Windows 10: OneDrive File and Folder Overlay Changes Constantly

We have an AVD Windows 10 environment. Within my environment OneDrive is constantly refreshing the icon overlays. The files will go from No icon, Green Check, gray X, Sharing icon, Blue Cloud, Short Cut. Sometime this refreshing of the icons happens once but then other times this refreshing of the overlay goes on for like 30 seconds to several minutes.Below are the steps taken to resolve issue.I have run DISM/SFC ScannowCleared cache for icons and thumbnails using script below but no change in behavior taskkill /f /im explorer.exe cd /d %userprofile%\AppData\Local attrib -h IconCache.db del

:)

 

OneDrive Steals Icon Overlays

I use TortoiseGit which uses shell overlays for indicating file status. It is the most important application for me which uses overlays. OneDrive is constantly stealing the priority by adding spaces in front of the OneDrive ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers registry keys. Is there any way to prevent this? I've tried changing the permissions on those keys to deny all, but they still end up getting changed.

It is so frustrating to have to edit the keys and restart so frequently. I'm not sure when OneDrive steals the overlays, but it is very frequently. Maybe on restarts or windows updates? Since it doesn't take effect until after a restart when the change is made, it is difficult to pinpoint.

Adding insult to injury... OneDrive doesn't even use overlays!!! They are using the status field in the file details. The is no reason for OneDrive to even be doing this!!!

 

OneDrive - Registry Folder Overlays

I use Dropbox and do not use OneDrive. In order to ensure the Dropbox folder overlays are displayed, I need to delete the registry entries for the OneDrive folder overlays because they appear above (have a higher priority) than the Dropbox overlays.

That's fine, but EVERY TIME there is a Windows update, the OneDrive registry entries are reinstalled and I need to edit the registry AGAIN to get rid of them. Is there a way to prevent Windows from reinstalling the OneDrive registry entries so I don't have to edit the registry after every Windows update? I'm running Windows 11.

Here is the registry key I'm referring to:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers

 

Desktop icons OneDrive status constantly changing

Hello there,

It seems that you're facing an issue with desktop icons displaying overlay symbols like cloud icons, check marks, Let's work on troubleshooting and resolving this problem:

Clear Icon Cache:

• Corrupted icon cache can lead to unexpected overlays. To clear it:
  
  1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to open Command Prompt as administrator.
     
  2. Enter the following commands one by one, then press Enter after each:
     
     

OneDrive and Sync Icons:

• Check OneDrive settings, even after unlinking it:
  
  1. Right-click the OneDrive icon in the system tray.
     
  2. Choose "Settings."
     
  3. Go to the "Settings" tab and uncheck "Show sync provider notifications."
     

File Explorer Options:

• Adjust folder options:
  
  1. Open File Explorer.
     
  2. Click "View" > "Options" > "Change folder and search options."
     
  3. In the "View" tab, select "Always show icons, never thumbnails" and click "Apply."
     

Reset System Icons:

• You can reset system icons to default settings:
  
  1. Right-click the desktop and select "Personalize."
     
  2. Go to "Themes" > "Desktop icon settings."
     
  3. Click "Restore Default" to see if it removes the overlays.
     

Windows Update:

• Ensure your Windows system is updated with the latest patches, as outdated systems might have bugs that are fixed in newer updates.
  

* Found this helpful? Feel free to mark it as the solution!