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I have noticed that a few of the desktop icons have an "overlay icon" that looks like 2 blue arrows pointing toward each other in the top right hand corner of the icon.

Icon Overlay

There is no relation between the programs that have this icon, except perhaps that they are using a network connection to databases (MySQL and MSSQL). I am using Windows 10 Home.

DavidPostill
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Ben
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  • Do you use Norton 360? http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_vista-files/blue-double-arrows/6febdedb-e0f3-4c36-88bd-83a76dda7f63?db=5&auth=1 – acejavelin May 05 '16 at 00:49
  • No, we are currently using Webroot. – Ben May 05 '16 at 00:50
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    Possible duplicate of [Two blue arrows at top right of icons](http://superuser.com/questions/1001970/two-blue-arrows-at-top-right-of-icons) – DavidPostill May 05 '16 at 12:22

1 Answers1

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This overlayed icon is to show that the files have been compressed. Right click an icon, go to Advanced Attributes and uncheck the Compress contents to save disk space box.

If the files are not compressed but still show the icon then it is probably a glitch.

You can read about a similar issue here that solves the question: http://www.tenforums.com/customization/26212-new-double-blue-arrows-shortcut-overlay-2.html

Matthew
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  • Is there any downside to these files being compressed? – Ben May 05 '16 at 01:38
  • Compressed files save disk space at the expense of launch speed, so there is a potential downside there. However since the icons are shortcuts, which take up about 4KB, you are probably not saving any space by having them compressed. I would uncompress them. – Matthew May 05 '16 at 09:07
  • The programs that those shortcuts point to may have been compressed... or the entire Program files or Program Files (x86) and sub-folders. The shortcut icon overlay just reflects it. – w32sh May 05 '16 at 15:19
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    @w32sh If you can make the blue arrows disappear by unchecking the box in Advanced Attributes then it is just the shortcut that is compressed. – Matthew May 05 '16 at 15:28