Windows 11 Upgrade and cannot get Dropbox to work properly

[ajborson]

I recently upgraded my PC desktop to Windows 11.  Dropbox worked perfectly in Windows 10, and when I upgraded my laptop to 11, it was seamless.   On the desktop, I can access Dropbox through the web, but updated files from my other computers do not show up as updated when I load them into their usual application on the desktop! (for example, I can "see" an updated Excel file in the Dropbox viewer, but when I try to open it up in Excel, I only get an older file.)  I think the Dropbox app is not loaded in Windows 11, but when I attempt to install the download (both the regular and the extended), I get an error message that the files needed cannot be accessed.  Is this the problem?  If so, how do I fix it?  The Microsoft Store only has something called Dropbox for S Mode (I don't have S Mode, as far as I know).  Should I use that?  This is both confusing and frustrating.  Help!

[Megan]

Hi @ajborson, I'd be happy to help with that! 

So, the first thing you want to do is make sure that you see the updated version of the files online on our website. 

Is that the case? 

As for your Windows device, can you check your syncing status and the version that you have installed there? 

Lastly, since you mentioned Dropbox for S Mode, you should be able to use that if your device is running in S mode.

However, keep in mind that it's similar to our mobile app, since you can't have a local Dropbox folder with your files there. 

Keep me posted with the results, and we'll take it from there.

[ajborson]

Hi Megan,

The updated files do show up when I look on the Dropbox website.  

I suspect there's an issue with the Dropbox app.  It is in the list of apps I can get to through the Start menu, but when I click on it, nothing happens.  There's no icon for Dropbox on the Taskbar or in the Hidden Icons cluster.

I tried (several times) to download and install the Dropbox app from the Dropbox website.  The download seemed to go properly, and it started to install, but then stopped, and I got an error message to the effect that the installer could not open the proper files.  

What do you suggest trying next?

[ajborson]

I downloaded Dropbox for S App again, and opened it.  The up-to-date files are there, much like on the Dropbox website, but when I try to open a file (for example an Excel file, using Excel), it's empty.  If I look for the file through Excel, it's not the up-to-date file.  This isn't the answer...

[Jay]

Hi @ajborson, are you able to download and install the full Dropbox desktop application from this link?

[ajborson]

Yes.  I can open the web-based Dropbox, and it's up-to-date.  The problem occurs when I try to either access a Dropbox file from one of my Office applications (Excel, Word), or open a file from the web-based Dropbox into the Office application (in which case it does not load up, or I get the non-updated file from before I upgraded to Windows 11).

[Jay]

The link I provided should give you the download to install the Dropbox desktop application. 

Have you disabled installations from outside the Microsoft store?

[ajborson]

I haven't purposefully done anything about downloads, so it's whatever the default is.  

The Dropbox app does download, but it's when I try to install it that it fails.  Thoughts?

[Megan]

Hey @ajborson, could you send us the error you get when trying to open the files on your end? 

Also, in order for you to install our full Dropbox desktop app, you'd need to follow Microsoft's steps, in order to get out of the S mode on Windows 11. 

[ajborson]

The error message is:  "Unable to extract the activation files.  See the link below for instructions to perform an advanced reinstall."  

This is the link:  Dropbox installer failed to start | Dropbox Help

Most of the suggestions don't seem to apply to my situation (as everything worked fine until I upgraded to Windows 11 on my desktop).

I am running anti-virus software (Webroot) that does not block installs without giving me the option to over-ride it, so I don't think that's an issue.  

The link you sent me for getting out of S mode applied to Windows 10, not Windows 11, and I could not make sense of how to apply them to what I saw in my now Windows 11.  If you think this really might be the issue, can you provide any instructions about what to do?