Windows 10: Gray squares replacing app icons in taskbar

Some of my app icons in my taskbar have been replaced by gray squares, and I think I found the reason. The folder containing my app icons is missing the image files for the apps with the gray squares. Is there a way I can get it to download those files again?

:)

 

Gray Square on Desktop - Frozen Cursor

Here's today's update.

Starting with yesterday, uninstalled all of my recent Windows Updates and any other Update from any other application (mostly Adobe) and then I did a clean boot start. Got thru that fairly quickly (remember, I am technically challenged) but I got 'er done
and when the laptop restarted, the issue was there again. The laptop automatically started to download and install the latest Windows Update and I didn't stop it. I uninstalled a few programs and shortened by startup list of apps, still the square and gray
circles were there. I then ran a series of malware and virus scans from various apps all resulting with no issues. I also had a 'Fix Me Stick' which I ran and resulted in nothing to fix. So worked through my day, swiping the square and gray circles away from
my display until I went to bed last night.

This morning, I started up the Dell and began working - but no square and no circles. I worked all day on the laptop using Photoshop, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Excel and NO SQUARE AND NO CIRCLES ALL DAY!

I do not know what has happened nor what fixed this issue but it suddenly has stopped. I will watch if the 'crop circles and square' returns and if so, I'll update this question again.

Thanks to all who contributed with possible solutions and corrective action steps for me to follow. All contributions and suggestions were and are gratefully accepted and very much appreciated.

Cheers!

Ken

 

Windows APPS ICON NOT SHOWING PROPERLY on taskbar


It's been couple of days since I upgraded my system to Windows 10 from Windows 7. Everything is working fine except this nasty error. If I pin apps to taskbar or run apps , the app icons on the taskbar are shown as white square. And I am seeing the same thing on Apps & Feature settings list. The icons are there but as the backgrounds are shown as grey-white chequered pattern (for the transparency ), it looks like white squares. Rebuilt the icon cache but to no avail.



And on the start menu everything looks fine.

 

System Icons on taskbar

Hi,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Communities.

Are you referring to the clock system icon on the taskbar?

If so, I suggest you to follow the steps mentioned below:

• 
  Click on the search bar on the taskbar.
  
• 
  Type system icons.
  
• 
  Under Turn System Icons ON or OFF, turn On the Clock and check with the issue.
  

Hope it helps.