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I can't access my Dropbox files on a new Win11 device, unless I'm signed in to www.dropbox.com.
I just copied all the files and data over to a Optiplex 7070. I have a folder for dropbox with files that I sync with dropbox on the web. Since the move I cannot access the local pc files unless I am logged into Dropbox.com. The files I cannot access have a file box icon over top the original icon for the particular file. What do I do to correct this? I am running the latest version of Windows 11. I also see this on my old pc, an Optiplex 9010 running the latest Windows 10.
I probably use dropbox on my PC for a strange reason. I have 2 other laptops and an iPad. I put the files that I may want on my other PCs in the Dropbox file on my desktop PC, which is my main one. One of the folders in that Dropbox is KeePass, so as I change passwords and update the file in Dropbox KeePass, it will automatically sync with my smart phone running the KeePass phone app. The other files in my Dropbox desktop folder are ones that I may need on the iPad or one of the other laptops. Also I can add a file to Internet Dropbox from the laptops or iPad for the desktop. So, I use it to share files across my devices.
When I copy and pasted the files in the Dropbox folder from my old PC is when the issue started. On the old PC the actual files were viewable whether the pc was connected to Dropbox.com or not. In Dropbox I changed the selection to be able to read the files offline, but that did not allow the files on the desktop to be readable when not connected to Dropbox.com. It is now working on the new PC as it did on the old pc before the copy and paste to the new PC.
12 Replies
I removed OneDrive. I guess somehow the files became online files. I will download them from drop box and put them into the PC Dropbox folder, unless there is another way to make them offline.
- Rich
Super User II
The files I cannot access have a file box icon over top the original icon for the particular file.
Are you sure this is a Dropbox issue? The file box overlay is not a Dropbox icon. It's from OneDrive.
Since the move I cannot access the local pc files unless I am logged into Dropbox.com.
Assuming your files are located in the local Dropbox folder and OneDrive isn't interfering (which it often does), you should be able to open your files while not signed in to Dropbox or even when not connected to the Internet IF those files are marked as available offline. If they're marked as online-only, then you would need a connection to Dropbox and be signed in to your account to be able to open the files.
Can you provide any screenshots showing the exact issue? Be sure to mask any private information. Also include the version of the Dropbox application and its current sync status. You can see both by hovering your cursor over the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
