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Moving files out of Dropbox now defaults to the 'copy' function

Starting sometime this week, whenever I try to move a file out of my Dropbox to another location on the same drive, it will default to 'copy' and leave the original still in Dropbox. This duplication now requires that I manually delete the file from my Dropbox if I want to complete the action of relocating a file.

However, if I drag a file into my Dropbox from anywhere on the same drive, it will behave normally and 'move' the file without duplication. Moving files within folders in Dropbox also retains the default 'move' function.

What is causing this bizarre 'copy' behavior and how do I get rid of it? I want the default drag behavior, within the same drive, to be 'move'.

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Accepted answers

BenDBX

Hi Everybody,

Thanks for your patience while we looked into this. This change in behavior was the result of a change by Microsoft. Dragging a folder out of a root sync folder now defaults to the copy function on Windows 11. This change is not limited to Dropbox, but any root sync folder.

As a workaround, shift+click and drag will allow the expected cut + paste or "move folder" functionality.

Regards,

Ben

All comments

Yuikol

Downloads folder, documents folder, etc. are acting correctly. They move the file, not copy it. Only Dropbox is acting differently now. I'm not finding any settings related to this when I look in the Windows Setting app or in the file explorer options.

Just seeing this now. I can "move" a file into Dropbox without copying it, but taking it out makes a copy.

Resting Book Face

I've noticed in the past week that whenever I move a file into or out of Dropbox, it leaves a copy on my computer or in Dropbox. It used to just move the file, not copy it. I have to manually remove the copied file so that I don't have to worry about version control. Anyone else having this issue and/or know how to turn it off?

BenDBX

Hi Everybody,

I wanted to let everyone know that we are still actively investigating. I have no news at the moment, but we're still looking into it, and I'll provide an update here when I have more information to share!

Thanks,

Ben

benv

I'm having the same issue. Moving from desktop to other folders on the same drive results in a copy. Original file remains on the desktop.

Michael S.189

Same for me. Windows 11 23H2, Dropbox 205.4.5765

jstrmac

Status update on this? Dropbox has to realize this is a real issue by now???

Kenzoll

Hello, same issue and it has been happening recently. It makes a whole process really inconvenient. I open Dropbox folder (via app) on my laptop and drag files to the desktop folder - it makes copies and saves originals in Dropbox Camera Uploads. Windows 11 Home. THANK YOU!

OSHBOY

Any update on this? - It is such a pain!

BenDBX

Hi Everybody,

As a workaround, shift+click and drag will allow the expected cut + paste or "move folder" functionality.

Regards,

Ben

cheryls711

So this is it? That is such a pain. I think I'm going to look into other options if there's no other solution.

benv

I uninstalled Dropbox because of this and a bunch of other technical problems. Switched to Google drive. Google drive has been working well for me with none of the issues in Dropbox that had caused me to waste hours of time.

jstrmac

This is very disappointing and definitely a negative against dropbox. At a minimum, how about we get an "unsupported" registry change that we can make on our own?

Questions13

This can't be the long term solution for this issue.

Sguaraus

@BenDBX Thanks for your reply, but I find it inaccurate: this change in behavior by Microsoft does not affect "any" sync root folder, since Google Drive works just fine as before. Are you going to do something to get Dropbox behavior back to normal or simply accept this awful change by Microsoft? Thank you

OSHBOY

I think Dropbox should be finding a clean solution to this as the interface is so clunky and inefficient with this issue.

Lex - Patswerk

Unfortunately this issue is still happening on Mac OS. Holding 'shift' doesn't help to move the folder, it only copies it. Pretty frustrating.

jstrmac

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/change-default-drag-and-drop-action-in-windows-11.2924/

You'll need to reboot after the changes.

Careful with this "solution" as it changes the default behavior for everything on your computer.

Dropbox folder was treated as a local folder then something changed and it's now treated as a network folder. Default drag and drop for local folders is move and default drag and drop for network folders is copy. This registry fix changes the default behavior to whatever you want (move/copy/shortcut) but it does it for both Dropbox and Network folders, so therefore be careful with it.