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Forum Discussion
How Do I Use Dropbox on Windows 11 with a local User account?
When I set up my Windows 11 computer, it created an Administrator Account (called "Owner"). I put the Dropbox folder directly under the C drive instead of under C:/Users/Owner so that it would be accessible to all users on the computer. I just created a local standard account (called "MyUser") that I sign into separately. When I opened the Dropbox app on my standard account, it asked me to sign in. It created another Dropbox folder under C:\Users\MyUser, which will put two redundant folders on my computer. When I try to move the Dropbox folder location under Preferences/Sync, Windows asks me to sign into the folder but then Dropbox says that it cannot create a folder at that location. So - two questions: (1) how do I use my existing Dropbox installation on this computer without creating a redundant folder, and (2) how do I undo what Dropbox just set up on my account? Do I need quit Dropbox and delete the entire Windows user account?
I suspect the answer is to NOT open the Dropbox app on my standard account, but instead to open the folder that was already created on the administrator account, and to edit and save in that folder. If that's the case, I just need to know how to undo or uninstall the app/folder that was created on my standard account (I suspect I just have to delete my Windows user account and start over, but it would be nice to have an easier solution).
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi BuzzLS, thanks for messaging the Community!
You can remove the new Dropbox folder created in the local account by signing out of the Dropbox desktop application in that profile. You can then delete the Dropbox folder in the User/MyUser folder without it affecting the other Dropbox folder in Owner.
Regarding your first question, it isn't possible to have two separate Dropbox apps on the same machine connected to the same Dropbox folder on the computer.
You might be able to access the admin Dropbox folder normally from Explorer in the local account, and add/edit/delete files there, but no files can sync until you sign into the administrator account itself, since that is where the Dropbox app is connected to the folder.
If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.
Also: Dropbox was set to automatically start when I sign into my standard account. After Dropbox started, I set it to not start up automatically and then quit the app again. When I signed in as an Administrator, Dropbox started on that account as usual. So, it looks like on a Windows 11 standard user sign-in, you just access the folder without opening the app. Also, I needed to move the folder out of my Administrator user folder (e.g., C:\User\Owner\My Dropbox) and move My Dropbox directly under my C drive. Otherwise, I cannot access the folder while signed in as a standard user.
- Jay
Okay, so just for clarification, you want to be able to access the Dropbox folder while on a standard account.
Are you looking to instead remove the Dropbox folder from the administrator account (and sign out of the account there), and then use the standard profile alone to use the app and that Dropbox folder there like normal?
