Windows 10: Mysterious green checkmarks on desktop

Norton backup does it as well.

 

I have found this to be transient in nature, sometimes I get the shortcut arrow , sometimes a green checkbox, and sometimes another icon. I don't think it has anything to do with the backup software nor OneDrive. I run neither. Refreshing the desktop does a reset back to the shortcut arrow but the anomaly recurs every so often. It'd be nice to have a permanent fix for this.

 

Same situation as philostow, shortcut icons change from arrow to either nothing, a grey x or a green dot with checkmark. Never had any of the various programs suggested here. It happens to my machine multiple times a day and a refresh command always gets the default arrow back. I've checked the Registry entry that governs this and it's set to arrow and retains that setting even when the arrows are missing or replaced.

At this point I've decided to log the state of the Desktop and as soon as I notice it has changed I plan to use Nirsoft's Last Activity View and see if I can tell what processed have run since the change. Maybe it's some other program or activity built into Win10.

 

Microsoft, where are you? Fix your code.

 

If it was a common Windows bug, I think we'd have heard of it. Rather than blaming MS at this point, try a process of elimination if the suggestions above about 3rd party programs and your own research don't prompt an idea.

1. Does it happen in Safe Mode? If no, then
2. Does it happen after a clean boot? If no, then (it's not MS's fault)
3. progressively enable startups until it recurs.

Otherwise, what happens if you create a new user for test purposes- does it happen then?
If no, then it's something configured under the other user's profile or running then that isn't when logged in as the new user.

Follow a process of elimination.

This looks very much like what you're seeing:
windows 10 - What are these green checkmarks on my Desktop icons? - Super User

 

I don't have onedrive or norton installed. People have been complaining about this issue for years. MS has done nothing.

 

Follow a process of elimination then...

 

If you use any Google product, Google will "sync" your pc to their spy... err... I mean your cloud storage space maintained by Google. They do this so they can... errr...I mean so you can have access to your stuff at any time. Anything that is sync'd gets a green checkmark.