Dropbox desktop app changes without warning

[Destinydecade]

Greetings. I am Destinydecade and I am here to state that today my Dropbox app on the desktop changed without warning. Before I would click on it and boom, Dropbox works. But when I click on it now, it just a shortcut to the Dropbox folder. What gives? Why make the change? This is freaking me out and I worry that something happened to my laptop. Can you guys revert it back please? Not that it would matter because I would just go to start, type Dropbox and it would work. I even tried to uninstall it then reinstall and then boom it didnt work. What gives?

[Walter]

Hey @Destinydecade, thanks for joining our Community and happy Monday!

It sounds like you may have updated to the latest version of the desktop app  which begins to roll out the change to have Desktop shortcut point directly to Dropbox folder on Windows. 

If that's the case indeed, can you clarify if you're having an issue accessing the desktop app or your Dropbox folder on your computer?

Keep us posted! 

[WIButterfly]

I have had a Dropbox startup icon on my Windows 10 desktop for quite a long time. Today I noticed the shortcut icon is a shortcut folder. If I click on the shortcut, the Dropbox folder opens. I want the shortcut to actually start the program and sync like it always used to do. To try to identify what changed, I deleted the shortcut from my desktop. I then went to Start, expanded the Dropbox folder, left clicked and dragged the Dropbox icon to my desktop. If I double click on the shortcut that is now on my desktop, the Dropbox program runs and starts to update any changes I made like it used to do. I select Quit when it's done. This is how Dropbox has performed for as long as I can remember.

If I click on the icon on my desktop again, the Dropbox icon has changed to a folder icon. If I double click on it, it now opens the Dropbox folder tree instead. It does not start the actual program. What changed and how do I get it back to the way it used to be?

[Rich]

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@WIButterfly wrote:

I have had a Dropbox startup icon on my Windows 10 desktop for quite a long time. Today I noticed the shortcut icon is a shortcut folder. If I click on the shortcut, the Dropbox folder opens.

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Nothing has changed. The icon serves two purposes. If Dropbox isn't running, clicking the icon will run the application so your files can sync. If the application is already running, clicking the icon will open the Dropbox folder.

If the application is already running, you'll see a Dropbox icon in your system tray (near your clock).

[WIButterfly]

That makes sense. This morning I did make a change on my android phone to back up my contacts to Dropbox. I assume that is what is causing the issue as Dropbox is probably running on my phone. I went into my phone settings and stopped all backups to Dropbox and restarted my phone. I went to Dropbox.com to see if my phone was listed as a device and it is not. My laptop (which has not been turned on in over a month) and my desktop are the only 2 devices listed. I also uninstalled Dropbox and re-installed it again on my desktop. I still have the same issue. Where else could Dropbox be running?

[WIButterfly]

After an extensive chat with Dropbox support, it was verified that my Dropbox is working properly and the icon is what had the issue. Instead of creating an icon on my desktop, I decided to pin the Dropbox icon to my taskbar where it is performing properly.

[gfnov]

How can you conclude that this is working properly? For years, we’ve clicked on the Dropbox application shortcut we created on our desktops, and then suddenly, the shortcut disappears and is replaced by a shortcut to the Dropbox folder. Why on Earth would Dropbox developers force that upon users? Like, we don’t know when we want to open the folder, and when we want to start the application? They’ve decided that we are not allowed to have an application shortcut on our desktops because  . . . ? They’re insisting that if want a shortcut to the app, we need to give it a place on our already-crowded taskbars? I created this shortcut, not Dropbox. What presumption on their part to change my shortcut.  And how is it that they are even allowed to mess around with my desktop items anyway? (I guess I have to blame Microsoft for allowing that.) I think this behavior is unwarranted and disgraceful.

[gfnov]

 I have found three discussions about this same issue, so I’m not sure which one to reply to, but none of the answers make any sense. For years, we’ve clicked on the Dropbox application shortcut we created on our desktops, and then suddenly, the application shortcut disappears and is replaced by a shortcut to the Dropbox folder. Why on Earth would Dropbox developers force that upon users? Like, we don’t know when we want to open the folder, and when we want to start the application? They’ve decided that we are not allowed to have an application shortcut on our desktops because  . . . ? They’re insisting that if want a shortcut to the app, we need to give it a place on our already-crowded taskbars? I created this shortcut, not Dropbox. What presumption on their part to change my shortcut.  And how is it that they are even allowed to mess around with my desktop items anyway? (I guess I have to blame Microsoft for allowing that.)

[WIButterfly]

gfnov: Are you having the same problem? If so, that means that Dropbox must have done a recent update and everyone that uses a self-created desktop shortcut to start Dropbox should be having the same issue. If that is the case, perhaps you should contact Dropbox as well and voice your concerns. I was given Ticket #22361427 if you would like to make reference to it.

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@WIButterfly wrote:

... everyone that uses a self-created desktop shortcut to start Dropbox should be having the same issue.

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If you create your own Desktop shortcut and name it "Dropbox", then it will be overwritten any time the Dropbox application is updated. It has always done this and I commented on it years ago (before the start of these forums). Name the shortcut "My Dropbox" or anything other than "Dropbox" and it won't be replaced.