How to disable desktop folder highlight on hover

The title basically says it all.

I would like to know how to disable the highlighting and outlining of folders on desktop while hovering over them.
I feel as though this should be a simple fix, however, I'm unable to find a simple solution and search results don't return any useful information, as if no one has ever wanted this.
Honestly, I'm surprised.
If anyone out there knows of a way, I would be grateful for the help.

1909

P.s. in windows 8, the highlight/outline on titles in file manager, are apparently pictures that can be corrected with a theme that discards them. I've no idea if Win10 is the same and I've no idea how to go about writing that. I do know that attempting to use a theme written for Win8 on Win10 does not work. Additionally, I do not know if a theme written for removing highlight/outline for file manager files would cover folders on the desktop. My focus is on desktop folders.
I realise that I am rambling, you are welcome for any unhelpful and irrelevant information.

Thank you for acknowledging my post and attempting to solve it. Unfortunately that only disables the translucent color fill while primary click and dragging a selection perimeter on desktop. Such as when you want to select two folders simultaneously.
The goal is to disable the highlighting/outline function of a folder or desktop icon while the cursor is hovering above it.
I'll take a look through the index you linked and see if anything stands out, but for now, I'm still completely baffled.

If you have single click enabled this will cause this. You have to uncheck single click in folder options.

Thank you, GMCGee78 for the suggestion.

Double click is already enabled. I do see how single click will highlight and remain lit after removing the cursor from the icon.
Hovering in that instance acts as the initial click select of a double click, priming the object to be expanded with, seemingly, the singular click.

As it stands (double click enabled) hovering alone brings up the highlighted function. If I click, it will stay selected, similar to single click that you've pointed toward, where if the cursor is moved about the screen, that selection will remain until deselected.

If I don't click, and only hover, it will remain highlighted until I remove the cursor.
In this instance it isn't fully selected, it's just showing me where the icon/folder is located underneath the cursor. Which is default and fully normal.

Removing the highlight and outline entirely, while hovering above with the cursor, is the aim. No acknowledgement of cursor placement when hovering above the item, in other words.

OR

Highlighting/outline in response to a click instead of a hover.

Your participation in searching for the answer is much appreciated. I feel we are nearing a solution.

This senseless highlighting of everything no matter where you are - whether on the Desktop or in Windows Explorer - makes me feel constantly watched, like someone is shining a flashlight on me and distracting me while I'm trying to accomplish important tasks. I suspect that whatever mechanism in Windows is causing the highlighting of icons on the Desktop is also causing the highlighting of icons in the file explorer.

Who in Microsoft thought this was a brilliant idea? This feature (bug) probably doesn't bother 90% of people, but I find it exceedingly annoying and have been trying to find a free, registry-hack solution for YEARS.

See related links here:
How to remove Windows 10 blue selection on mouse over - Super User

I've been searching for a solution to this problem. It's this kinda thing. Custom wallpaper This happens. I've tried various GPO combos.. (Active Desktop On / Off, Cleartype On / Off, Performance Options Visual Effects, etc) - and still ..this happens. Anyone run across a way to get this to not "change" on the mouseover?

This is on a Citrix Server w/ WinServer 2016 (but just as applicable on Win10 / Win11