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

Updated Sep 14, 2023

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.

If you don't see the Dropbox icon, it could be automatically hidden by Windows. Click the small white arrow to show all taskbar icons.

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 top-right 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 top-right 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.

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

I don't see the Dropbox icon in my taskbar or menu bar — did it disappear?

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.

To resolve this, relaunch the application or download (or re-download) the Dropbox desktop app 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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