Hi, recently Dropbox has started cramming my Explorer context menu with all of these options I mostly don't plan to use: Come on. Do you think it's ok to just dump all your stuff in there? If every app on my PC would do the same, would I have to manage dozens of entries on that menu? This is terrible UI design, it's bloat, it's disrespectful of your users. How do I turn that off? I only use "Copy dropbox link", not the others. Thanks.

Ok, there have always been items there, just not so many. What would you say is a reasonable limit for any given app to place items on a system menu shared by all apps? I believe this will have to be a very conservative option - one or two at most. Of course, if it is configurable by the user, you can go further and add more. I have 3 apps placing entries there, and I could easily have 5 or 6 apps doing it. If each would place 9 (!) entries like Dropbox, think of how functional that menu would become... Also, how common is it for users to actually use some of these things? The vast majority of Dropbox users will simply never click "Send for signature" (or even "View comments", since we're only sharing with ourselves, not teams or groups). There needs to be some consideration and some humility here from Dropbox developers...

Everyone: I figured out how to do this. Save this as "disable.reg" and double click. You're welcome. If you want to revert, do the same thing but replace every instance of ="" with =-

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when my subscribtion runs out

This is hardly a new problem, but it continues to amaze me. I figured it would have been addressed by now.How does Dropbox think it's okay to overload the context menu with their garbage? there is no option to disable in settingsmajority of users need all these featuresthe actions could easily be condensed into a menu (similar to the open-source PeaZip example below)as a power user I had registry hacks to remove entirely but that ability was removed in a previous updateEnd result is that I only launch Dropbox as needed to sync. The first time I right click on a file it reminds me to exit the app. Also this has convinced me to never subscribe to a premium plan. I mean, why would I? A large, publicly traded company ignoring years of user feedback about a huge pain in their core service. There's plenty of other options.

Recently I noticed that when I right click objects in Windows, the context menu is bloated with manu entire Dropbox items. This menu is big enough as it is, so I really don't appreciate to see those options everywhere, especially when the online/offline options are all I ever use. Programs like WinRar offer the option to select which items should be visible. Dropbox does not offer that, and it is a problem that I found no solution to. I asked support, but got told that its likely the fault of ... other applications.... and I should apparently ask here. Can I get some help? Some screenshots with examples can be found here:https://sta.sh/21eprif3at0e01) "Send copy...", such a scenario only occurred on a shortcut to a file not on Dropbox. Not necessary to me at all, but of little issue 02) "Send copy..." and "Copy to Dropbox...", such a scenario only occurred on a file or folder not on Dropbox. Not necessary to me at all, but of little issue 03) A unique 7-item case. Within DropBox itself, there was a shortcut file, one set to being available offline, and not only did "Send copy..." appear twice, which is likely a bug, but the first instance comes along with a ton of options:- Share...- View on Dropbox.com- Copy Dropbox link- Make online-only- Version history- Do not sync with Dropbox.com- Send a copy...Of these, I would only ever use "Make online-only", so this just causes unnecessary mess, and I'd appreciate being able to remove the rest. NOTE: On a "half offline file" as I like to describe it, there is both an option for making it offline and online, and that's how it goes from 7 to 8 options 4) Then we have 3 cases where I saw 8 options:- a shortcut on desktop to a file on Dropbox- a file on dropbox, which was set to online only- a file on dropbox, which was set to offline availability These options are- Share...- View on Dropbox.com- Copy Dropbox link- Make online-only ("Make available offline" for the online only file)- Version history- Send for signature- Send a copy...- Do not sync with Dropbox.com- Send a copy... (this is the before-last option for the online only file)Of these, I would only ever use "Make online-only" or "Make available offline", so this just adds bloat to my context menu 5) Then we have 3 cases where I saw 9 options:- a folder on dropbox, which was set to online only- a folder on dropbox, which was set to offline availability These options are- Share...- View on Dropbox.com- Copy Dropbox link- Make online-only ("Make available offline" for the online only file)- Version history- Request files...- So not sync with Dropbox.com (this is the last item on the list for the online only file)- Manage disk space (googline makes me wonder if this isn't "Manage backup..." in English, but I'm not sure)- Send a copy...Again, only those 2 are of any importance to me, so I find the rest completely unnecessary. NOTE: On a "half offline file" as I like to describe it, there is both an option for making it offline and online, and that's how it goes from 9 to 10 I'll appreciate any help with the issue.

Remove Dropbox options from the context menu.

33 Replies

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Rich
Super User II
3 years ago
pgr wrote:

How do I turn that off? I only use "Copy dropbox link", not the others.

Dropbox has always had options in the Context menus. There's no option within Dropbox to remove them.
pgr
Helpful | Level 6
3 years ago
Ok, there have always been items there, just not so many. What would you say is a reasonable limit for any given app to place items on a system menu shared by all apps? I believe this will have to be a very conservative option - one or two at most. Of course, if it is configurable by the user, you can go further and add more.

I have 3 apps placing entries there, and I could easily have 5 or 6 apps doing it. If each would place 9 (!) entries like Dropbox, think of how functional that menu would become...

Also, how common is it for users to actually use some of these things? The vast majority of Dropbox users will simply never click "Send for signature" (or even "View comments", since we're only sharing with ourselves, not teams or groups).

There needs to be some consideration and some humility here from Dropbox developers...
FarelTheGiraffe
Helpful | Level 6
2 years ago
Recently I noticed that when I right click objects in Windows, the context menu is bloated with manu entire Dropbox items. This menu is big enough as it is, so I really don't appreciate to see those options everywhere, especially when the online/offline options are all I ever use. Programs like WinRar offer the option to select which items should be visible. Dropbox does not offer that, and it is a problem that I found no solution to. I asked support, but got told that its likely the fault of ... other applications.... and I should apparently ask here. Can I get some help?

Some screenshots with examples can be found here:
https://sta.sh/21eprif3at0e
01) "Send copy...", such a scenario only occurred on a shortcut to a file not on Dropbox. Not necessary to me at all, but of little issue

02) "Send copy..." and "Copy to Dropbox...", such a scenario only occurred on a file or folder not on Dropbox. Not necessary to me at all, but of little issue

03) A unique 7-item case. Within DropBox itself, there was a shortcut file, one set to being available offline, and not only did "Send copy..." appear twice, which is likely a bug, but the first instance comes along with a ton of options:
- Share...
- View on Dropbox.com
- Copy Dropbox link
- Make online-only
- Version history
- Do not sync with Dropbox.com
- Send a copy...
Of these, I would only ever use "Make online-only", so this just causes unnecessary mess, and I'd appreciate being able to remove the rest.

NOTE: On a "half offline file" as I like to describe it, there is both an option for making it offline and online, and that's how it goes from 7 to 8 options

4) Then we have 3 cases where I saw 8 options:
- a shortcut on desktop to a file on Dropbox
- a file on dropbox, which was set to online only
- a file on dropbox, which was set to offline availability

These options are
- Share...
- View on Dropbox.com
- Copy Dropbox link
- Make online-only ("Make available offline" for the online only file)
- Version history
- Send for signature
- Send a copy...
- Do not sync with Dropbox.com
- Send a copy... (this is the before-last option for the online only file)
Of these, I would only ever use "Make online-only" or "Make available offline", so this just adds bloat to my context menu

5) Then we have 3 cases where I saw 9 options:
- a folder on dropbox, which was set to online only
- a folder on dropbox, which was set to offline availability

These options are
- Share...
- View on Dropbox.com
- Copy Dropbox link
- Make online-only ("Make available offline" for the online only file)
- Version history
- Request files...
- So not sync with Dropbox.com (this is the last item on the list for the online only file)
- Manage disk space (googline makes me wonder if this isn't "Manage backup..." in English, but I'm not sure)
- Send a copy...
Again, only those 2 are of any importance to me, so I find the rest completely unnecessary.

NOTE: On a "half offline file" as I like to describe it, there is both an option for making it offline and online, and that's how it goes from 9 to 10

I'll appreciate any help with the issue.
Rich
Super User II
2 years ago
FarelTheGiraffe wrote:

This menu is big enough as it is, so I really don't appreciate to see those options everywhere, especially when the online/offline options are all I ever use.

There is no option to modify the context menu items.
FarelTheGiraffe
Helpful | Level 6
2 years ago
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind when my subscribtion runs out
rhkrhk
Explorer | Level 4
2 years ago
There are 9 (NINE!) dropbox entries on my context menu - none of which I want or will ever use. There's no easy way to get rid of them. I am annoyed by the arrogance of dropbox engineers who clutter my menus without permission. So annoyed that I am ready to drop "dropbox" completely and look for an alternative.

rhk
christianius
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago
I agree - my context menu is suddenly flooded with dropbox items that I will never use.
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
2 years ago
Hey christianius - thanks for joining the discussion here.

Could you let us know your device's OS version and the version of the Dropbox desktop app installed there as well?

When did you first notice this by the way?
pgr
Helpful | Level 6
2 years ago
Hi Walter

I'm the original poster of this thread, thank you for intervening, after so long.

My Windows 11 is version 10.0.22631 Build 22631.
My Dropbox app is version 200.3.7099.

My screenshot looks very similar to what christianius posted. The problem has been happening since before April 23, though I can't be precise about when it started.

This is such an abusive occupation of an OS menu... as I wrote above, there needs to be some consideration and some humility here from Dropbox developers... please reach out to them. Thanks
christianius
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago
Hi Walter,
Thanks for replying.
Dropbox V200.4.7134
Windows 10, Build 19045.4412
Noticed problem a few days ago, but not sure how long it's been ongoing.
Best, C.