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Forum Discussion
Stop creating a file (.dropbox.device) on every device I connect to my pc!
Simple solution had at least an option in the settings to disable this feature.
I red a lot of messages in this community going back over a year now... and I understand why it's being created to help your software with notification... but I am sure their is a better way of doing this without writing an unwanted file on every external device.
Hi! Have you found any solution?
I connect a lot of usb's that are not mine, I must avoid this files from being created (I had to turn off load on startup and close dropbox each time I use an usb, otherwise I can't delete them, but the bad part is that now most of times my dropbox files are not updated because sometimes I forget to open it again...).
I don't either use dropbox backup, I have automatic reprodution off, and there isn't a way to disable camera uploads...
I'm seeking for an application that blocks every dropbox access to all drives (but the one installed in), but it would be better a not-so-intrusive work in dropbox app and being able to disable camera upload / usb files creation...
Hi Montecristo. Sadly, as you can see from the replies from Dropbox staff earlier in this thread, they either don't understand what we're after, or they don't care. We're left to our own devices. I've given up and decided to start getting used to seeing these useless files, cursing the incompetent staff each time, and I stopped recommending Dropbox as a solution for my clients, referencing their despicable customer service. If you find a third-party fix for this, please post it here.
This is ridiculous! Stop littering my (and other people's) drives! Disabling the attached option does not help. Any solutions?
I agree!
This is totally unacceptable, why the HELL does dropbox need to add it's files to devices??? Please stop this. Dropbox should use the "My Dropbox" folder and it's internal Programs locations and nothing else.
here is the screenshot, I inserted a USB stick today 24/02/2022 and dropbox app created that .dropbox.device file:
And I have the option to ask about backing up devices UNCHECKED.
please stop this behaviour
Serious Bug Issue Feb 2022 with dropbox windows client creates .dropbox.device in all USB devices it does not follow or honor any windows 11 settings. Admins please inform the developer of windows exe to have a proper test with windows and to check for bugs to not create .dropbox.device file in all drives connected via usb
The setting to disable this does not work properly on dropbox windows 11 client. Autoplay in windows is disabled / still this file gets created in usbs
sample issues raised before with no proper solutions
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-files-folders/What-is-dropbox-device/td-p/532122
have you tested the usecase before replying ? The setting to disable this is not working. Please don't jump the gun
I had a faulty USB stick and dropbox crashed while trying to write to it. Dropbox first writes a file named Test in it to and then a .dropbox.device. PLEASE DROPBOX STOP THIS!! IT IS ANNOYING MORE THAN USEFUL!!!
After getting frustrated for several months, I finally decided to just stop DropBox from loading automatically. Now I load it when I want, and immediately remove it when I am done.
Thanks whichever stupid DropBox developers introduced this crap for limiting how much I use your product. I am sure that over time, more and more users will use your product less and less thanks to bad product design decisions.
I don't want to disable AutoPlay, I want just Explorer to pop up when I insert a USB stick. I don't want to disable Camera Uploads in Dropbox. I've stopped recommending Dropbox for this very reason. Please fix it. You don't need support ticket for this. All the info and the context of the problem is in here and it's not a 1 person's issue to need support ticket. Show this to the devs or whoever took the smart decision to create the temp files on every usb stick/camera/phone plugged in on a Dropbox computer. This is Ridiculous!!!
Stop creating a file ( dropbox device) on every device I connect to my pc! , have an option in the settings to disable this feature.
Stop creating a file ( dropbox device) on every device I connect to my pc! , have an option in the settings to disable this feature.
Oh yeah!!! It's done!
I'm checked - the file is really not created on removable devices.
Thank you for listening us and fix the incorrect behavior of the program.
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey bob99, thanks for reaching out to our Community and happy Monday!
Would you mind sending me a screenshot of this file as it appears on a connected device?
Also, have you maybe enabled our camera uploads feature on your Dropbox desktop app?
Thanks!I have the same question. And I think you can move forward with replying to us without asking for a screenshot. You work for Dropbox! How about asking the person next to you? Or do a Google search, or just plug an external drive to a Windows PC with the Dropbox client installed. Don't ask the end user for more information that can so easily be obtained at your own fingertips.
- JayHi everyone, if you're plugging in an external drive to your computer, if you choose not to back it up to Dropbox, then to prevent the app from prompting about the same drive in the future, the dropbox.device file is created there. This isn't locally stored in the Dropbox desktop application.
If you delete the file, then the app will again prompt if you want to back it up, each time it is deleted.
Here are two screenshot:
Can't seem to find camera upload...
Please tell me how stopped creation of these files on all devices connected to the PC? This is terrible! Files are created, including on client devices, which we connect to our PCs and we receive indignation from them as well!
Identify devices by VolumeID and store settings locally. Why write them to devices? Moreover, for example, for me, any synchronization and import of photos for ALL devices is turned off. What additional files can there be in this case, if the Dropbox should not import anything from anywhere?
I use Dropbox for my business on my Windows PC. I repair tech and computers and I plug devices into my computer all the time. I'm trying to transfer my customer's data to a 1TB USB drive. A while after I plug it in I see a ".dropbox.device" file created on my customer's USB drive.
There's no option in Dropbox (Backups->Camera Upload) or online to disable ALL camera uploads. Just "Photos Only" and "Photos and Videos". I also tried changing my AutoPlay in Windows 10 since there's a link in Settings, and that didn't work either. I delete the file, eject the drive, then reinsert the drive and it gets created again!
Sometimes I do NOT WANT ANY FILE TO BE WRITTEN TO A DRIVE at all! If these drives had a write protect switch, I would use it, but they don't.
How can I make Dropbox stop writing to my external drives without having to close Dropbox while I work, then run Dropbox when I'm done?
