You might see that the Dropbox Community team have been busy working on some major updates to the Community itself! So, here is some info on what’s changed, what’s staying the same and what you can expect from the Dropbox Community overall.
Forum Discussion
No Option to "Make Available Offline."
Honestly, this seemingly late "bringing to the forefront" (I guess you'd call it) of the whole "Online Only" vs. "Make Available Offline" thing has been more of a headache than a help, if I may offer...
Not sure if this is okay to share but in the interests of keeping everyone in this loop up to date...
Update: My Dropbox context menus are back. This solution works. Fingers crossed it stays that way!!
I have been exchanging emails with a very helpful Dropbox engineer and he has stepped me through a few options. Most didn't work. This latest one does, but it's a step back to a previous stable version of the app.
I was told that Dropbox are working on an updated version of the app that will bring back the context menus as they are aware of the problem. However, this may take a week or more. In the meantime, he suggested I roll back to an older version of the app that still works with the context menus on the latest version of Windows 11. You can find the download link to the install file here: https://www.dropbox.com/downloading?build=158.4.4564&plat=win&type=full&arch=x64
Now, a few things to note:
1. You do not need to uninstall the existing app. Just click and install this older version on top of it. It will override the existing version.2. Give it time. It takes a bit after the install to click online. Check that the older version of the app has "taken" by hovering over the Dropbox app icon and checking the app version. It should be 158.4.4564.
3. After the install is finished, Dropbox will sync and will re-index all your local files on your hard drive in the Dropbox folder. That will take a while, depending on how many files you have and how big the total storage space is. Be patient.
4. Your context menus will slowly come back online in Windows Explorer when you right-click as each file and folder finishes syncing and indexing. If you right-click and the Dropbox context menu isn't showing, it probably means it is still syncing and indexing. Again, be patient. Once that's finished, your context menus should be back for all your files and folders in Dropbox.
5. VERY IMPORTANT. You need to DISABLE the auto-update for Dropbox until the new stable version is installed (when it eventually comes out) and you stay on this version. 158.4.4564. To do that: open Task Manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL) and go to the PROCESSES tab. Scroll down to BACKGROUND PROCESSES and keep scrolling until you get to "Dropbox Update Service (32 bit)" and click on that to highlight it. Then right-click and select "End task." That will disable the auto-update TEMPORARILY.
NOTE: if you reboot your computer, the Dropbox auto-update task will enable again, so each time you reboot, you will need to disable the auto-update process. Just repeat STEP 5. There is no real way to turn it off permanently, and there's a whole Dropbox thread about it. If you want to read about it, it's here. https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/How-to-disable-DropBox-Update/td-p/199292 I wouldn't recommend it anyway because you do actually want the auto update to work, and it's part of Dropbox's policy. I wouldn't mess with it anymore permanently. If you are in contact with a Dropbox engineer via email as part of this issue, they will be able to turn it off for you on their end, but you have to ask.
Good luck.
Shout out to the Dropbox engineer helping me. He was super helpful and very responsive.
That is correct - I have no Dropbox menu. Dropbox is synced. There are no issues with syncing.
I just checked again after starting up today, and I still do not have a Dropbox context menu.
Version is current stable version: 159.4.5870
Walter
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffThanks for clarifying that for us mroman
Could you let us know if you have tried reinstalling the desktop app lately or have you recently updated your OS?
Do you happen to have any 3rd party apps running on your device? If so, you might want to take a look at this discussion too.
Let me know if the information from the discussion I linked above helps in your case at all langshipley
Yes, I updated to Windows 11. Immediately after that, the Dropbox context menu disappeared, so the update to Windows 11 seems to be the issue.
I have not reinstalled as it will take a very long time for all my files to resync.
Hi Walter, thanks for the link, but like mrroman, the update to the latest version of Windows 11 seems to have removed the Dropbox context menus from Windows Explorer. I HAVE tried reinstalling Dropbox and am on the latest version and that makes no difference. Reinstalling the Dropbox app does NOT bring back the context menus.
Thanks for letting me know. I suspected as much. I anticipated lots of work and time on my end, without a resolution in the end.
This is clearly a Dropbox issue - and a hope an update that reinstates the context menu comes out soon. I use the "Copy Dropbox link" several times a day. Also, the "View on Dropbox.com" link. To have to open a browser, go to Dropbox.com, and find the file there that I'm looking at in File Explorer just so I can share it with a team member -- just doesn't work.
Same. I use Dropbox as a work tool and share quite a few files and folders with team members and clients. Not being able to right-click in Windows Explorer is a pain.
- Is the Dropbox application "Up to date" and not still syncing?
YES - Are you running the latest version of the Dropbox application (current stable version is 159.4.5870)?
YES - Has everyone tried the steps in this thread?
YES
Tried everything. Literally. Still not working. But working fine on WIN10.
- Is the Dropbox application "Up to date" and not still syncing?
Yes, to all three questions that Hannah asked.
Yes to all three questions. I am seeing sync icons and have proof that Dropbox is, in fact, syncing properly. It's just the Dropbox context menu that is missing. Thank you for your help, Hannah.
- Walter
Hi all, thanks for all the additional information and clarifications you provided.
At this point, for anyone affected, would it be OK if we reach out via email to investigate a bit further?
same problem. It worked for a while, then the context menu disappeared.
My Dropbox: 160.3.4650 - Up to date
no other program in the context menu
thanks!
- Is the Dropbox application "Up to date" and not still syncing?
--> YES - Are you running the latest version of the Dropbox application (current stable version is 159.4.5870)?
--> YES - Has everyone tried the steps in this thread?
--> YES tried ALL of them
But I still have dropbox context issue. Alternatively I use web version but it is EXTREAMLY INCONVENIENT.
- Is the Dropbox application "Up to date" and not still syncing?
