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Smart Sync option is missing from File Explorer
Hello, I upgraded to window 11 yesterday hoping that this would resolve this issue, but no luck. Now I cannot see if my files are synced locally or on cloud. But strange enough, when I tried to open a file via Word App, the smart sync icons magically appeared.
There is now a brown storage box icons next to the dropbox files, but no options to smart sync neither.
I called Microsoft Team and tried to contact Dropbox, they got no idea what is happening... Can someone help me, please?
Thank you ever so much....
15 Replies
- Rich
Super User II
kkcljanice wrote:
There is now a brown storage box icons next to the dropbox files, but no options to smart sync neither.
That's not a Dropbox icon. It's likely from OneDrive or some other cloud application, and it's probably interfering with Dropbox.
I agree with Rich. Google "dropbox icon overlay missing" (or something like that) and you will see a lot of discussions on the topic, including those within this forum. If you have multiple apps installed that use icon overlays and modify the context menu then they can conflict with one another. The simplest solution would be to uninstall those apps (or disable a function within) if you are not using them or configure them to not implement icon overlays (if possible).
I also thought the brown icon is from OneDrive, but apparently it is not according to the Microsoft helpline..
If you send a screenshot of your Dropbox folder showing the icons, perhaps someone can figure out where they came from.
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey kkcljanice, thanks for reaching out.
Indeed, would you mind sending over a screenshot of how the icons appear, so we can have a look?
Just make sure you hide any personal info.
Thanks! All my files and folders now have a small brown box icon and this has happened since I downloaded Windows 11. I contacted Dropbox and they said it was a 3rd party issue so I contacted Microsoft and they said its a Dropbox issue. How can I go back to viewing whether my files are synched locally or on the cloud??
Well, it looks like you are not the only one having this problem. Search Google for "brown file box icon in windows" and you will get lots of hits and possible solutions.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nn4qtoc58enuzba/Screenshot%202022-03-23%2016.53.11.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/avffyb77cpsb1no/Screenshot%202022-04-06%20183101.jpg?dl=0
Now it turns out that some files have a blue cloud, some have a brown storage box and some files have no icon at all... They are all saved in the same dropbox folder.
I have uninstalled One Drive from my PC and prioritise dropbox extension to first 15. Problem still remains.... =((
Steve D I googled and tried many different suggested suggestions, and still doesn't resolve...
Furthermore, there isn't the Smart Sync function from the dropdown list when I right click on the file. This must be a fault with Dropbox not Window...
