[Fix] Small Download Arrow Icon Showing on Start Screen Tiles in Windows 8.1
Today we are going to address a weird and annoying problem which has been faced by many Windows 8.1 users. We have received many emails from our readers asking for a solution to fix this problem. The problem is related with Start Screen.
Many Windows 8.1 users have reported that many app tiles on their Start Screen (mainly native app tiles) are showing download icon (a small down arrow) in lower right corner. The download icon doesn’t disappear even after restarting their computers.
Also the tiles showing this download arrow, do not show live content i.e. those tiles are no longer working as live tiles even if they are supposed to show live content such as weather, calendar, news, mail, travel, etc.
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Normally the download arrow icon appears on an app tile if that app needs to be updated. But the strange thing is that the app doesn’t update itself. If the user tries to update the app manually using Windows Store, it shows no updates available and nothing happens. The download icon won’t go away.
After getting so many complaints about the same problem, I decided to investigate the issue and I found that most of those people were using avast! antivirus or Internet security suite. It might be a coincidence but as a temporary solution, I asked them to uninstall avast! from their systems. Surprisingly, for some people this trick worked and they were able to get rid of the download arrow and update the apps without any problem.
But some people were not that lucky. They were still facing this problem. Finally they were able to remove the download arrow icon from the tiles by uninstalling those apps one by one and then reinstalling those apps through Windows Store.
If you are also facing this problem, do as following:
METHOD 1: If you are using avast! antivirus or avast! Internet security suite, try to uninstall it and check whether the problem is solved. If uninstalling avast! fixes the problem, then you should wait for a fix from avast! and in the meantime install a different antivirus in your computer as given in following topic:
Download Best and Top 5 Free Antivirus and Anti-Spyware Software for Windows
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METHOD 2: If the above method doesn’t work for you, uninstall all apps showing download arrow icon by right-clicking on the app tile and selecting “Uninstall” option given in the bottom bar. Repeat this step for all problematic tiles.
One you uninstall the apps, you can reinstall all or selected apps using Windows Store as described in following tutorial:
How to Restore Accidentally Uninstalled Built-in Apps in Windows 8?
Once you follow these methods, the little download arrow from your Start Screen tiles will go away forever and the apps will start updating themselves. Also the live tiles will start showing live content as they are supposed to do.
Feel free to share your feedback in your comment. Have you also faced this problem in Windows 8.1?
Vishal Gupta, you are a true life saviour!
And that’s the reason why I could hardly recommend Avast! as another free antivirus. There was a time where Avast! caused my PC games to be stuck on the loading screen or worse, crash into the desktop. Guess I’ll just go back in using Windows Defender or buy myself a paid antivirus subscription.
Thanks VG!, and it also shows a text ” Install ” under each native application in Apps Category.
I solved this issue by re-installing all my apps.. Everything fine now with avast! premier and Windows 8.1 ! 🙂
I am Subscriber more then 1 year but one thing i will say “VG you are Genius at Tweaking”.
@Asrin475
I had a similar problem with HP Printer Control. It was showing ’Installing…“ too. There was no download arrow though.
@VG
Do you know why could my News, Weather and Travel apps don’t show their live content. It’s strange, because Games and Store apps are showing live tiles. Programs made not by Microsoft (To-dos, TuneIn Radio, Six Guns…) seems to working all fine too. Where could the problem be? Maybe I chose something wrong when I was installing Windows..? Should I try re-installing these programs?
I use avast! and found that’s not the problem.
The error most likely has to do with the conversion to Windows 8.1.
I didn’t have arrows but apps that just showed as blank tiles.
Each one of them required a repair. (Reinstall) according to the Windows Store.
@Zydrius32
Ya but I meant that the text ” install ” shows whereas the tile shows downlod icon.
I think that indicates we’ve to reinstall the apps again.
@Asrin475
Yes, I understood what you said.
I have this problem before, when I updated a couple of build in apps.
I have avast installed, but after I updated the Windows using Windows Update to fix RuntimeBroker program, and restart the computer, that download icon goes away.. I don’t know what happened, but it just goes away…
I think I have another workaround of this issue…
1. Update an app that needs to be updated i.e. News, Sports, and Weather app.
2. After that install a small size app like Movie Moments or any other app on the Store, because you gonna uninstall it later when the issue occurs.
3. Restart your Computer.
4. You’ll see the updated app i.e. News, and Sports app now showing the download icon, when going to all apps it’s now saying “Install”
5. When The issue Occurs, Uninstall the app you downloaded i.e. Movie Moments or any other app you downloaded on the Store, OR build-in app that you do not want i.e. Skype, or Reading List.
6. The “Install” text should be gone on the updated app and when it’s Pinned on start screen it should not show the download icon anymore.
Avast has never failed to catch a virus on my computers, the few times it’s needed to. MSE failed me and AVG caused me to reformat my computer. Avast isn’t perfect, I’ve found bugs in it a few times over the years, but they always get fixed and I’ve always found safe workarounds while I’ve waited for a fix. Since Avast does what it says it will do by catching viruses, I will contend with any bugs I do find. Therefore, I would try uninstalling and reinstalling one of the apps with the download arrow before going through all the pain of removing and installing a new antivirus. Seems like it would take less time to try one small app first anyways because you don’t need to download any special tools. You are supposed to download the uninstaller app from the Antivirus company and run it to properly remove any antivirus anyways.
Bitdefender Internet Security 2013 was disabling me live content and Bing Smart Search (reply to my 1st comment).
After upgrading to Windows 8.1 occurred in complete tiles list 5 tiles that are named “ms-resources……………….”. When I click on them, four of them make no visible action. The fifth named “ms-resoucesAppInstall” or so, caused exactly the problem that is subject of this page. On Start page many Microsoft applications got that small arrow in bottom right corner. And in whole list of applications occurred under the name of effected application word “installation” (at the same place where is shown “NEW” for new applications).
When I click by right mouse button on those five tiles, option to uninstall doesn’t appear.
Can somebody advice what are those 5 application tiles good for and eventually how get rid off them?
Help me VG, My Windows 8.1 cant open metro apps like:
1.weather
2.store
3.etc.
its auto closed if i open that metro apps
please help guys
Same Problem VG ! Apps automatically close when i click to open
Try to create a new user account and then check whether the app opens properly or not.
i made a another user, but still like that. Help me VG
Then I’ll advise you to try Reset or Refresh PC options.
https://www.askvg.com/tip-reinstall-or-repair-windows-8-computer-using-reset-pc-and-refresh-pc-options/
its always automatically turn off when in 40%+
Same issue with me and the only solution thats work me is to reinstall all the apps…!!!
Thank you man. Despite avast! be a great antivirus, it has those little issues that screw the customers up.
Thank you very much.
i have avast, but i did not had to uninstall it, re installing apps fixed it…