How to download and install the Dropbox desktop app on your computer

Q: Why does the Dropbox desktop app for Mac require Keychain access?

Keychain is a password management system for Mac. Dropbox requires access to your Keychain to help verify your account and to provide another layer of security over the <a href="/content/dropbox/www/en-us/help/account-settings/view-preferences.html" target="_blank">Dropbox desktop app preferences</a>.<ul><li>To grant Keychain access to Dropbox, click Allow or Always Allow when prompted. Always Allow is recommended for seamless access.</li><li>Clicking Deny will result in a "Couldn't start Dropbox" error message. For security reasons, Dropbox will not start without access to your Keychain.</li></ul>

Q: What is the Dropbox Web Helper for macOS?

Dropbox Web Helper supports the Dropbox user interface on Mac computers. It only runs when the desktop app is running. Dropbox Web Helper is an independent process, so it may start and stop at different times than the desktop app. If you adjust your firewall or antivirus software for Dropbox, we recommend similar adjustments for Dropbox Web Helper.

Updated Mar 06, 2025

The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.

Note: This article explains how to download and install the Dropbox desktop app on a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.

To use the Dropbox desktop app on your computer, you need to download and install it.
- If you’re running Windows 10 in S mode, learn how to install Dropbox Lite.
If you‘d like to access Dropbox on your mobile device, learn how to download the Dropbox mobile app.
Dropbox doesn't support installation on network drives.

Looking to get Dropbox up and running? Start by downloading, then installing the Dropbox desktop app. Once it's installed on your computer, you can access Dropbox from the icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) or the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

Any changes you make to your files in the Dropbox desktop app are automatically synced everywhere you access your files in Dropbox, including your account on dropbox.com.

Learn more about how Dropbox syncs your files.

How to install the Dropbox desktop app for Mac, Windows, or Linux

Download and install the Dropbox desktop app on a Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.
Follow the prompts to log in or create a new account.
Follow the prompts to sync files between your computer and your Dropbox account.

You can access Dropbox from the icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) or the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

How to install the desktop app with admin privileges

The Dropbox desktop app requires admin privileges to run with full functionality on your computer. This enables multiple different core features of Dropbox, including:

Sync icons that show the sync status of files and folders
Right-click context menus for taking quick actions in Dropbox

For most users, the desktop app is automatically installed with admin privileges. However, if you didn't install with admin privileges, you can follow the instructions below to do so.

Note: If you don't have admin rights on your computer (for example, if you're using a work computer), you may need to ask your IT department for help.

Install the Dropbox desktop app with admin privileges

If you already have Dropbox installed, uninstall the application.
Download the Dropbox desktop app.
Open the installer.
- Do not right-click or command-click Run as an Administrator.
Follow the instructions in the installation wizard.
- If you’re asked for an administrative username and password, enter them or contact your administrator to log in.
- If you’re not asked for an administrative username and password, you’re already an admin on your computer.
Complete the installation and log in to Dropbox.