Windows 10: Dotted Border Around Desktop Icon

Every now and then I notice a dotted box around an icon on my desktop. When I reboot it goes away. It's not all that important, but my curiosity gets the better of me. Does anyone know what causes this and can it be prevented from happening again?



:)

 

White Lined Border around Desktop Icon after I click on it

I have windows 10 and I recently noticed that there is a lined white border around any desktop icon after I click on it. The border goes from one icon to another icon when I click on the other icon.

How do I remove this border?

Please help!

 

White Lined Border around Desktop Icon after I click on it

Just to isolate the issue, have you tried to create a new user profile? Is there a lined white border around any desktop icon after you clicked on an icon?

Update us on the result.

 

That's totally normal, no issue there. The highlight shows which shortcut is currently selected and could be started by pressing Enter. To remove selection, just click anywhere on desktop or select another shortcut.

 

No I don't think it's normal. I've been running windows a long time and it just cropped up lately. FYI, since I posted the first post, it has disappeared. Do you think it might have something to do with tablet mode? I'm on desktop that has tablet mode on it, but it's turned off.

 

It’s perfectly normal as I too see the dotted edges on icons on my PC.

 

@RichardC, open up File Explorer, then go to Task Manager, and then click on Windows Explorer, then click "Restart," your dotted lines will go away. I always do this little trick when I have dotted lines around my icons.

 

After researching, I found out that this is a bug that ms has to work out. But a quicker and easier way to get rid of it, is to right click on desktop and hit refresh. At least that's what I read. The next time it pops up, I'll try it and let everyone know.

 

Hi there, Richard. As a keyboarder I'm here to tell you what causes it is a thing called focus. Focus on objects in particular. When you reboot, the square doesn’t appear because the focus in no longer on that icon (object). The rebooted system is focused elsewhere. Most likely on the last process that opened in the Taskbar’s systray.

If you mainly use a mouse or touch you probably don’t get this much. When that dotted square appears, somehow the focus got shifted to your desktop (an object) as a whole, but since you have icons (objects) on your desktop the focus (again, in some way) got shifted to focus on that particular object of the desktop (it will be the last icon you used/clicked on). When focused on the desktop icons, the arrow keys will navigate through the icons (shortcuts). When an icon is in focus pressing the Enter key will open that program.

Don't know where you read that, but this is in no way a bug. The dotted square will "pop up" the next time the focus is somehow shifted to a desktop icon. Again, in particular the last one used (or the first one upon a fresh-booted system). A simple left click on an empty space of the desktop with your mouse will get rid of it because now you placed the focus is on the desktop window as a whole (object) and not on the icon.

Toy around with it and you will see what I mean. Open any program with a desktop icon > Then press WinKey/D key combo and the dotted box will appear > Using your mouse maximize that program window again > Using your mouse again, minimize the program window to the taskbar > No square will appear around any icon. Why? Because the focus is still on the minimized (miniature) program window on the Taskbar. Using WinKey/D combo again will once again focus on the desktop's icons/objects.

Now press the WinKey to bring up the Start menu. Press the WinKey again and the menu will hide. Notice that there is no icon in focus. Why? Because the focus is still on the Start menu (believe it or not). Now press the WinKey/D combo. It changes the focus to the desktop icons.

I hope this helps and clears this up for you. If you like, here’s some reading on the subject. It is more about the problem of focus when 10 was first introduced basically because of the introduction of the touch UI. It’s gotten better through the new builds, though.

Windows 10 : Stop any application from stealing focus ever. Is it possible?

 

I get your gist, HipGyp. But my question is: is focus necessary to operate windows? If yes, then why can't they just alter the code so the dotted box doesn't appear. I mean isn't there something in the code that 'makes' the box appear? Just remove that and let focus run quietly in background.

 

You can try this:

How to Remove Annoying Focus Rectangle Around Buttons and Other Items in Windows

Caveat!: Do so at your own risk! Read all instructions carefully, read all comments at the bottom carefully!

Works for me, with the exception of pressing the WinKey for Start Menu and Shift/Selecting something.

 

I tried "Refresh" and it does not work. As @HippsieGypsie said, click on the Start Menu if you have the dotted lines. I just tried it and it is way faster than restarting Windows Explorer.

 

In reviewing this, I guess I gave you the cause, but not a solution. My solution for me is that I don't use icons on the desktop at all. In fact, I auto-hide my Taskbar to the left as well. If I want to see it > WinKey/T. Just the desktop background is all I want to see. I tried to adopt to the mouse back in W98 and again in W7, but I disliked it. It slows me down navigating. Most people won't believe that, but it's true. One just needs to use key combos. The only time I'm forced to use the mouse is in a browser.

You added a question. *Wink It's necessary if one uses a keyboard to navigate with. If the icon or tile doesn't highlight, no one will/can see what's in focus, yes? A modern OS must appease four types of users concerning navigation > Keyboard, touch, mouse, and voice.

I see Edwin and Computer Chicken gave solution. I gave you mine. Perhaps someone else may have another. With that said, I'll press Alt/S.

 

Makes a lot of sense HipGyp. I see your point completely. As far as my pc goes, I simply right click on desk top and hit refresh and it goes away. Thanks everyone for the input.

 

Just for the record and my curiosity. Doesn't a left click on an empty space of the desktop get rid of it?