How do I remove the Dropbox icon from the Windows 10 file explorer?

[Jeremy C.3]

Since upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10, there is a Dropbox icon in the Windows file explorer navigation pane.  I already have a link to Dropbox and other cloud-storage options in the Quick links section of the file explorer, so I don't need this extra icon!

How do I remove the Dropbox icon from the navigation pane?  And to be clear,  I don't mean the quick-link, I mean the stand-alone 'system-type' icon in the navigation area.

[mirasol e.]

Go to your control panel

Uninstall dropbox from below

if you can't find control panel.  just search for it in cortana

[Jeremy C.3]

"Uninstall Dropbox", mirasol e?  This is supposed to be a technical forum. Yes I am sure that would get rid of the icon - and the application too. Absolutely!  Now if you can come up with a way to remove the icon and keep Dropbox working, then I'll be happy. Otherwise, don't bother.

[Alexis G.1]

This Dropbox icon in Windows 10 is there by design of the new OS. I don't believe this is a big issue at all. It's useful for most users.

There is a lack of customization of some items in the OS. No problem.

There is some registry entries you can modify to hidde the icon, but the icon appears again after a restart or update.

[Jeremy C.3]

"This Dropbox icon in Windows 10 is there by design of the new OS. I don't believe this is a big issue at all. It's useful for most users."

Really?

Firstly, it is NOT there by operating system constraint. If it were, then we would also see icons for "Box", "OneDrive" and "Cloud Drive" - to name but a few - also in that area. Since we don't it's clearly a Dropbox design choice.

Secondly, nobody is saying it's a big issue, but the whole point of having a customisable GUI-based operating system is that it should be exactly that - customisable!  It may suit YOU to have an icon in that area, but it doesn't suit ME. It serves no useful purpose in my scheme of things - I hate it and I want it gone!

Rant over. I'll get me coat...

[Rick_M]

Still there? How did  you get rid of the "Onedrive" ?

[Alexis G.1]

Jeremy:

Windows is very customizable, but if everything was customizable, you will have a 70GB Operating System. 

It's Windows 10 code who add the icon in the Windows Explorer.

You can try removing the icon by adjusting the keys in the registry and then change the permissions to avoid modification. I don't tested this workaround, I just read about all this yesterday.

[Jeremy C.3]

Rick: "How did  you get rid of the "Onedrive" ?"

Well it's a while ago now, but I have a note which says:

To remove OneDrive from Navigation Pane:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}
Change value from 1 to 0

This has worked for me and it stays fixed through rebooots and windows updates.  I am not sure if there have been any OneDrive updates, so it might possibly become visible again if there is one.

Alexis G: "It's Windows 10 code who add the icon in the Windows Explorer."

If you want to be pedantic, then "yes." But in the same way that a car goes around a corner because the driver turns the steering wheel.  Dropbox is making a call to Windows every time it starts up, saying "Here I am, please display my icon in the Navigation Pane."  Dropbox initiates the action, and there is no need for it. Other cloud storage programs either don't do it at all, or only set it ONCE upon installation (which we can then remove by editing the registry). Dropbox is just a PITA, calling code every time it starts up to tell Windows to place its icon there.

[Alexis G.1]

If you want to be pedantic, then "yes." But in the same way that a car goes around a corner because the driver turns the steering wheel.  Dropbox is making a call to Windows every time it starts up, saying "Here I am, please display my icon in the Navigation Pane."  Dropbox initiates the action, and there is no need for it.

Nope. When the OS restarts, the namespace,delegatefolders,queryfordelay and shellfolder attributes in registry are updated by Windows 10 OS core, and the icon appears again. This is by design in Windows 10 OS.

[Jeremy C.3]

"When the OS restarts, the namespace,delegatefolders,queryfordelay and shellfolder attributes in registry are updated by Windows 10 OS core, and the icon appears again. This is by design in Windows 10 OS."

I expect you are correct in stating (most of) the above, but I don't buy the fact that windows is taking this action all by itself.  If it were, then it would have to have a separate backup store of information used to overwrite or restore the registry. Can you tell us where this store is located then?  Also if windows were to be taking such action, it would do the same for all the other cloud storage programs and not just Dropbox.

[Alexis G.1]

Also if windows were to be taking such action, it would do the same for all the other cloud storage programs and not just Dropbox.

Maybe Microsoft do this with Dropbox in the new OS because is the pioneer in cloud sync. Dropbox was launched on 2007 and other big competitors were launched on 2011, 2012 and 2014.

I don't work for Dropbox, but I have 20 years on IT and for me, is the best Cloud Sync app. I usually don't pay for apps, but I pay every year for Dropbox Pro, and I'm happy with it. I'm happy in having the Icon in the navigation pane as well!

Maybe Microsoft add it to the Navigation pane because Dropbox have more than 100 millions users!