Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨💻? Find out how to check here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
My Dropbox icon vanished from my taskbar, and I can't get it back.
I have had Dropbox for an eternity and it has never failed, until now.
The Desktop version has vanished. The icon is no longer in the Taskbar even though the program still shows within the Start me...
I have identified the issue on Windows 11. In Windows Security, under Device Security, there is an option for Local Security Authority protection. This is a simple on/off option though it requires a restart each time you change it.
If the option is set to On, then this prevents Dropbox from showing in the Taskbar and stops any attempts to re-install it with the current builds.
With Dropbox version 203.4.4857, the LSA protection setting could be on and Dropbox continued to work.
However, while it is possible to install the earlier version of Dropbox, as soon as the connection process completes, Dropbox also installs the latest version and this overrides the previous build.
I have identified the issue on Windows 11. In Windows Security, under Device Security, there is an option for Local Security Authority protection. This is a simple on/off option though it requires a restart each time you change it.
If the option is set to On, then this prevents Dropbox from showing in the Taskbar and stops any attempts to re-install it with the current builds.
With Dropbox version 203.4.4857, the LSA protection setting could be on and Dropbox continued to work.
However, while it is possible to install the earlier version of Dropbox, as soon as the connection process completes, Dropbox also installs the latest version and this overrides the previous build.
And of course my frustration is not directed at you. Just hoping the Dropbox people are reading this.
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Sorry to see that your Dropbox icon is missing, echos2.
Was the Dropbox application just installed yesterday for the first time on the particular computer?
Can you let us know what troubleshooting steps you've tried so far, except for Tim's solution above?
Yes, I installed the app yesterday on Windows 11. The little Dropbox icon even shows to the right of the screen in Word and PowerPoint for files in the folders that I sync'd yesterday. This is a new profile on an up-to-date Windows 11 laptop.
I haven't done anything other than turning off the local security authority setting and restarting. When it still didn't work, I used Task Manager to force quit all Dropbox processes and then attempted to start the Dropbox app from the Windows start menu again. Spent way too much time on this trying to find another way to sync folders, but no luck. I have not updated or reinstalled anything because ... well, honestly because I'm completely irritated and frustrated with this right now but luckily it's not my main machine.
<rant> I'm actually just waiting for Apple to fix my MacBook Pro so I can go pick it up. Luckily, I have a Windows laptop here with a new profile that I can use. (Not that it matters, but I was preparing this machine to give to my mother but had to break down and use myself because ... thanks, Apple.) So I just needed a quick sync for 3-4 folders that I need to work on for the next couple of days on this Windows 11 machine, and ARGH. Between Microsoft, Apple, and Dropbox, the technology gods hate me this week. </rant>
I downloaded the folder I need from Dropbox.com and put it in the Dropbox folder on my harddrive, which has of course now caused a selective sync issue on that folder. Give me a couple of days and that will probably be my next support request, lol.
(Here's hoping that Dropbox isn't screwed up on the Mac when I finally get it back.)
- Hannah
Thanks for the additional info, echos2.
I would totally be frustrated as well, so I understand.
Just to confirm, are you missing the small Dropbox icon at the bottom right of your screen, by the clock? Or the larger Dropbox icon that's pinned to your taskbar, which opens your Dropbox folder?
If the former, and if you've confirmed the Dropbox icon isn't hidden, a reinstall would definitely help.
Hopefully that does the trick, but keep us updated if it doesn't.
