Can't open preference on Dropbox windows app

[meerkat]

I am not able to open the actual Dropbox app on my Windows 10 machine. As I gather, the only way to do it is by clicking on the system tray icon. The problem is that the system tray icon doesn't prompt with any menu of any sort on being clicked. It is so frustrating that such a critical functionality of the app is not working.

Double clicking on the system tray icon open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer.  

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@meerkat wrote:

The problem is that the system tray icon doesn't prompt with any menu of any sort on being clicked.

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Try a CTRL-left click to open the legacy menu. If that works, you might consider exiting the app and restarting it.

[meerkat]

Thank you so much! It worked. I don't know why this isn't documented where it might be easily accessible.
The single click still doesn't work.

[Henry85]

I followed your direction and it did not work.  Up came File Explorer, not legacy menu, with the (expected) listing of only items that were sent to me.  I do not want to store any Computer files or backups in Dropbox. I want to use it only to send and receive files. In and out but my decision only to save long term. I do not need to save the contents of my external backup drive in Dropbox.

[Rich]

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@Henry85 wrote:

I followed your direction and it did not work.  Up came File Explorer, not legacy menu ...

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You're double clicking, which opens your Dropbox folder in Explorer. It's just a single click while holding CTRL to access the legacy menu.

[Henry85]

Thank you for the advice but it did not work.
I uninstalled it and brought up a new installation from Google Chrome extensions and easy instructions. This gives total control and choices because it is a new install and up to date.

[johnsunruh]

Using Windows 11, I modified the registry and then Dropbox opened normally from the tray icon.

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

I modified the data  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Dropbox\Client\Dropbox.exe" /systemstartup by removing /systemstartup, then rebooted. Dropbox worked normally after that.

[Henry85]

Interesting, and thank you.
I have not yet made the transition to Windows 11, and I’m holding off for a while.
Is there any reason why this might not work for Windows 10 if I can identify the same key?
Thx

[Phil A.1]

This drove me nuts. Why is nothing simple on any Windows machine, everything is so **bleep** awkward and cumbersome.  I spent hours trying to find Dropbox Preferences on my Win 10 machine. Of all the computers in my business it's only the windows machine that give me grief. I despise them, and their designers. Anyway, trying to figure out Selective Synch eventually lead me here. The info here didn't help but I eventually figured it out.  So I thought I'd share my solution, and save you from wasting several hours of your life on what should be a very simple setting, but isn't because windows engineers are thick as bricks when it comes to creating anything remotely intuitive....😡

You will not find the Preferences where you think it should be...on the Dropbox folder on the file tree, Don't even bother trying to open the app through the Programs list.....no, the only way to get to the actual Dropbox desktop app is thought the teeny tiny up arrow next to the wifi symbol on the bottom right of the screen, then, buried 7 steps later, you'll find the actual Selective Sych option, proven in the attached series of photos.

......Well I was going to upload photos, but they turned out to be the wrong format and then after converting too big, so I gave up, considering I've spent way to much time on this. No wonder everyone here tries to explain everything without images. Images that would replace a thousand words....SO, for selective Synch....Just look for the stupid tiny up arrow next to your Wifi/Time on the lower right of the screen, click that and then click on the Dropbox logo, then your Account (Your Initials or picture), then Preferences, then Synch.

You're welcome...