reply feature in Outlook.
How to upload files in OneDrive?
OneDrive is the easiest solution to upload files to the cloud.
Follow the steps to upload files in OneDrive:
- Open the OneDrive
- Enlarge the entire screen by clicking on the full-screen icon at the top.
- Drag and drop the files and folders into the OneDrive cloud.
Another way is to choose the upload icon; then, it will ask to select the files and folders for uploading.
A Final Thought
Cloud storage is the wise option to keep your data safe. But when the system comes with complications, it becomes unacceptable.
To sum up, you can easily remove the check marks from the icons by following the steps: Disable One Drive Sync, Turn off OneDrive, Free up spaces, Rebuild the icon cache, and many more.
I am sure this article has answered all your queries and helped you to know about the check marks and how to get rid of the check marks without any difficulties.
