Dropbox desktop app can't connect after a Windows 11 update

Hi there @JohnnyMx2 - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you please send us a screenshot of the app's exact status and version as shown in your task bar?

Does the issue persist if you boot your computer in Safe Mode?

Let us know more when you get the chance, and we'll take it from there.

Hi Walter,

Below can find the screenshots:

Hope you don’t mind if I jump in, @JohnnyMx2. From what I understand from the screenshot, your Dropbox app is stuck at starting, correct?

Have you restarted your computer, since the Windows update, and it didn't make a difference?

Hi Nancy,

Thanks for keeping communication on this. Yes, I have re-started several times but still not connect to dropbox app.

Megan

Hey @JohnnyMx2, let me also jump in here!

Keep in mind that incorrect date and time on your computer could also prevent Dropbox from getting a secure connection, so this could also be the case there.

However, if your date and time are correct you might also want to check this Help Center article.

You mentioned that you've already checked your firewall and proxies, but if you have an antivirus and/or firewall running, make sure you do the following:

- Allow "Dropbox" (or "Dropbox.exe") to access ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS).
- Add dropbox.com to the list of approved sites (white list) and make sure it is not on a black list.
- In general, you need to allow *.dropbox.com and *.getdropbox.com to access all the hosts in our domain, since our IPs are constantly changing you need to approve/unblock by domain.
- Some antivirus have special features that scan SSL traffic, please review your vendor's documentation and make sure you exclude Dropbox from the list.
- Some firewalls also act as proxies for your computer, so you might need to add them in the proxies Preferences panel to correctly connect.

I'm having the same issue here as well. I don't think this has to do with firewalls or accessing any servers.

I'm noticing that the Offline installer v210.5.4894 and today I tried offline Installer v211.5.32 both work in compatibilty mode until the darn app auto updates itself to current version then becomes stuck in the Starting up mode.

Dropbox support - please help us with a version that does not have autoUpdate so we can live our lives until the support team figures this out.

Hannah

Hey @mitgeek, sorry to see that you're also having trouble with the Dropbox application.

While there's no way for the Dropbox app to stop auto-updating, we'll happily look into the issue with you.

Can you send us a screenshot of what you see when you hover over the Dropbox icon in your system tray?

Also, how many files do you currently have in your Dropbox folder?

tonyyvnn

When ever I click on a folder it takes forever to opem. In addition the recent update on 11 my dropbox is indexing again and I cannot just go in anymore and choose what folders i want offline.

PLEASE HELP IM LOSING TOO MUCH TIME OF WORK!

Hi team, Happy holidays,

Yes, I have tried all antivirus options by default is on no restriction list as usual on the past it was set automatically. But also tried to add more options, but still on connecting the desktop app, so is pretty annoing to keep working like this, if not solution will decide to swith to one drive, but want to avoid all that pain

I too may need to switch to oneDrive as this issue doesn’t seem to get the prompt attention of developers.

@tonyyvnn, if you're still have the same issue, can you provide a few screenshots of what you see, so that we can further assist?

@JohnnyMx2, what I can suggest, as the next step is to create a separate user profile on your computer, so that we can exclude any interference from third-party apps. Let me know if you can try this.

Yes

I already tried separate user profiles and same result.

I see, thanks for clarifying that for us @mitgeek

In this case, may we reach out via email to have a further look internally at this point?

Exact same problem here. Employer forced us to update to windows 11. Now can't use Dropbox. Connecting stage stuck as above. Tried reinstall.

Megan

Hey @aalves, let's jump right into this!

Would you mind clarifying the version of the Dropbox app that you're using?

Have you also checked the firewall and proxies on your machine, using the steps mentioned above in this thread?

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

Hi Megan,

Still me with same issue, keep without connecting and sync my files.

I have been forced to used my backup laptop to work on those dropbox files, this one I denied the Win11 update, but is not very practical because I cannot have my files sync in all my computers that use for work. Do you have any advance on this? no communication with Windows on this?

reinstalled twice. the version on the installer is 214.4.5217 and it is the current one on the website. the app won't open (perpetual "connecting" as the other users have experienced), so i can't confirm the version aside from what it says on the installer. the firewalls all have boxes clicked for dropbox. proxies set to auto. what else to try?

Hey @aalves - sorry to hear this persists for you. Do you happen to have security software installed on your computer? If so, could you temporarily disable them and let us know how it goes?

Apart from that, you could try another network too, if possible.

As for you @JohnnyMx2, could you please clarify if you were able to use the app normally on Windows Safe mode and approximately how many files you're trying to sync to your device?

Microsoft Defender only...as set by my employer with "Tamper protection" on. No other network here.

Hannah

Hey @aalves, a few hours ago a new version of the Dropbox app was released; can you update it on your computer to see if that helps?

No. Doesn't work. Now getting a "no internet connection" "your computer is currently offline. Please check your network settings." message from Dropbox. I have tried everything I can find online for this error too and it won't load. getting frustrated as I use Dropbox for work.

Doesn't help. I have tried everything I can find online. Getting a "no network connection" message now from Dropbox now. Still stuck in the "connecting" stage.

Hi from me too, @aalves. Just to clarify, did you have Microsoft Defender temporarily disabled and the issue still remained?

I too tried the new build version 215.4.7202 and get the similar response - trying to connect to internet perpetually.

Hey @mitgeek - sorry to hear this persists for you.

I can see that you're in direct communication with an expert from our team so I'd recommend getting back to them with this piece of information as they'd be better equipped to help further at this point.

aalves2

I was unable to disable due to org settings. I ended up reinstalling the whole operating system which was unfortunate but worked

I'm back. Reinstalling the operating system worked for a day but now I'm back to the same problem again. I need a permanent solution or I will have to cancel Dropbox. Perpetual "connecting." Can't use the app in Windows 11. What's the solution?

Hannah

Thanks for the update, @aalves.

At this point, I would suggest reaching out to our support team directly, because they have access to account specific info, which we don't here on the Community.

They'll be able to assist you further, but please share your ticket number with us, so we can keep an eye on it from our end as well.