Child Item

Dropbox stops syncing and icon disappears

I’m using an HP laptop as well as iPhone and iPad. When in my laptop, periodically the Dropbox icon (free version of Dropbox) disappears from my task bar and then I notice that files that should be syncing, no longer reflect the Dropbox icon on them. Why does this keep happening? What do i have to do to get my syncing working again?

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Sync

Windows

Insightful

Closed - Partially Delivered

Delivered

Comments

Nancy

Thanks for your post, @bwessel!

Can you clarify the OS version of your computer? Did you notice this behavior after a specific Dropbox app/OS update?

Have you reinstalled the Dropbox app, since this started happening?

Finally, if the Dropbox icon is visible at the moment, I’d like you to hover over it and send me the app version you see.

Let me know.

bwessel

My problem is more on my HP Laptop than my apple products. I do most of my changes on my laptop. When I was updating an excel file today, I noticed that the Dropbox symbol was missing. In addition, the Dropbox icon is missing from my taskbar! I think I may be able to get it back by going to Dropbox website and downloading again but this happens a lot. Why does it stop syncing?

Walter

Hey @bwessel - sorry to jump in here, but could you let us know the exact OS version of your computer and the version and status of the Dropbox desktop app as shown in your system tray/taskbar at the moment?

Do you happen to be running any 3rd party apps on your computer that could be interfering somehow? These could vary from security programs like antivirus or firewalls to 3rd party apps that might be monitoring and syncing or backing up your files in the Dropbox folder (apart from the Dropbox desktop app that is).

Let us know more and we'll take it from there.

bwessel

My computer is a PC not a MAC. I’m on Windows 10.

Nancy

Hi again, @bwessel! Can you please reply to Walter’s second question above, as well? Do you happen to be running any 3rd party apps on your computer that could be interfering somehow?

Have you completely uninstalled and reinstalled the Dropbox app, since this started happening?

Also, are you able to see the Dropbox icon in your taskbar now? If yes, I’d like you to hover over it and let me know what’s the app version it shows.

bwessel

Windows 10. To reinstall Drop box do I just go to the website and do the download to Windows 10?

bwessel

Windows 10. Not sure what. 3rd party app would be? Like Quicken (yes)

bwessel

Cannot see the Dropbox icon in my taskbar.

Nancy

Hey @bwessel! Downloading the latest version of the Dropbox app from the web is correct.

However, if you’re not on a free Basic plan with more than 3 devices linked, what I’d like you to do this time is to uninstall the app completely first, and then reinstall on your device.

Let me know if that makes any difference.

bwessel

I am on the Basic free plan with 3 devices linked.

Hannah

Hey @bwessel, is one of the linked devices the one that has this issue?

If it is, it's okay. As long as you don't have more than 3, which will mean that you won't be able to link it again, since there's a 3 device limit for free accounts.

bwessel

Dropbox version 194.4.6267

Hannah

Did you eventually uninstall and reinstall the app, @bwessel?

And what's the sync status when you hover over the Dropbox icon?

bwessel

YES I did both yesterday and things seem to be OK. Status is updated. However, it used to be when I was in an excel document, I would see the Dropbox logo on the right side of the screen over my spreadsheet, so I knew that my document was getting synced. I saw it briefly yesterday but then it disappeared.

Nancy

Thanks for the update, @bwessel! Since the issue persists, I'd recommend an advanced reinstall as the next step.