"Dropbox is running in compatibility mode" error on Windows 10

Please, help me.😭

Hi there, Sol Lee, thanks for letting us know about this error.

Did you recently install or started using any security programs, like an antivirus, VPN, firewall etc?

If so, can you temporarily disable them, to see if that helps?

Let me know how it goes.

Have a look at the properties of the Dropbox.exe and change the compatibility mode there. I had a similar problem yesterday and RoCol suggested that fix.

https://www.dropboxforum.com/discussions/101001016/dropbox-desktop-app-213-4-4597-thinks-i-have-win8-and-wont-start/811855/replies/812097

Hi, CydweliMez

I followed the reply you suggested from RoCol and changed the compatibility mode to Windows 7, but the same issue occurred with the compatibility mode error window.
Still, thank you so much for giving me your opinion and trying to help resolve the issue.

Hi Hannah,
The security programs have been in use as usual, and there haven’t been any recent installations.
Just in case, I tried disabling the security programs I’m using and rerunning it, but the issue persists.

Thanks for the update, Sol Lee.

Do you currently see the small Dropbox icon in your system tray by any chance?

If so, what do you see when you hover your mouse over it?

Hi Hannah,

Previously, there used to be a small Dropbox icon in the system tray, but since the day the compatibility mode warning appeared, the small icon is no longer visible.

Can you remove running it without any compatibility mode completely and try that?  I had to click on the "Change settings for all users" at the bottom of the compatibility tab for it to allow me to do that.  I think what is happening is Dropbox is checking that to see how it is running on the computer and if it sees Win7 or 8 it just puts up the message and won't start. 

Yes I’m experiencing this same issue.  I posted on a different thread.  As I had reached out to DropBox chat support:  ticket number: 24550189

Like an another user, I installed the offline installer and version 210.5.4894 installed and worked briefly, but then the system tray icon disappeared and Dropbox quit.  

when I went to relaunch it, version 213.something launched.  So either I didn’t completely uninstall it or the app auto updated itself.  

I feel so frustrated as I depend on DropBox to synchronize my work and home office.  So this makes it super inconvenient.  I hope the DropBox staff can isolate this and figure this out soon.

I was a hesitant about installing the offline version so I did the advanced reinstall as suggested by the Dropbox people on here. That didn't work but RoCol suggested that it was compatibility that is the problem. https://www.dropboxforum.com/discussions/101001016/dropbox-desktop-app-213-4-4597-thinks-i-have-win8-and-wont-start/811855/replies/812097

I changed the properties of the Dropbox.exe in the program files folder and that has worked for me. It took 2 days for it to resync all my folders but it all looks ok now. 

I would think that the advanced reinstaller would work to take out the offline version and put you back to the latest one. https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall

I also use Dropbox for my private life and my work (freelance typesetter) so I was very nervous about the reinstall, but it does work. Good luck