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How Do I Use Dropbox on Windows 11 with a local User account?

When I set up my Windows 11 computer, it created an Administrator Account (called "Owner"). I put the Dropbox folder directly under the C drive instead of under C:/Users/Owner so that it would be accessible to all users on the computer. I just created a local standard account (called "MyUser") that I sign into separately. When I opened the Dropbox app on my standard account, it asked me to sign in. It created another Dropbox folder under C:\Users\MyUser, which will put two redundant folders on my computer. When I try to move the Dropbox folder location under Preferences/Sync, Windows asks me to sign into the folder but then Dropbox says that it cannot create a folder at that location. So - two questions: (1) how do I use my existing Dropbox installation on this computer without creating a redundant folder, and (2) how do I undo what Dropbox just set up on my account? Do I need quit Dropbox and delete the entire Windows user account?

I suspect the answer is to NOT open the Dropbox app on my standard account, but instead to open the folder that was already created on the administrator account, and to edit and save in that folder. If that's the case, I just need to know how to undo or uninstall the app/folder that was created on my standard account (I suspect I just have to delete my Windows user account and start over, but it would be nice to have an easier solution).

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Jay

Hi @MarkW1, it looks like you signed onto the forum using a different Dropbox account, since your username is different.

I'd still recommend the advanced reinstallation it to fully remove any traces of the Dropbox program or folder on the administrator account.

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Jay

Hi @BuzzLS, thanks for messaging the Community!

You can remove the new Dropbox folder created in the local account by signing out of the Dropbox desktop application in that profile. You can then delete the Dropbox folder in the User/MyUser folder without it affecting the other Dropbox folder in Owner.

Regarding your first question, it isn't possible to have two separate Dropbox apps on the same machine connected to the same Dropbox folder on the computer.

You might be able to access the admin Dropbox folder normally from Explorer in the local account, and add/edit/delete files there, but no files can sync until you sign into the administrator account itself, since that is where the Dropbox app is connected to the folder.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

BuzzLS

Also: Dropbox was set to automatically start when I sign into my standard account. After Dropbox started, I set it to not start up automatically and then quit the app again. When I signed in as an Administrator, Dropbox started on that account as usual. So, it looks like on a Windows 11 standard user sign-in, you just access the folder without opening the app. Also, I needed to move the folder out of my Administrator user folder (e.g., C:\User\Owner\My Dropbox) and move My Dropbox directly under my C drive. Otherwise, I cannot access the folder while signed in as a standard user.

Jay

Okay, so just for clarification, you want to be able to access the Dropbox folder while on a standard account.

Are you looking to instead remove the Dropbox folder from the administrator account (and sign out of the account there), and then use the standard profile alone to use the app and that Dropbox folder there like normal?

BuzzLS

That would work.

Right now, there's a top-level Dropbox icon on my standard account (see screeenshot below). It still points to the C:\Mike\Users\ folder which I deleted. So, even though I quit Dropbox and deleted the folder as was suggested here, there are still some worrisome settings where. Maybe the best approach is just delete the standard user account through Windows, then install a new standard user account, and then install Dropbox from that account?

Screenshot 2023-08-02 124130.png

Jay

At this point, to ensure that everything is removed, I'd recommend an advanced reinstallation of the Dropbox desktop application.

Just follow the steps to uninstall the program while logged into the Administrator account, and the log out and reboot the machine entirely, and let me know if the folder is removed.

MarkW1

I went ahead and deleted the standard user account. Is it still necessary to do an advanced reinstallation?

Jay

Hi @MarkW1, it looks like you signed onto the forum using a different Dropbox account, since your username is different.

I'd still recommend the advanced reinstallation it to fully remove any traces of the Dropbox program or folder on the administrator account.

MarkW1

Yes - when I signed into the forum in my standard account it caused me to create a user name, but when I sign in under the administrative account or another computer it caused me to create a different user name. Is there a way to merge those, or to delete one and to just sign in using my original user name?

Jay

The usernames are associated with different Dropbox accounts, meaning you have completely different email addresses.

If you have more than one email address, make sure you're signed into the correct one when using the Dropbox desktop application, and when signing onto the site to post here.

MarkW1

A few issues with Advanced Reinstall (referring to the steps in the article):

#6-7 There is no "Dropbox" folder under "KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE". There was only a "Dropbox Update" folder under WOW6432Node.

#8-10 using the "%.....%" search does not pull up any folders. The only referenced folder I found was "Dropbox Update" under Users/Owner/Appdata/Local, which I had to find from scrolling through the folders rather than searching File Explorer using the percent (%) syntax.

The Dropbox install website said to sign in (my account uses my business email), which I did. After installing, when I tried to point to the Dropbox folder (which I had put directly under C instead of the default location) in Advanced Settings, it is stuck. The icons in the box are just spinning. This should have taken a few seconds. And, it appears that Dropbox installed using my gmail account instead of my business account, even though I signed in using my business account. Meanwhile, it's a Saturday and I've told everyone that anyone using DB while I'm doing "deep reinstall" will have conflicted files. Do I uninstall and reinstall again? This is a hot mess!

Someone should rewrite the instructions so that they make sense to a Windows 11 user.

MarkW1

And .... I uninstalled again, followed the Deep Reinstall instructions, reinstalled and made sure it used my business email to sign in again, and it got stuck again trying to point to my Dropbox folder. I had to exit out of the advanced installation box, and go to Dropbox Preferences to under sync to move it to that folder. However, now it returns a message that there is already a Dropbox folder at that location.

So, it looks like my only option now is to uninstall Dropbox again, the delete the folder, and then reinstall Dropbox and have it re-download everything again at that folder.

In other words, Deep Reinstall just made everything worse. And taking up my entire Saturday!

Jay

Thanks for the update on this matter. Keep us informed on how it's proceeding after uninstalling the app and deleting the Dropbox folder.

BuzzLS

Works fine now - thanks.