How to find the Dropbox icon in your taskbar or menu bar

Updated Oct 06, 2025

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The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.

The Dropbox desktop app includes a Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) menu bar (macOS), or system tray (Linux).

The Dropbox icon in your taskbar or menu bar is a shortcut to jump back into your work, right from your desktop. It gives you easy access to:

If your files are fully synced, this will look like a solid black Dropbox icon with no other icons. If you have unread notifications, this icon will feature a red circle with a white number in it. Learn more about sync icons in the Dropbox desktop app for Windows and Linux or macOS.

The taskbar is at the bottom-right of your screen, if you haven’t changed the default settings. It’s beside the date and time.

 

Click the Dropbox icon to access the Dropbox desktop application menu. After you click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar, you can access and manage your Dropbox settings by clicking your profile picture (avatar or initials) in the bottom-left corner.

The menu bar is at the top-right of your screen.

 

Click the Dropbox icon to access the Dropbox desktop application menu. After you click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar, you can access and manage your Dropbox settings by clicking your profile picture (avatar or initials) in the bottom-left corner.

The location of your taskbar depends on your Linux installation. The system tray in Ubuntu, for example, appears at the top of the screen and looks like this.

 

Click the Dropbox icon to access the Dropbox desktop application menu. After you click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar, you can access and manage your Dropbox settings by clicking your profile picture (avatar or initials) in the bottom-left corner.

 

Learn more about the system requirements for the Dropbox app for Linux, and how to install it.

taskbar-linux

I don't see the Dropbox icon in my taskbar or menu bar — what can I do?

The Dropbox icon will only appear in your taskbar or menu bar if the Dropbox desktop app is downloaded to your computer and running. Occasionally, the Dropbox icon will seem to disappear, because the desktop app is inactive on your computer, or you have too many apps open.

If you don't see the Dropbox icon in the Windows taskbar, it could be automatically hidden by the operating system. To show all taskbar icons, click the small arrow near the date and time.

If you’re still having trouble seeing the Dropbox icon in your taskbar, relaunch the Dropbox desktoo app or download (or re-download) it and log in to your Dropbox account when prompted.

If you don't see the Dropbox icon in the macOS menu bar, it might be hidden. When the menu bar gets crowded, macOS may hide some icons. To prevent this from happening, you can pin the Dropbox icon in your menu bar so that it stays always visible. To find and pin the Dropbox icon:

  1. Temporarily remove other icons in your menu bar by quitting those apps.
  2. When you see the Dropbox icon, press and hold command.
  3. Drag and drop the Dropbox icon to the right side of the menu bar. When the icon is in that position, it’s less likely to be hidden when many apps are open. Learn how to rearrange the menu bar.

If you’re still having trouble seeing the Dropbox icon in your menu bar, relaunch the Dropbox desktoo app or download (or re-download) it and log in to your Dropbox account when prompted.

The Dropbox app for Linux was recently updated. Some Linux users may 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 seeing the icon in your taskbar on Linux, check you’re running the latest version of the app, review the latest system requirements, then update your computer if necessary.
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