You might see that the Dropbox Community team have been busy working on some major updates to the Community itself! So, here is some info on what’s changed, what’s staying the same and what you can expect from the Dropbox Community overall.

Windows

237 Topics

Unable to create a directory for iCloud Photos. Restarting your computer might... (Error 5)
I've search high and low for a solution to this error. I had given up after over a year of trying to resolve it, on Windows 10. I've pickup up a new PC on Windows 11 and tried to install the latest version from the Windows Store and low and behold, this issue has come up again! I've been through every single community post here, and in the Apple Communities.I'm happy to report that I've uncovered the cause, but can't find a solution. When I install iCloud for Windows on a clean Windows 11 machine, the app places iCloud Photos and iCloud drive at; c:\users\your_profile\Pictures\iCloud Photos and if you have Microsoft OneDrive, it gives a message that says something to the effect that OneDrive is the users home directory, so the iCloud folder is actually placed in the user's root folder; c:\users\your_profile\iCloud Photos ...but when I install on a machine that has DROPBOX, AND has the user's Pictures folder inside DropBox, the folders are placed at; c:\users\your_profile\Dropbox\Pictures\iCloud Photos BAM, the error occurs! However, if DropBox is not installed, no problem. And if, Dropbox is installed and the user's Pictures folder is not inside Dropbox, no problem. As soon as the user has their Pictures folder inside Dropbox, then no love and the error results. So iCloud for Windows is testing for the presence of a user's home folder being inside Microsoft One Drive and correctly handling that use case, but it does not do the same test for Dropbox and also correctly handle that use case. It may even be that a user's home folder inside any cloud solution is a problem, but since this app is downloaded through the Microsoft store, they tested it for OneDrive and made it work only with that solution! That's messed up! Anyone have ideas on how to solve this issue? I'd like to also have DropBox engineering work with Apple and Microsoft to perform the same kind of installation handling that the app does when it finds OneDrive! The solution is to simply have iCloud for Windows test for Dropbox and if Pictures is found inside DropBox, handle it the same way it does with OneDrive, just place the iCloud Photos folder in the User's profile root folder!
Doug R.1
2 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
6.8KViews
5likes
12Comments
Terrible Windows Explorer Performance - Click slow, stutters
Not sure when this started happening, but we've been paid Dropbox users for years. The new issues may be a deal killer. Clicking on a file or folder to rename takes SECONDS. It's almost like Explorer is "stuttering". This is on i5 10th Gen and Ryzen R5 machines -- new stuff. Once we kill Dropbox, performance is great. We love Dropbox, but this really is a problem!
Jim G.24
4 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
4.1KViews
3likes
19Comments
Dropbox doesn't sync symbolic links anymore
Hi, until this summer I was able to sync folders outside Dropbox using simbolic links. I just tried again to sync a folder with this tricky method and it's not working. I tried to create simbolic link with normal and admin user rights, I tried to sync a folder in another disk partition, it just doesn't work anymore. The "fun fact" is that the old symbolic links I created are working, but if I create a new one it shows a red X on it. I know it's not a feature but a tricky method, but I read that Dropbox doesn't support simbolic link anymore. Just....WHY. It was so useful, the only drawback was that the sync wasn't in real time with the great advantage of being able to save any folder you want without moving it into Dropbox. In OneDrive I'm still able to use it (I use it even at work to backup (backup, not syncing, because it's not syncing in real time) my user folders), in Dropbox the old ones are working, but why not the new ones? The command I use to create simbolic link is like this: mklink /J "F:\Dropbox\TRANSFER\PC GAME\USERDATA_links\Pictures" "F:\USERDATA\Pictures" Note that I could try with any folder, even in C: but it doesn't work anymore. There is a method to make it working again?
Baboo85
5 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
13KViews
3likes
20Comments
Context menu disappeared from Dropbox app on Win11 build 194.4.6267
Hi all, it's a bit of time that I no longer see Dropbox options in the context menu on Win 11 (right mouse click). Due to this problem I can't select what files or folders I want to have available online or offline . I can't find an answer or a solution, but I need to free some space on the local drive. If anyone can help I will appreciate a lot! Thanks Riccardo
RiCo67
9 months ago Place Create, upload, and share
2.7KViews
2likes
18Comments
Desktop App stuck on "Updating Dropbox account..." after 10/14 Update was Pushed Out
Hello, I logged on this morning to find that my desktop app (Windows 10) for Dropbox is stuck on "Updating Dropbox Account..." and won't budge. I even attempted to re-install Dropbox, and that didn't work. Can someone help me with this, please? Thanks, Aimee
Solved
abelke
2 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
14KViews
2likes
30Comments
Files sync to Mac computers, but not to a Windows one
Has anyone experienced this. I have 5 devices on which I share my Dropbox. 4 are Apple and sync instantaneously. My recent purchase of a windows laptop will not sync all of my folders/files/documents. I’m not getting timely support from Dropbox it’s been almost a month of back and forth emails and still they offer no solution and will not call me to troubleshoot. I’m open to ideas or another provider to move my business to that provides support. Thank you for any advise on this Iliana1
Solved
Iliana1
2 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
4.9KViews
2likes
14Comments
Terminal Command to Sync Folder Online Only
Hi, I'm on windows and constantly have trouble using Smart Sync. Smart Sync for the most part never shows up in the context menu, so I have trouble quickly selecting which folders I'd like to sync online/offline. I'm wondering if there is a terminal command I can use to choose a specific folder to sync online only so I can save some space on my HDD? Cheers, DMDComposer
DMDComposer
2 years ago Place Create, upload, and share
867Views
2likes
4Comments
I'm suddenly unable to create a new folder in File Explorer, even though I'm an admin.
Hello, suddenly, I am unable to create a new Dropbox folder in File Explorer. It says I need permission. But I've always been able to do this. I have all my dropbox folders in file explorer and can work out of, share, create folders right there. Suddenly I need permission. I'm an Admin. Using dropbox via file explorer is beyond critical for efficiency.
shaneostone
4 months ago Place Create, upload, and share
597Views
1like
4Comments
Selective sync - Showing all folders marked for sync, even though I previously unselected many.
Hi, I am using the selective sync option on my PC (Win 10, DB v202.4.5551) and I already have many folders set to web only. So, if I remember correctly, when I open the preferences and go to selective sync options, those folders shouldn't be marked. I could clearly see what folders will be stored locally and which will be stored only on web. Today I wanted to set few more folders to web only, but now in the selective sync options menu all folders are marked to be stored locally as well. They are actually not stored locally as per my previous selection, but they are shown as marked in that menu. So, I am afraid that if I make any changes in those settings, all marked folders will be set to locally stored and downloaded to my PC. Hopefully I am making sense and you can understand what I am trying to say. What to do, how to make changes in selective sync menu but not to have to manually search and un-mark folders I already am not storing locally and prevent a whole mess (I have a lot of folders set to web-only). Thank you Mateja
sekturina
5 months ago Place Create, upload, and share
2KViews
1like
19Comments
There's no option to share a link via the Dropbox desktop app on Windows 11
It appears that MS has updated something and my option to share dropbox link in the file explorer is no longer available. Does anyone know a work around or if there is a setting that needs to be re-done? Thank you
jalayo
5 months ago Place Create, upload, and share
518Views
1like
3Comments