Windows enables ‘Item check boxes’ for easier multi-select, or you’re seeing sync overlays (like OneDrive); both are safe and easy to change.
Those little squares by your desktop icons aren’t a bug. They’re either selection boxes from Windows or status marks from sync apps. Knowing which one you’re looking at makes the fix simple and quick.
What Those Checkboxes Really Mean
Windows can show a small box near each icon so you can pick files with clicks, no need to hold Ctrl while you work. The setting is called Item check boxes in File Explorer. When it’s on, you’ll see boxes on the desktop and in folders. You can read Microsoft’s brief note on this in their File Explorer guide under Show item check boxes.
Another look-alike is a mark on top of the icon from a sync tool. A green tick or a small cloud usually means OneDrive is telling you where a file lives and whether it’s ready offline. Those are overlays, not selection boxes.
Use this quick table to spot the difference before you change anything.
| What You See | What It Means | Where It Comes From |
|---|---|---|
| Empty box at top-left of an icon | You can select items with taps or clicks | Windows File Explorer “Item check boxes” |
| Green tick on the icon picture | File is synced and ready offline | OneDrive status overlay |
| Cloud symbol overlay | File is online-only to save space | OneDrive status overlay |
| Gray cross or pause mark | Sync issue or paused state | OneDrive or another sync tool |
Why Are There Check Boxes On My Desktop Icons? (Windows Guide)
Most of the time, the Item check boxes setting got flipped on by a view change, a Windows update, or touch-friendly mode. When Windows thinks you’re using touch, it prefers larger hit targets, so the boxes appear even if you didn’t turn them on yourself.
You can keep the feature if you like how it feels, or turn it off. If you’re seeing OneDrive marks instead, you’ll adjust sync choices, not a view setting. Microsoft’s forum explains what green check marks on icons mean.
Remove Checkboxes From Desktop Icons: Quick Methods
Windows 11: Turn The Boxes Off
- Open File Explorer.
- Select View → Show.
- Click Item check boxes to toggle it off.
- Or open Options → View and clear Use check boxes to select items, then press OK.
Windows 10: Turn The Boxes Off
- Open File Explorer.
- On the View tab, clear Item check boxes in the Show/Hide group.
- Or open Options → View and clear Use check boxes to select items, then press OK.
Desktop-Only Tip
After you change the setting in File Explorer, the desktop follows along. If the boxes linger on the desktop, press F5 to refresh or right-click the desktop and pick Refresh.
Checkboxes Turn Back On? Here’s Why
If the toggle won’t stick, Windows might think the device is in tablet mode. When that mode is active, touch-friendly controls can reappear. Switch back to a normal taskbar and the boxes usually go away. If you need a reference, see this Microsoft thread about the taskbar touch setting.
Another reason is a sync overlay. A green tick or gray cross from OneDrive shows file status and doesn’t use the File Explorer switch. To change those, open OneDrive’s menu and adjust which folders stay offline or online-only.
Rarely, shell extensions from other tools add their own marks. Storage, backup, or cloud apps sometimes ship overlays too. If the marks don’t match Windows or OneDrive, check that app’s settings.
Power Tips Without Checkboxes
You can still select many files with the keyboard and mouse. These moves work everywhere in File Explorer and on the desktop:
- Drag a box over items to select them.
- Hold Shift and click to select a range.
- Hold Ctrl and click to add or remove single items from the selection.
- Press Ctrl+A to select everything in view.
Deeper Fixes When The Toggle Ignores You
If the menu says the boxes are off but you still see them, try these steps in order:
- Restart File Explorer: press Ctrl+Shift+Esc, find Windows Explorer, pick Restart.
- Reset File Explorer views: in Options → View, click Reset Folders, then OK.
- Clear history: in Options → General, click Clear next to File Explorer history.
- Switch out of tablet behavior: open Settings → Personalization → Taskbar, and turn off the setting that changes the taskbar to a tablet layout.
- Sign out and back in: if the device just updated, a quick sign-out helps reload the shell.
Here are the most reliable menu paths by Windows version.
| Windows Version | Menu Path | Folder Options Path |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | File Explorer → View → Show → Item check boxes | Options → View → Use check boxes to select items |
| Windows 10 | File Explorer → View tab → Item check boxes | Options → View → Use check boxes to select items |
| Desktop | Press F5 if desktop icons don’t refresh after the change | Follows the File Explorer setting |
OneDrive Marks Versus Selection Boxes
Selection boxes appear on the top left of the icon and vanish as soon as you change the view setting. OneDrive marks sit on top of the icon picture and report sync state. Common marks are a green tick for available offline, a cloud for online-only, and a pause or cross for issues. If you need a refresher on the green tick specifically, Microsoft explains it here: green check marks on icons.
OneDrive marks are handy when you travel or use limited storage. If you prefer not to see a folder in OneDrive at all, right-click the cloud icon in the tray, open Settings, and choose which folders to sync. You can also pick Always keep on this device for must-have folders so you never wait on a download.
Why Your Icons Got Boxes After An Update
A feature update can reset view choices. If you just installed a build, Windows may add touch-friendly tweaks until it finishes setup or learns your hardware. When it settles, you can turn the boxes off once and get on with your day.
On convertibles, rotating or removing the keyboard can switch the shell into a touch-first layout. That layout prefers tap targets. Close the lid, attach the keyboard, or pick a normal taskbar to bring the desktop look back.
When It Makes Sense To Keep The Boxes
If your hands get tired of holding keys while you sort files, the checkboxes make bulk work easy. Tidy up photos, move batches of downloads, or clean a packed folder without finger gymnastics. If you change your mind, it’s a single click to hide them again.
Fast Toggles And Shortcuts
Mouse And Keyboard Moves
- Ctrl+Click: add or remove single items.
- Shift+Click: select a continuous block.
- Click-drag: draw a selection box over icons.
- Ctrl+A: grab everything at once.
Menu Paths You Can Memorize
In Windows 11, remember this chain: View → Show → Item check boxes. In Windows 10, think View tab → Item check boxes. The Folder Options switch is the same on both: View → Use check boxes to select items.
Fixes For Work PCs And Shared Accounts
On a work image or a family PC, each account keeps its own File Explorer setting. If the boxes return when another person signs in, change the setting on that account too. If an admin profile keeps forcing it, ask the admin to review any scripts that set view defaults.
Quick Diagnostic Flow
- Do you see boxes at the top-left of icons? If yes, it’s the File Explorer setting.
- Do you see marks drawn on the icon picture (tick, cloud, pause, cross)? If yes, it’s OneDrive or another sync tool.
- Does the setting keep turning on? Switch out of any tablet-style taskbar and try again.
- Still stuck? Restart File Explorer and reset views. If that fails, sign out and in.
Touch Screens And 2-In-1 Laptops
Convertible hardware can nudge Windows into touch-first behavior based on hinge angle or sensor hints. When that happens, selection boxes show up because taps are less precise than clicks. If you fold the device back into laptop mode, the checkboxes usually disappear after a short moment or a sign-in cycle.
If you keep a non-touch monitor attached, Windows sometimes keeps the touch layout anyway. Close and open the lid, or disconnect and reconnect the extra screen to let Windows redetect the setup. Just a quick little toggle.
- Detach and reattach the keyboard on a convertible.
- Close the lid for ten seconds and open it again to retrigger detection.
- Log out and back in to reload shell settings.
Desktop Icons Versus Folder Views
The desktop is a special folder, but its behavior isn’t identical to the windowed views you see elsewhere. Icon size, sorting, and grouping are controlled right from the desktop context menu, while the check box toggle lives in File Explorer. That single switch applies everywhere, including the desktop, Downloads, Pictures, and any drive you open.
If you use different view modes in different places, the selection boxes will still match across them. Large Icons, Details, or List views all show the same small box when the feature is on. That way your muscle memory doesn’t change when you bounce between folders.
When Checkboxes Help Productivity
There are plenty of jobs where the boxes are a time saver. Here are a few that make the case for leaving them on while you work, then hiding them later:
- Photo culling after a trip: select keepers in bursts without holding keys.
- Bulk archive in Downloads: move installers to a tools folder in one pass.
- Tag and rate music: pick groups by album or artist with quick taps.
Make Multi-Select Work Better
Small view tweaks pair nicely with or without the boxes. Turn on file name extensions for clarity, sort by date when you’re working through new items, and use the Group by menu to chunk a crowded folder. Short, readable names beat long boilerplate, so rename files while you go.
- Toggle file name extensions from the View menu for quick clarity.
- Switch to Details view when you need dates, sizes, and types on screen.
- Sort by date when triaging, then switch to name before you file things away.
Common Misunderstandings
Selection boxes don’t change file permissions, storage, or sync by themselves. They only help you pick files. If a file vanishes after a move, it’s usually in the last folder you dragged to. If a file shows a cloud or a tick after a copy, that’s OneDrive recording status for the new location.
Another myth is that boxes appear only when something is wrong. They can turn on during a view reset or after a feature update, which is normal. If you like the cleaner look, hide them; if you like the grab-and-go feeling, keep them on. Either choice is fine.
Extra Troubleshooting For Stubborn Cases
Every once in a while the shell holds on to stale data. Two quick moves clear that out. First, empty the thumbnail cache with Disk Cleanup. Then, in File Explorer Options, switch to the View tab and click Reset Folders so each template drops back to default. After that, set your views again and toggle the check box option once more.
If you run third-party shell tools that add context menu items or icon overlays, try turning them off for a minute. Backup clients, version control tools, and cloud storage apps sometimes add their own layers. When they’re paused, you can tell which marks belong to Windows and which belong to the extra tool.
Wrap-Up And Next Steps
Now you know what those boxes and marks are and how to tame them. Flip the File Explorer switch when you want a quick multi-select, turn it off when you don’t, and let sync marks tell you where your files live. If you ever need the official steps again, Microsoft’s own File Explorer page under Show item check boxes has the short version.