On Parallels, especially when it is the only option to run Windows ARM on Mac currently, the installed copy of Windows 11 has some peculiar settings turned on by default. One such settings I found was check boxes. On Parallels-run Windows 11, though previous versions may have had it too, any icons selected would have additional check box on the upper-left corner, on top of traditional glass panel to indicate what items have been selected.

To straight to the point, to disable it — including on the desktop —, it must be done on the File Explorer. On the File Explorer, navigate to View > Show, and unmarked “Item Check Boxes”. There is no need to restart, the effect will be immediate.

I’m not a big fan of having multiple signs for one item unless it’s mission critical. And selecting items and showing what were selected on GUI have been functional on Windows as it was. In fact, I would believe it if it were meant for something else entirely, perhaps an accessibility feature in case the glass panel UI was not recognizable. Either way, at least the settings to disable it was living in the GUI part of the Windows this time.