Dropbox folders appearing on desktop

Question

Hi, I have a new laptop and I set up the drop box to sync files.

On my new computer all the folders and files in my drop box are appearing on my desktop.

In file explorer, I click on Drop box icon and and clicked on Location Tab. it lists my location as C:\Users\***\Dropbox.

I can see via the dropbox online log in that all the files are online.

I would prefer that my desktop is not cluttered with all these folders and files. What have I done incorrectly.

My preference is to click on the drop box icon in my file explorer and see the folders and files.

I have read through the other online help files and can't quite find a similar problem. or the problems sound different to mine.

Please may I seek help from the community. I thought I found a help file on this but now I can't seem to find it or am searching for the wrong key words.

Thank you in advance.

Hannah · Answer

Hey ECB, thanks for writing to our Community!
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You mentioned that you don't want your Dropbox files and folders to be cluttering your desktop, but that you want to click the Dropbox icon to access them in your file explorer.
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Do you mean that you'd like to see their names, but you don't want them to take up space on your computer?
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If so, are you on a paid Dropbox subscription? If you are, you can use the steps here, to make your files online-only, to stop them from taking up your space.
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Let me know if I misunderstood your request, or if you have any questions.

ECB · Answer

Hi&nbsp;@Hannah&nbsp;I am currently a Basic User. On my old laptop I think the Dropbox folder was under MyDocuments.I think you've understood what I'm talking about. On my old laptop, when logged in as a basic user, I have a dropbox icon on the desktop &gt; I click on this and it takes me into the folders and files I have on drop box.&nbsp;I seem on my new laptop to have both - a dropbox icon on my desktop &gt; I click on this and it takes me to the folders and files I have on drop box.&nbsp;I also seem to have the same on&nbsp;C:\Users\***\Dropbox.&nbsp;i wonder if I've duplicated it some how?&nbsp;I'm worried if I delete one of them, it will delete it in both locations

Megan · Answer

Hey ECB, would you be able to send me a couple of screenshots of the icons and paths, in order for me to have a full visual?&nbsp;
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Having your Dropbox icon on your desktop is expected. You mentioned that on your new laptop you seem to have both, can you let me know what you're referring to?&nbsp;
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Is it possible that you're referring to the path of your Dropbox folder?&nbsp;

ECB · Answer

Megan&nbsp;Thank you for the offer. Here are the screen shots of my old laptop and my new laoptop.&nbsp;Is this what you were asking for? Many thanks!New laptop&nbsp;New laptop desktop with dropbox icon AND files foldersnew laptop explorer view with drop boxnew laptop dropbox properties location tabold laptop dropbox properties location tabold laptop  explorer view with dropbox iconold laptop desktop with drop box icon&nbsp;

Hannah · Answer

Thanks for these screenshots, ECB!
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From what I can understand from them, it seems that on your new computer, you've enabled our backup feature, which backs up your desktop files to Dropbox.
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Is this something you intended to do, when you installed Dropbox on your new computer?