diff --git a/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses.html b/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses.html
index 07c5b2027..6f10e6e92 100644
--- a/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses.html
+++ b/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses.html
@@ -3,20 +3,6 @@
         <h2>{{ 'addon.block_recentlyaccessedcourses.pluginname' | translate }}</h2>
     </ion-label>
     <div slot="end" class="flex-row">
-        <div *ngIf="downloadCoursesEnabled && downloadEnabled && courses && courses.length > 1" class="core-button-spinner">
-            <ion-button *ngIf="prefetchCoursesData.icon && !prefetchCoursesData.loading" fill="clear" color="dark"
-                (click)="prefetchCourses()" [attr.aria-label]="'core.courses.downloadcourses' | translate">
-                <ion-icon [name]="prefetchCoursesData.icon" slot="icon-only" aria-hidden="true"></ion-icon>
-            </ion-button>
-            <ion-badge class="core-course-download-courses-progress" *ngIf="prefetchCoursesData.badge" role="progressbar"
-                [attr.aria-valuemax]="prefetchCoursesData.total" [attr.aria-valuenow]="prefetchCoursesData.count"
-                [attr.aria-valuetext]="prefetchCoursesData.badgeA11yText">
-                {{prefetchCoursesData.badge}}
-            </ion-badge>
-            <ion-spinner *ngIf="!prefetchCoursesData.icon || prefetchCoursesData.loading" [attr.aria-label]="'core.loading' | translate">
-            </ion-spinner>
-        </div>
-
         <core-horizontal-scroll-controls #scrollControls [aria-controls]="scrollElementId">
         </core-horizontal-scroll-controls>
     </div>
@@ -25,7 +11,8 @@
     <core-empty-box *ngIf="courses.length == 0" image="assets/img/icons/courses.svg" inline="true"
         [message]="'addon.block_recentlyaccessedcourses.nocourses' | translate"></core-empty-box>
     <!-- List of courses. -->
-    <div [id]="scrollElementId" class="core-horizontal-scroll" (scroll)="scrollControls.updateScrollPosition()">
+    <div [hidden]="courses.length === 0" [id]="scrollElementId" class="core-horizontal-scroll"
+        (scroll)="scrollControls.updateScrollPosition()">
         <div (onResize)="scrollControls.updateScrollPosition()" class="flex-row">
             <div class="safe-area-pseudo-padding-start"></div>
             <ng-container *ngFor="let course of courses">
diff --git a/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/recentlyaccessedcourses.ts b/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/recentlyaccessedcourses.ts
index 4d31b6553..f55b37aea 100644
--- a/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/recentlyaccessedcourses.ts
+++ b/src/addons/block/recentlyaccessedcourses/components/recentlyaccessedcourses/recentlyaccessedcourses.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-import { Component, OnInit, OnDestroy, Input, OnChanges, SimpleChange } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, OnInit, OnDestroy, Input } from '@angular/core';
 import { CoreEventObserver, CoreEvents } from '@singletons/events';
 import { CoreSites } from '@services/sites';
 import {
@@ -22,12 +22,10 @@ import {
     CoreCourseSummaryData,
 } from '@features/courses/services/courses';
 import { CoreCourseSearchedDataWithExtraInfoAndOptions, CoreCoursesHelper } from '@features/courses/services/courses-helper';
-import { CoreCourseHelper, CorePrefetchStatusInfo } from '@features/course/services/course-helper';
 import { CoreCourseOptionsDelegate } from '@features/course/services/course-options-delegate';
 import { AddonCourseCompletion } from '@/addons/coursecompletion/services/coursecompletion';
 import { CoreBlockBaseComponent } from '@features/block/classes/base-block-component';
 import { CoreUtils } from '@services/utils/utils';
-import { CoreDomUtils } from '@services/utils/dom';
 
 /**
  * Component to render a recent courses block.
@@ -36,24 +34,15 @@ import { CoreDomUtils } from '@services/utils/dom';
     selector: 'addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses',
     templateUrl: 'addon-block-recentlyaccessedcourses.html',
 })
-export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
+export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
     @Input() downloadEnabled = false;
 
     courses: (Omit<CoreCourseSummaryData, 'visible'> & CoreCourseSearchedDataWithExtraInfoAndOptions)[] = [];
-    prefetchCoursesData: CorePrefetchStatusInfo = {
-        icon: '',
-        statusTranslatable: 'core.loading',
-        status: '',
-        loading: true,
-        badge: '',
-    };
 
     downloadCourseEnabled = false;
-    downloadCoursesEnabled = false;
     scrollElementId!: string;
 
-    protected prefetchIconsInitialized = false;
     protected isDestroyed = false;
     protected coursesObserver?: CoreEventObserver;
     protected updateSiteObserver?: CoreEventObserver;
@@ -74,12 +63,10 @@ export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseCom
 
         // Refresh the enabled flags if enabled.
         this.downloadCourseEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCourseDisabledInSite();
-        this.downloadCoursesEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCoursesDisabledInSite();
 
         // Refresh the enabled flags if site is updated.
         this.updateSiteObserver = CoreEvents.on(CoreEvents.SITE_UPDATED, () => {
             this.downloadCourseEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCourseDisabledInSite();
-            this.downloadCoursesEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCoursesDisabledInSite();
 
         }, CoreSites.getCurrentSiteId());
 
@@ -94,16 +81,6 @@ export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseCom
         super.ngOnInit();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @inheritdoc
-     */
-    ngOnChanges(changes: {[name: string]: SimpleChange}): void {
-        if (changes.downloadEnabled && !changes.downloadEnabled.previousValue && this.downloadEnabled && this.loaded) {
-            // Download all courses is enabled now, initialize it.
-            this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * @inheritdoc
      */
@@ -136,9 +113,7 @@ export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseCom
             promises.push(CoreCourses.invalidateCoursesByField('ids', courseIds.join(',')));
         }
 
-        await CoreUtils.allPromises(promises).finally(() => {
-            this.prefetchIconsInitialized = false;
-        });
+        await CoreUtils.allPromises(promises);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -172,22 +147,6 @@ export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseCom
         });
 
         await CoreCoursesHelper.loadCoursesColorAndImage(courses);
-
-        this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Initialize the prefetch icon for selected courses.
-     */
-    protected async initPrefetchCoursesIcons(): Promise<void> {
-        if (this.prefetchIconsInitialized || !this.downloadEnabled) {
-            // Already initialized.
-            return;
-        }
-
-        this.prefetchIconsInitialized = true;
-
-        this.prefetchCoursesData = await CoreCourseHelper.initPrefetchCoursesIcons(this.courses, this.prefetchCoursesData);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -221,26 +180,6 @@ export class AddonBlockRecentlyAccessedCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseCom
             data.state == CoreCoursesProvider.STATE_FAVOURITE && course) {
             course.isfavourite = !!data.value;
             await this.invalidateCourses([course.id]);
-
-            this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
-        }
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Prefetch all the shown courses.
-     *
-     * @return Promise resolved when done.
-     */
-    async prefetchCourses(): Promise<void> {
-        const initialIcon = this.prefetchCoursesData.icon;
-
-        try {
-            await CoreCourseHelper.prefetchCourses(this.courses, this.prefetchCoursesData);
-        } catch (error) {
-            if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-                CoreDomUtils.showErrorModalDefault(error, 'core.course.errordownloadingcourse', true);
-                this.prefetchCoursesData.icon = initialIcon;
-            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/addon-block-starredcourses.html b/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/addon-block-starredcourses.html
index 8de46a904..3697b8439 100644
--- a/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/addon-block-starredcourses.html
+++ b/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/addon-block-starredcourses.html
@@ -3,20 +3,6 @@
         <h2>{{ 'addon.block_starredcourses.pluginname' | translate }}</h2>
     </ion-label>
     <div slot="end" class="flex-row">
-        <div *ngIf="downloadCoursesEnabled && downloadEnabled && courses && courses.length > 1" class="core-button-spinner">
-            <ion-button *ngIf="prefetchCoursesData.icon && !prefetchCoursesData.loading" fill="clear" color="dark"
-                (click)="prefetchCourses()" [attr.aria-label]="'core.courses.downloadcourses' | translate">
-                <ion-icon [name]="prefetchCoursesData.icon" slot="icon-only" aria-hidden="true"></ion-icon>
-            </ion-button>
-            <ion-badge class="core-course-download-courses-progress" *ngIf="prefetchCoursesData.badge" role="progressbar"
-                [attr.aria-valuemax]="prefetchCoursesData.total" [attr.aria-valuenow]="prefetchCoursesData.count"
-                [attr.aria-valuetext]="prefetchCoursesData.badgeA11yText">
-                {{prefetchCoursesData.badge}}
-            </ion-badge>
-            <ion-spinner *ngIf="!prefetchCoursesData.icon || prefetchCoursesData.loading" [attr.aria-label]="'core.loading' | translate">
-            </ion-spinner>
-        </div>
-
         <core-horizontal-scroll-controls #scrollControls [aria-controls]="scrollElementId">
         </core-horizontal-scroll-controls>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/starredcourses.ts b/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/starredcourses.ts
index 766c695c7..38fd77081 100644
--- a/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/starredcourses.ts
+++ b/src/addons/block/starredcourses/components/starredcourses/starredcourses.ts
@@ -12,17 +12,15 @@
 // See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 // limitations under the License.
 
-import { Component, OnInit, OnDestroy, Input, OnChanges, SimpleChange } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, OnInit, OnDestroy, Input } from '@angular/core';
 import { CoreEventObserver, CoreEvents } from '@singletons/events';
 import { CoreSites } from '@services/sites';
 import { CoreCoursesProvider, CoreCoursesMyCoursesUpdatedEventData, CoreCourses } from '@features/courses/services/courses';
 import { CoreCoursesHelper, CoreEnrolledCourseDataWithOptions } from '@features/courses/services/courses-helper';
-import { CoreCourseHelper, CorePrefetchStatusInfo } from '@features/course/services/course-helper';
 import { CoreCourseOptionsDelegate } from '@features/course/services/course-options-delegate';
 import { AddonCourseCompletion } from '@/addons/coursecompletion/services/coursecompletion';
 import { CoreBlockBaseComponent } from '@features/block/classes/base-block-component';
 import { CoreUtils } from '@services/utils/utils';
-import { CoreDomUtils } from '@services/utils/dom';
 
 /**
  * Component to render a starred courses block.
@@ -31,24 +29,15 @@ import { CoreDomUtils } from '@services/utils/dom';
     selector: 'addon-block-starredcourses',
     templateUrl: 'addon-block-starredcourses.html',
 })
-export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent implements OnInit, OnChanges, OnDestroy {
+export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
     @Input() downloadEnabled = false;
 
     courses: CoreEnrolledCourseDataWithOptions [] = [];
-    prefetchCoursesData: CorePrefetchStatusInfo = {
-        icon: '',
-        statusTranslatable: 'core.loading',
-        status: '',
-        loading: true,
-        badge: '',
-    };
 
     downloadCourseEnabled = false;
-    downloadCoursesEnabled = false;
     scrollElementId!: string;
 
-    protected prefetchIconsInitialized = false;
     protected isDestroyed = false;
     protected coursesObserver?: CoreEventObserver;
     protected updateSiteObserver?: CoreEventObserver;
@@ -69,12 +58,10 @@ export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent im
 
         // Refresh the enabled flags if enabled.
         this.downloadCourseEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCourseDisabledInSite();
-        this.downloadCoursesEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCoursesDisabledInSite();
 
         // Refresh the enabled flags if site is updated.
         this.updateSiteObserver = CoreEvents.on(CoreEvents.SITE_UPDATED, () => {
             this.downloadCourseEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCourseDisabledInSite();
-            this.downloadCoursesEnabled = !CoreCourses.isDownloadCoursesDisabledInSite();
         }, CoreSites.getCurrentSiteId());
 
         this.coursesObserver = CoreEvents.on(
@@ -89,16 +76,6 @@ export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent im
         super.ngOnInit();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @inheritdoc
-     */
-    ngOnChanges(changes: {[name: string]: SimpleChange}): void {
-        if (changes.downloadEnabled && !changes.downloadEnabled.previousValue && this.downloadEnabled && this.loaded) {
-            // Download all courses is enabled now, initialize it.
-            this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * @inheritdoc
      */
@@ -131,9 +108,7 @@ export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent im
             promises.push(CoreCourses.invalidateCoursesByField('ids', courseIds.join(',')));
         }
 
-        await CoreUtils.allPromises(promises).finally(() => {
-            this.prefetchIconsInitialized = false;
-        });
+        await CoreUtils.allPromises(promises);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -145,8 +120,6 @@ export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent im
 
         // @TODO: Sort won't coincide with website because timemodified is not informed.
         this.courses = await CoreCoursesHelper.getUserCoursesWithOptions('timemodified', 0, 'isfavourite', showCategories);
-
-        this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -182,43 +155,10 @@ export class AddonBlockStarredCoursesComponent extends CoreBlockBaseComponent im
             }
 
             await this.invalidateCourses([course.id]);
-            this.initPrefetchCoursesIcons();
 
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Initialize the prefetch icon for selected courses.
-     */
-    protected async initPrefetchCoursesIcons(): Promise<void> {
-        if (this.prefetchIconsInitialized || !this.downloadEnabled) {
-            // Already initialized.
-            return;
-        }
-
-        this.prefetchIconsInitialized = true;
-
-        this.prefetchCoursesData = await CoreCourseHelper.initPrefetchCoursesIcons(this.courses, this.prefetchCoursesData);
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Prefetch all the shown courses.
-     *
-     * @return Promise resolved when done.
-     */
-    async prefetchCourses(): Promise<void> {
-        const initialIcon = this.prefetchCoursesData.icon;
-
-        try {
-            return CoreCourseHelper.prefetchCourses(this.courses, this.prefetchCoursesData);
-        } catch (error) {
-            if (!this.isDestroyed) {
-                CoreDomUtils.showErrorModalDefault(error, 'core.course.errordownloadingcourse', true);
-                this.prefetchCoursesData.icon = initialIcon;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * @inheritdoc
      */