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macOS background items and system files. Can I delete these?
On macOS Sequoia 15.3.1, Dropbox 217.4.4417 just made some install changes/updates, but it is not clear what. In System Settings/General/Login Items & Extensions, I have the Dropbox.app in Open at L...
Hi SteveDC , thank you for reporting this new behavior.
I can confirm that the new Login Item entry marked “Dropbox, Inc.” is in fact a valid background task that is installed alongside the Dropbox application. There was a bug where this background task was not correctly being associated with Dropbox, and as Walter mentioned Mac OS will fill in the Login Item with the Developer ID found in the signature if no association is found. This background task has always existed but it has not shown up in the Login Items UI until recently.
We have identified the issue and will be rolling out a fix soon, which will correctly associate the background task with Dropbox by being named DropboxUpdater, and having the Dropbox icon in the entry.
Disabling the background item will negatively affect Dropbox’s ability to update itself and it is not recommended. If Dropbox isn’t kept up to date it may impact the app’s ability to sync; however, disabling it will not directly impact Dropbox’s ability to sync if you ensure it is kept up to date.
Thank you again for bringing this to our attention.
I noticed a new Login Item today, which led me to this thread after a quick Google search. Initially, I was concerned that this could be an indicator of malicious activity or a system compromise, as unexpected login items typically raise a red flag. I’m not entirely sure I understand the response regarding how the developer's name is being pulled in, and I don’t want to remove a login item arbitrarily if it’s actually required.
Part of my concern is that (a) new login items don’t usually appear unless I’ve taken some action to cause them—such as installing a new application—and (b) the fact that this new item doesn’t display the familiar Dropbox icon made it seem suspicious. Given the potential security implications, I think it's reasonable to ask for clarification.
I’ve attached a screenshot to illustrate what I (and presumably others in this thread) have observed. It would be helpful to get a clear explanation as to why a second login item is now necessary and why it does not use the standard Dropbox icon.
