How does one remove the Dropbox link from the Navigation Pane om Windows 10?

[Scott W.34]

I don't notice it on Win8.1, but I have already hacked out a bunch of stuff in the registry on Win8.1. I have the Dropbox folder conveniently located in the root of a second hard drive, I don't need the link cluttering up the Navigation Pane, or the Desktop for that matter.

[Cindy W.11]

After disconnecting Dropbox, Dimpie B.'s solution worked - and was very simple! Thank you.

[William W.23]

Thanks all for the hints and workarounds. Here is what I did in the end:

1. Modify pin value and folder type value (SGAO) so the item is doubly invisible:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}]
@="Dropbox"
"SortOrderIndex"=dword:00000042
"System.IsPinnedToNamespaceTree"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Dropbox\\Client\\Dropbox.exe,-6001"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}\InProcServer32]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,59,00,53,00,54,00,45,00,4d,00,52,00,4f,00,4f,00,54,00,25,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,00,68,00,\
  65,00,6c,00,6c,00,33,00,32,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}\Instance]
"CLSID"="{0E5AAE11-A475-4c5b-AB00-C66DE400274E}"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}\Instance\InitPropertyBag]
"Attributes"=dword:00000011
"TargetFolderPath"="E:\\William\\Dropbox"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}\ShellFolder]
"Attributes"=dword:01048576
"FolderValueFlags"=dword:00000028

2. Enable inheritance on the registry key [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}]

- This makes the ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES user explicit. I denied *this* user write access, while allowing my own and SYSTEM USERS all access.

RESULT:

For the first time, I rebooted and "It's gone, Sam. I can no longer feel the Ring."

What a relief!

***

I also use Winaero's ThisPC Tweaker, with which I've created an "All My Stuff" entry as the only one apart from the drives. Clicking on it goes to my user profile, so OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and ASUS Webstorage are there together with other top-level folders.

[William W.23]

As readers may be aware, the fix above does not resist Dropbox updates, which reestablish the pesky navigation pane entry.

A nuclear response was needed, but not by uninstalling. I created a Task that consists of running a batch file that implements the reg file above after logon. Dropbox itself is set by Task Manager (not autoruns) to wait for user logon and a working internet connection. This takes a moment, so the batch file is set to run 1 minute after the internet connection is established.

This, after several test reboots, works. If after an update or some slow boot the fix doesn't work, just go into Task Scheduler and run the task manually.

[Dart R.]

>> I created a Task that consists of running a batch file that implements the reg file above after logon.

I'm just delete all content from [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E31EA727-12ED-4702-820C-4B6445F28E1A}] and set permissions for my account on this key: only read. Dropbox cannot write anything into this key anymore.

[Christopher S.20]

I think the best solution is to not use Drop Box, I think this is Dropbox's way of forcing us to move to other providers...Good bye Dropbox, it was fun.

[Rodel R.]

Not sure if my situation is different, but I uninstalled Dropbox then manually deleted all shortcuts pertaining to Dropbox's own guidelines. It was removed from administrator account; however, for standard user accounts, the shortcut still exists. Any ideas what am I missing?

[Bjoern123]

If the shortcut still exists after uninstalling Dropbox, I suggest to manually delete the respective registry entries and the shortcut will be removed.

[William W.39]

This intrusive behavior by software developers is maddening. I have spent a enormous amount of time removing and disabling unwanted, massively annoying "features" inserted by MSFT and others. Why don't they give us the option of removing these items ourselves. The Dropbox icon right at the top of the navigation pane of file explorer is the worst. I am definitely never paying Dropbox a penny unless they remove this icon and I will uninstall Dropbox if I cannot permanently remove the icon via a reasonably straightforward registry hack soon. Hopefully somebody will solve this issue, I don't have time to keep messing with it.

[Peter V.18]

Seriously Dropbox - what is the point of the Quick Access menu if you force your way into the menu anyway?  It's bad enough that you put the link there in the first place, but why do you need to overwrite the registry every time I blink?  What a waste of code - just wasting my cpu time and space on my hard drive.  People that know how to edit their registry don't need you shoving your stupid link in their face.  STOP BEING REGISTRY NAZIS!!!!!

[Martin L.7]

Hey Dropbox, this is actually a pretty big deal to a lot of people and not difficult for you to change. How about listening?