Join the Conversation: The Dash Community Is Now Open! ✨🎉
Transferring files from my account online, to my desktop app.
Device Dell Inspiron 3480 AOI Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 10 Dropbox App Version (if using the app) On my phone it is 448.2.2; I can't find an app version in my computer settings. Question or Issue My computer was going into the shop so I moved all of my important, personal files from my Desktop to Dropbox.com. When I tried to move them back, I got a message telling me to select the file folders I wanted to be on my hard drive. (I assume the rest of the folders will be hanging out on Dropbox.com and the cloud.) After selecting the relevant folders, they totally disappeared! They were not on my hard drive and no longer on Dropbox.com. I finally found a little box to check "see hidden files" on Dropbox.com. When I clicked that, they reappeared on Dropbox.com but they are nowhere to be found on my hard drive or desktop. So, I started trying to copy the relevant folders one at a time to my Desktop. I've been using DB for 10-20 years and now I can't even figure out how to transfer my files from Dropbox.com to my Desktop! I used to be able to just right click on the folder, hit copy, and hit paste on my desktop. Now it says it will only copy the link, not the actual folders. I want the actual folders! I've tried everything I can think of. I have transferred some of the folders to my email and then saved them to my Desktop. Other folders say "some files cannot be transferred" but does not give me any indication of which files can't be transferred!Specific questions: 1: I don't know how to transfer files from Dropbox.com to my desktop. 2. I can't figure out how to sync -- the instructions provided in Help do not work. I have the Dropbox app on both my computer and my phone. All of the files I have been able to move back to my Desktop do appear in my phone app. Thanks for your help! Christine
After upgrading to Windows 11, I can't search for files within my Dropbox folder
Device (Dell XPS 9320) Operating System/Browser (if using the web) (Windows 11) Dropbox App Version (if using the app) v234.4.5591 Dropbox Plan (Plus) Since upgrading to Windows 11 two days ago, Windows Search (Explorer search) no longer finds files stored in my Dropbox folder. On Windows 10, I used to add the Dropbox directory to Indexing Options, and search worked perfectly — I could quickly find and open files among hundreds of thousands stored in Dropbox. Now, on Windows 11: The Dropbox folder does not appear in Indexing Options (the D: drive is listed, but not the Dropbox folder located at D:/Dropbox). The Dropbox folder seems a virtual reparse point, which Windows Search ignores. Expected behavior: Windows Search should be able to index and find Dropbox files (at least those available offline) when Smart Sync is enabled. Actual behavior: Dropbox’s Smart Sync implementation seems to prevent Windows Search from indexing the Dropbox folder on Windows 11Dropbox app on Windows 11 intermittently hangs.
Application Affected Dropbox folder and tray application Device Dell Alienware Aurora R2 Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 11 24H2 and now 25H2 v235.4.5905 Question or Issue The Dropbox application has been intermittently hanging on my computer for at least 4 months. I use the app to take photos with my iPhone and regularly notice that Photos from my iPhone are not appearing in my "Camera Uploads" folder on my PC. If I create a file in the Dropbox folder, it shows the two blue arrows but makes no progress. If I right If I right-click on the Dropbox tray icon, nothing happens. If I start task manager and kill all the running Dropbox processes, then use Start -> Dropbox, everything is normal again for a while. Typically, I find it hung about once a day, although it's not after anything in particular that I remember doing -- usually when I go to look for a photo I took, I find it's not there, and the tray icon is non-responsive. I'm only using 1.35% of 2.01TB so space is not a problem. My C drive, which contains the Dropbox folder in my home directory has 273GB free out of 951GB. I believe I am running the latest version of Dropbox. There's another thread From September with a similar report and supposedly an update fixed it. I do also have OneDrive, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, running on my computer and the Adobe Cloud as well, although I think they handle sync differently. Any ideas as to how I might resolve this problem?
The Dropbox desktop app on my Mac OS device can't stop syncing one single file
Application affected: Dropbox 235.4.5905 Device: MacBook Air 12-inch M4 2025 OS: Sequoia 16.5 My Dropox can't finish syncing this one file, a Word .docx , 3.1 MB. It's been saying 'Syncing <file>' for 2 days straight... This has stopped other files from syncing as well -- after this file got stuck, all other files I try to sync just add to the queue and never do sync up. I chose to sync just a few folders, and those did sync well before this happened. I don't have this problem with my other computers linked to this account -- this only happens with this new computer. Dropbox never worked well on it from the start. I've been in touch with the support chat a couple of times and they didn't solve the issue. Basically they told me to delete the installation, install again, unlink the account, link again,. This didn't do the trick. I'm quite disappointed in Dropbox -- I've had it for many years and never had the same issue before. If anyone has any suggestions, they will be much appreciated. Tony
Duplicate Dropbox folders after re-installing the Dropbox desktop app on Windows 11
Application Affected Dropbox synch location Device Dell laptops and Pixel phone Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 11, Chrome and DuckDuckGo Dropbox App Version (if using the app) New install on 2025/10/15 Question or Issue At the conclusion of https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall is a feedback popup. I selected the checkbox to say it didn't do the job for me. (I can't see it now to quote it.) In the "Tell us why" popup I wrote the following (slightly edited in that dialog box to fit the char limit): _____ This procedure was suggested to get out of the "There's already a folder" loop. The procedure refers to Advanced Settings which the install script in fact does not offer, it goes right to the 'Sync all/Choose which' dialog. The "There's already a folder" error still pops up when I follow the prompt to open the app. I created C:\Users\<username>2 folder and specified that pathname. The error says cannot create dropbox folder there; it appears to be in OneDrive. I specified C:\ and it is now synchronizing there. I will now have two Dropbox folders, C:\Users\<username>\Dropbox and C:\Dropbox. There are no instructions here how to resolve this duplication. _____ I would like to have the default location synchronized, and the C:\Dropbox content placed in the default C:\Users\<username>\Dropbox location. Where are instructions to accomplish this reliably?
Dropbox app is stuck syncing on my Windows device.
Application Affected (Dropbox Desktop) Device (Intel desktop PC) Operating System/Browser (if using the web) (Windows 10) Dropbox App Version (if using the app) (235.4.5905) Question or Issue Dropbox is stuck on "Downloading 4,861 files..." as seen on the tooltip if hovering over the app icon on the windows notification area - if I click the icon it shows "Syncing 4,861 files". I tried reinstalling, restarting, enabled long file paths but still syncing. I can't even tell which files it's trying to download as all the files/folders on top level appear with the blue syncing overlay icon.Can I link the desktop app to my existing Dropbox folder and not overwrite my team's updated files?
I recently reinstalled Windows on my PC, and after setting up the Dropbox application again, it created a new Dropbox folder on my desktop instead of linking to the existing one from my previous installation. Now I have two Dropbox folders: The old folder: contains all my files synced before reinstalling Windows. The new folder: created by Dropbox after reinstall, currently empty or partially syncing. I want to avoid re-downloading all my files again, as I already have them locally in the old folder. My concern is: If I manually move the files from the old folder to the new one, will Dropbox treat them as "new" files and re-upload them? That could potentially overwrite changes made by my team during the two days I was offline. Could you please advise the safest way to reconnect my local files without triggering unnecessary uploads or overwriting my team’s recent changes?Make explorer icon overlays optional
(Windows) Many customers have been wanting an option to remove these green sync status checkmarks for nearly 10 years. If business is serious about communicating a file's status, do it via a tag or custom Explorer field or something we can opt into. These checkmarks, especially in thumbnail view with images are really annoying.
Unable to rename the Dropbox folder to create a new folder.
Application Affected Dropbox Device PC Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 11 For years, I've been using Dropbox on my PC without any problems. But today, something happened: for some unknown reason, the PC client lost authorization and asked me to log in again, as if I were launching it for the first time. That's when the problems started. I ALREADY HAD Dropbox on my PC. Therefore, the Dropbox folder ALREADY EXISTS! And I don't need to create a new folder! I need to put it in the same location, BUT I CAN'T! Errors: [Window Title] Dropbox [Main Instruction] Merge with existing Dropbox folder? [Content] A folder named Dropbox already exists. Do you want to add all the files in this folder to your Dropbox? [ Select another location ] [Merge] *** [Window Title] Dropbox [Main Instruction] A folder or file named Dropbox already exists. [Content] To complete the installation, Dropbox will rename your "Dropbox" folder or file. [ Select another location ] [Rename] *** [Window Title] Dropbox [Main Instruction] Unable to rename the Dropbox folder to create the Dropbox folder. [Content] To complete the installation, Dropbox needs to rename your Dropbox folder or file. Please close any open documents and try again. [Select another location] [Try again] How can I fix this error? I can't delete or rename the old folder. Error: Folder already in use The operation can't be completed because the folder or file is open in another program.