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Online Dropbox has stopped syncing with desktop in Windows 11

Hi all

I've used Dropbox Basic for years with no problems. A few months ago I got a new laptop running Windows 11. I installed DB Basic on the desktop again. It worked fine, and continues to do so, with my 20-plus folders containing up to date versions of all my files. But sometime around then (I can't even say for sure whether it was after or before I got the laptop), I began to notice that my online DB had stopped syncing, and that the list of folders had shrunk to a seemingly random bunch of stocking fillers with the latest versions being months or even years ago. Now it's down to just one folder, Camera uploads (which has never been of any interest to me) and a couple of files that I work on daily. It gives the last time I opened it, but when I do so it turns out to be a months-old version.

I've tried everything in this article, down to deinstalling and reinstalling the desktop app on my laptop and on my sole linked device, an iPhone, but no joy. I'm sure it's nothing like internet connectivity, which is fine. As I say, the problem has gotten worse over months. "Basic" describes my computer literacy generally, so I wouldn't be surprised if I were doing something fundamentally dumb, or not doing something I should be. Any ideas as to what it might be?

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Accepted answers

Jay

Hi @NunzaumedeinRoss, if the files in your local Dropbox folder are the only copy remaining, I'd recommend as a precaution to move them to another folder entirely first.

After that, choose the option to Rename the Dropbox folder from this prompt, and allow the app to sync the files from the site. Once that's done, you can move or copy the other files from the old Dropbox folder back into the new Dropbox folder for them to sync to the site.

All comments

Hannah

Hey @NunzaumedeinRoss, thanks for posting to the Dropbox Community.

Just to clarify, our website is like a reflection of what is actually saved to your Dropbox account.

If you have files in your local Dropbox folder, which do not appear in your account online, that means that there's a syncing issue with your desktop app.

In your case, can you please first confirm that both the website and the desktop app are linked to the same Dropbox account?

For the website, you can check that here. And for the desktop app, you'll need to go to the 'account' tab in the app's preferences.

Those locations should show the same email address.

Also, if you hover over the Dropbox icon in your system tray, what's the version and sync status of the Dropbox app?

Let me know and we'll go from there.

NunzaumedeinRoss

Hi @Hannah

My Dropbox website account is in my name and gmail email account. The only place it appears on my laptop now is as a top-level folder in File Explorer. Is that the same as what you call the "desktop app", as per the screenshot below (bottom left of the dialogue box, called "Dropbox for S mode")?

If so, the account is the same as the website: my name and gmail account.

Thanks

Anselm

Hannah

Thanks for the update, Anselm!

The Dropbox for S Mode is quite different than the desktop application.

The desktop application will sync local versions of your files to a folder named "Dropbox" in your file explorer, whereas the S Mode version behaves more like our mobile app.

It shows you a "mirror" of your files in Dropbox.

Now, you mentioned that you have a Dropbox folder in your file explorer, right? Is that where you see the updated versions of your files? Or in the S Mode app?

NunzaumedeinRoss

Hi Hannah

Definitely in File Explorer, in which Dropbox behaves just like any other folder. The S mode gives me the sadly truncated version of my files.

Thanks - and thanks also for being terminologically and conceptually gentle with this bear of little brain! Apologies if it’s frustrating for you, but I did warn you about my “basic” level of understanding. 🫤🤣

Hannah

No worries, Anselm, we'll get to the bottom of this together!

Since you're using the desktop app, can you check if there's a small Dropbox icon in your system tray?

I don't see one in your screenshot, but can you also click the arrow, that shows the hidden icons there, to see if you can find it?

And if you do find it, can you hover over it with your mouse, to see the version and sync status of the app?

NunzaumedeinRoss

Hi Hannah

There used to be a Dropbox icon in the system tray, but when I deinstalled the Dropbox app in desparation, it disappeared. Here's a screenshot of my system tray:

The arrow near the right only displays Windows Security and McAfee.

Walter

Hey @NunzaumedeinRoss, sorry to jump in, but I just wanted to mention that it seems that the desktop app is not running on your computer at the moment.

Can you try the offline installer from this page and let us know how it goes?

Thanks so much!

NunzaumedeinRoss

OK, I've installed it and it now appears both in the system tray and as a small icon:

It contains the nearly non-existent version of my files and folders. Furthermore, this dialogue box appeared:

I renamed it. Was that right?

Jay

Hi @NunzaumedeinRoss, if the files in your local Dropbox folder are the only copy remaining, I'd recommend as a precaution to move them to another folder entirely first.