Dropbox Linux desktop app: an overview
The information in this article applies to Dropbox customers on the Linux operating system.
Important note: The Dropbox desktop app for Linux is changing. To continue enjoying the full desktop experience on Linux, you may need to update your system or download additional libraries.
With the Dropbox desktop app for Linux, you can save, view, share, and access files and folders stored in your Dropbox account from your computer.
How to get Dropbox desktop app on Linux
To run the Dropbox app on Linux, you’ll need to:
To get the full Dropbox desktop experience on Linux, including the Dropbox icon in the system tray, you’ll need to meet additional requirements and you may need to install additional libraries.
Supported Linux distributions
To get the full desktop app experience on Linux, you’ll need one of the following:
- Ubuntu 64-bit: 18.04 or later
- Fedora 64-bit: 28 or later
Note: The Dropbox desktop app isn’t officially supported on other Linux distributions, but it may work if they meet the necessary Dropbox system requirements for Linux.
Supported desktop environments
The Dropbox tray icon needs a desktop environment that supports AppIndicator, which desktop apps use to display icons in the system tray. Not all desktop environments support AppIndicator natively.
To determine your desktop environment:
- Open your Terminal application.
- Copy and paste the following command into Terminal, then press Enter:
$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOPThe terminal will display the name of your current desktop environment.
The following desktop environments generally support AppIndicator:
- Unity
- KDE Plasma
The following desktop environments need additional libraries or extensions to support AppIndicator:
- GNOME environments generally require installation of the AppIndicator extension.
- XFCE supports AppIndicators via xfce4-indicator-plugin, which may be preinstalled in your distribution.
- MATE has native indicator support, especially in Ubuntu MATE. For Linux Mint (MATE), you’ll need to install the Ayatana Indicators.
Notes:
- Other desktop environments like LXDE don’t support AppIndicator natively or through extensions, and can’t be supported. You’ll need a different desktop environment to get the full Dropbox desktop app experience.
- Linux distributions can vary.
To install Ayatana Indicators for Linux Mint (MATE)
To install Ayatana Indicators:
- Open your Terminal application.
- Copy and paste the following command into Terminal, then press Enter:
sudo apt install ayatana-indicator-application- Restart your machine.
- Right-click on the MATE panel, then click Add to Panel.
- Enter Indicator Applet Complete in the box beside Find an item to add to the panel.
- Select Indicator Applet Complete when it appears, then click Add.
The Dropbox icon should now appear in the added applet.
Required software libraries
You’ll also need all of the following software libraries to run the app:
- GTK 2.24 or later
- Glib 2.40 or later
- Libappindicator 12.10 or later
To install LibAppIndicator on Linux
Dropbox uses an external library called LibAppIndicator to interact with AppIndicator. For the full Dropbox experience, you’ll need to install this library:
Fedora
- Open your Terminal application.
- Copy and paste the following command into Terminal, then press Enter:
sudo dnf install libappindicator-gtk3Debian or Ubuntu
- Open your Terminal application.
- Copy and paste the following command into Terminal, then press Enter:
sudo apt install libappindicator3-1FAQs
Why has my Dropbox app for Linux stopped working?
The Dropbox app for Linux was recently updated. As a result, some Linux users need to meet additional requirements or download additional libraries to continue using the app in the same way as before. If you’re having issues, check you’re running the latest version of the app, review the requirements in this article, then update your computer if necessary.
Can I run the Dropbox app for Linux if I don’t meet all of the requirements?
If your device doesn’t meet the operating system requirements, you may still be able to use the Dropbox desktop application, but results may vary.
The Dropbox app can also run in headless mode, once you meet the essential system requirements. This runs without a graphical user interface. You can install the app, then control Dropbox using the Linux Command Line Interface (CLI).
What Linux commands are available on Dropbox?
The Dropbox desktop app can be controlled with the Linux Command Line Interface (CLI). Before running commands, ensure that you’re running the available commands while your prompt is located at the root (top level) of the Dropbox folder. Learn more about available Linux commands on Dropbox.
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