Dropbox icon disappeared, Windows account issue

[mrmarple]

I have been using Dropbox for years and never had an issue. I am running Windows 11 and two days ago, suddenly the system tray icon disappeared. I have since then spent hours researching this issue. Uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox. It is in the startup apps, it is in the task manager list, the system tray settings are as they ment to be. But there is still no icon.

So I read a thread here recently that someone had the same issue and the solution was to create a new windows account. I just did that, and--surprise--the new account has the Dropbox icon I am missing.

Since the installation seems to be working, what do I need to do to repair my old windows account?

Frankly, copying all my files and settings somehow over to the new account is not a viable option.

Thank you

[Walter]

Hi @mrmarple, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

I'm not sure if this will help, but could you try navigating to your computer's Settings → Personalizations → Taskbar → 'Taskbar corner overflow' and then set Dropbox to On?

Let me know how it goes!

[mrmarple]

Hi Walter, it is On.

[Walter]

Thanks for checking this for me @mrmarple 

Could you try an advanced reinstall and let me know if you notice any improvements? 

Since the desktop app is working on another OS profile, it means that there may be some sort of misconfiguration, setting, policy, or permission restriction that is affecting the original profile.

[caseywhiting]

I have also found the same issue and more. Since setting up a considerably higher performance pc with Windows 11,  in January 2022 (three months ago) Dropbox has gone to total garbage in its functionality. It's like using dial up internet from 1995 to access a file folder! It often takes 10-60 seconds just to load a folder's contents and view of icons. Most of the photo icons no longer show, regardless of what app I set as the default photo viewer application. The system tray icon is gone, although like above, the app is still installed and when clicked on just opens the Dropbox folder. There is apparently no syncing, or sharing of files, and what I see online and what is in my local Dropbox are not the same. There is NO option on any Dropbox folder to sync online or locally, or anything else remotely like it. I need to know if this a Windows 11 issue of incompatibility with Dropbox or if it is a Dropbox issue, then I need to figure out who has responsibility for it, and who will assist me in remedying it. 

[mrmarple]

@Walter I did this following the instructions. But never changes. Dropbox seems to get installed but there is never any prompt to log in, pick a folder, etc. It seems to install something because the folder icon changes. But there is no tray icon etc. It remains useless.

In the Advanced Reinstall process, when searching for the Dropbox folders in the Windows registry, Dropbox appears several times in other areas than those that should be deleted. Could there be something in the user registry that I could delete? Since this issue seems to be related to the user profile.

At this point, I don't understand why the Dropbox icon literally can disappear over night. And why Dropbox has not found a solution for this issue! When I search the internet for a solution, I found posts that go back at least 4 years, describing the same issue I have. How can a service that I have been paying for for years, not have a solution ready by now!

[Walter]

Hey @caseywhiting & @mrmarple, could you try the offline installer from this page and let us know if the issue persists?

Thanks so much!

[mrmarple]

@Walterno change. Installation ends by closing the window with the installation file but there is no prompt. And still no icon.

[caseywhiting]

I have found the perfect solution. I have moved my storage over to Sync. They offer unlimited data storage for the same price that dropbox wants for 3TB. Storage is storage, and since dropbox refuses to take responsibility for their software not functioning properly, it is in my best interest to move where I can have reliable, secure, and trustworthy storage, and access of my files at all times. Too bad dropbox has failed me after 10 years or more of using them. I believe this is a symptom of 'trying to be so smart' that you've created functionality that is in fact dumb, because it assumes everyone wants something that everyone doesn't actually want. Your changes to your system and the 'online/local' storage nonsense seems to be the root cause of this unreliability. It has bogged down my brand new, top of the line computer, made files inaccessible, stopped showing photo thumbnails, started taking up to 30 seconds just to show the view of contents in a single folder, for every folder clicked on, and generally became a total piece of garbage. The 'engineers' confirmed "these are not dropbox's problems", denying any responsibility to attempt to correct them. Although, mysteriously, despite claims of third-party software fault, all photos show thumbnails outside of dropbox files on my system. And folders load normally outside of dropbox. So, good riddance. Great way to lose customers: overprice and underdeliver.

[Walter]

Since this persists for you @mrmarple, could you try the suggestion in this post?

Also, thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on this @caseywhiting - your feedback has been noted.