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No Option to "Make Available Offline."
Honestly, this seemingly late "bringing to the forefront" (I guess you'd call it) of the whole "Online Only" vs. "Make Available Offline" thing has been more of a headache than a help, if I may offer my opinion.
I purchased a new ultra-portable Windows computer which has a 256GB SSD on board, but I plan on using my Dropbox files with it, and I have well over 256GB worth of stuff in my Dropbox.
The thing is that I'm often in situations in which I need offline access to my files.
So I purchased a 1 TB microSD card, which will never leave its slot in this machine. Heck, I can't even retrieve it, it seems.
I mounted it so that it isn't considered "Removable Media" by the computer, and then I proceeded to install Dropbox on the computer, with the intent of using the 1 TB card exclusively for Dropbox content...offline.
I left my machine to sync overnight, and what do you know? Everything has a stupid cloud next to it.
I have no option to "Make Available Offline," either in the file/folder context menu or in the Dropbox application > Preferences > Sync menu.
If this is by design, it's a pitifully stupid design.
I'm going to whatever lengths I can to make this work the way I envision, but I'm going to be awfully disappointed if Dropbox doesn't respect use cases that might not necessarily conform to a narrow definition.
If it's an issue with a recent update to the application, then please bug the developers posthaste.
Not sure if this is okay to share but in the interests of keeping everyone in this loop up to date...
Update: My Dropbox context menus are back. This solution works. Fingers crossed it stays that way!!
I have been exchanging emails with a very helpful Dropbox engineer and he has stepped me through a few options. Most didn't work. This latest one does, but it's a step back to a previous stable version of the app.
I was told that Dropbox are working on an updated version of the app that will bring back the context menus as they are aware of the problem. However, this may take a week or more. In the meantime, he suggested I roll back to an older version of the app that still works with the context menus on the latest version of Windows 11. You can find the download link to the install file here: https://www.dropbox.com/downloading?build=158.4.4564&plat=win&type=full&arch=x64
Now, a few things to note:
1. You do not need to uninstall the existing app. Just click and install this older version on top of it. It will override the existing version.2. Give it time. It takes a bit after the install to click online. Check that the older version of the app has "taken" by hovering over the Dropbox app icon and checking the app version. It should be 158.4.4564.
3. After the install is finished, Dropbox will sync and will re-index all your local files on your hard drive in the Dropbox folder. That will take a while, depending on how many files you have and how big the total storage space is. Be patient.
4. Your context menus will slowly come back online in Windows Explorer when you right-click as each file and folder finishes syncing and indexing. If you right-click and the Dropbox context menu isn't showing, it probably means it is still syncing and indexing. Again, be patient. Once that's finished, your context menus should be back for all your files and folders in Dropbox.
5. VERY IMPORTANT. You need to DISABLE the auto-update for Dropbox until the new stable version is installed (when it eventually comes out) and you stay on this version. 158.4.4564. To do that: open Task Manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL) and go to the PROCESSES tab. Scroll down to BACKGROUND PROCESSES and keep scrolling until you get to "Dropbox Update Service (32 bit)" and click on that to highlight it. Then right-click and select "End task." That will disable the auto-update TEMPORARILY.
NOTE: if you reboot your computer, the Dropbox auto-update task will enable again, so each time you reboot, you will need to disable the auto-update process. Just repeat STEP 5. There is no real way to turn it off permanently, and there's a whole Dropbox thread about it. If you want to read about it, it's here. https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/How-to-disable-DropBox-Update/td-p/199292 I wouldn't recommend it anyway because you do actually want the auto update to work, and it's part of Dropbox's policy. I wouldn't mess with it anymore permanently. If you are in contact with a Dropbox engineer via email as part of this issue, they will be able to turn it off for you on their end, but you have to ask.
Good luck.
Shout out to the Dropbox engineer helping me. He was super helpful and very responsive.
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Megan Thanks for support. I could not find your e-mail to me. Could you resend it?
Just another update for "solving the issue" by re-installing with the change of Windows UAC.(Instructions below)
Right to the point, it does not work, so please save your time and do not re-install.
Below is the "solution" guide i received from support:
-----
The issue you are seeing is likely related to an incorrect level of permissions when the Dropbox application was installed.
To correct this, use the following steps:
Note: Please be sure to take note or take a screenshot of any Selective Sync settings you may have applied prior to re-installing in case you need to re-apply these settings upon re-install.
1) Verify that the Windows UAC levels are set to default levels. This can be changed in your Security settings in the control panel.
For more information about UAC levels please see the following link (The instructions in the website are also applicable to Windows 10/11):
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/975787
2) Uninstall the application using the steps in the following article. Please note that you do not need to remove the Dropbox folder or any files from the Dropbox folder:
https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/uninstall-dropbox
3) Download the newest version of the Dropbox application by visiting the Dropbox website:
https://www.dropbox.com/downloading-----
...and so on.
As i said, please do not waste your time on trying this. It does not fix the current problem.
Thanks
LUNARWAVE thank you so much for this update and taking one for the team.
Since I installed Windows 11, I am missing most of the Dropbox context menu items that I normally rely upon. It doesn't matter whether I access 'Dropbox' from the new W11 context menu, or if I 'Show More Options' to get the classic context menu, I still only have 'Send with Dropbox Transfer' as an option. I am missing the usual array of context menu items, such as 'Copy Dropbox Link' and 'View on Dropbox.com.'
I've reinstalled Dropbox, signed in and out, restarted Explorer, restarted Windows, and nothing is bringing back the context menu items. Any advice? This is incredibly inconvenient and reduces the usability of Dropbox on PC dramatically.
I also have this problem, and no amount of searching seems to provide an answer. It makes it seriously difficult to use dropbox with a laptop. I need to be sure that some files are available offline but the majority of my files can be online only. Right now Dropbox fills my storage on the laptop and there is no option I can find to "make online only". it just doesnt appear anywhere when I riight click on a file a folder. I have Windows 11, and dropbox Pro. I see lots of people complaining of this, but no answers.
Windows 11 Home. See screenshot below of right-click menu. How can I tell what version of Dropbox app? I see one number that reads 159.4.5870 (up to date)
ā
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey rmundell & vegasesq, I hope you're both doing well!
You got the version right, vegasesq. No worries, that number shows you're using the stable version of the app. It might sound trivial, but have you tried re-booting your device, by any chance?
Also, rmundell, can you send me a screenshot of what you see when you right click on a file or folder, inside your Dropbox folder, please? If you could also confirm the version of the app installed to the device, that'd be awesome!
Keep me posted!
I am also using v159.4.5870 version.
The same symptoms are appearing.
Windows 11 21H2 (OS Build 22000.1165).
Reinstalling doesn't solve the problem.There seems to be a problem with Windows 11.
