Guide: Disable Check Mark Badges in OneDrive: Guide
OneDrive on Windows 10 uses badges to indicate file statuses. These are usually effective in showing whether files are syncing or already synced to the cloud. However, when File Explorer view mode is changed to List or Detail, the badges become confusing.
Accidentally opening a Word document instead of an Excel spreadsheet is a common mistake, made harder by the green checkmarks and tiny icons that represent list and detail modes. These symbols make it difficult to tell the difference between certain file types.
OneDrive doesn’t offer a way to turn off check mark badges or other status indicators, but there are solutions. A shell extension viewer can be used to disable them, or a third-party application can provide some relief.
Using NirSoft ShellExView
Download Nirsoft ShellExView to quickly locate and remove shell extensions associated with OneDrive. The application is free and available in ZIP format or as an installable .exe file.
Launch ShellExView with administrator privileges to view a list of all shell extensions on your PC.
ShellExView should be launched with administrator rights to ensure full functionality. To do this, right-click on the ‘shexview’ executable file in the extracted or installed location and select ‘Run as administrator’.
Once you’ve opened the extensions page, scroll down to find three labeled extensions: ‘UpToDateCloudOverlayHandler Class’, ‘UpToDatePinnedOverlayHandler Class’ and ‘UpToDateUnpinnedOverlayHandler Class’.
To disable multiple Chrome extensions at once, press Ctrl and click each one, then right-click and select “Disable Selected Items” from the menu.
Restarting your PC and exiting the application should stop green check marks from appearing in the OneDrive folder. However, other badges related to active sync, sharing and errors may still be visible.
To re-activate checkmarks, use ShellExView to right-click disabled shell extensions and select “Enable Selected Items.”
Removing badges from OneDrive is not recommended, as disabling the necessary shell extensions via ShellExView could lead to unknown issues with file syncing.
The ErrorOverlayHandler class displays red badges to alert users of synchronization errors.
The ReadOnlyOverlayHandler class provides a visual cue to users, in the form of slot-shaped badges, to indicate items that are read-only.
The SharedOverlayHandler class uses human-shaped symbols to represent shared items.
The SyncingOverlayHandler class rotates symbols to show that files and folders are being synchronized.
Disabling status badges should only be done when absolutely necessary. For instance, disabling the ‘ErrorOverlayHandler Class’ extension is not recommended, as it prevents users from being alerted to sync issues unless they rely solely on OneDrive notifications.
Workaround – Switch to files on demand
OneDrive users can move checkmarks from file icons to a separate column by enabling the Files On-Demand feature.
OneDrive’s standard functionality has been drastically altered: files already synced to your computer remain unaffected, but items uploaded from other devices will only appear as placeholders on your PC until you open or download them.
To use Files On-Demand, your PC must have the Fall Creator’s Update (version 1709) of Windows 10.
To access OneDrive settings, click the icon in the system tray, then select ‘Settings’ from the context menu.
Enable Files On Demand in Settings to save your changes.
Users can easily view the status of their files in OneDrive by looking for dedicated status badges in the folder. No matter which display mode is used, such as List or Large icons, these badges will be visible and separate from file icons.
Files uploaded from other devices should have cloud-shaped status icons, which can be automatically downloaded upon access. Alternatively, users can right-click and select ‘Always on this device’ to manually download them.
No more confusion
You can now get rid of those pesky green check mark badges that can be so confusing. Use ShellExView to delete them completely, or Files on Demand to make them less intrusive. Problem solved!
Disable Check Mark Badges in OneDrive: Guide: benefits
Faq
Final note
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to disable check mark badges in OneDrive. If you have any questions, please reach out for help. Share the article with your friends to spread the word.
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