This article is for Dropbox users on Windows or Linux. Learn more about sync icons on Dropbox for macOS.
Note: Linux users won’t see some icons as online-only functionality isn’t available on Linux.
There are two locations where sync icons appear:
- In the Dropbox folder on your computer
- In the notification center at the bottom right of your screen
The sync icons in the Dropbox folder
To see the sync status of a specific file or folder:
- Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer.
- Locate the file or folder you'd like to check.
- Note: You can use the search bar in the top right to find the file or folder.
- Look at the sync icon next to the file or folder.
The sync icons in the notification center
Below are the different Dropbox icons in your notification center (Windows). This is visible when the Dropbox desktop app is running on your computer. These icons show you the sync status of your entire Dropbox account, not just the status of one file or folder.
The icon color may vary.

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Fully synced
A solid black Dropbox icon with no other icon means the Dropbox files and folders on your computer are fully up to date. Any changes you made are reflected everywhere you use Dropbox.
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Sync in progress
A solid black circle with two white arrows going in a circle means that the Dropbox files and folders on your computer are in the process of updating. Any changes you made are updating everywhere you access your files in Dropbox.
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Syncing paused
A solid black circle with a white pause icon means that you paused syncing. Learn how to pause and resume file syncing in the Dropbox desktop app. Any changes you make to your Dropbox files and folders won’t update everywhere you access your files in Dropbox until you resume syncing.
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Not connected to internet
A gray Dropbox icon means that the Dropbox desktop app isn’t connected to the internet. This means that changes you make to the Dropbox files and folders on your computer won’t update everywhere you access your files in Dropbox until you’re connected to internet again. Learn why Dropbox might not be connecting and how to solve it.
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Unread notifications
A red circle with a white number on it has nothing to do with syncing. It means that you have unread Dropbox notifications. Learn about how to manage Dropbox notifications.
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Camera uploads in progress
A camera icon means that you have connected a camera or mobile device with a camera to your computer and your camera roll is being uploaded to Dropbox. Learn more about the camera uploads feature.
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You can also see the sync status of your entire Dropbox account in the bottom left of the Dropbox app window. To open the Dropbox app window, click the sync icon you see from the table above. If your files are fully synced, the text in the bottom left corner will say Your files are up to date. Find out what other sync statuses mean.
Note: Dropbox Backup users will see slightly different wording on some sync statuses.
If you’re looking for an icon that isn’t listed here, check this article on file and folder icons, symbols, and colors.
What does the gray “X” icon mean?
In File Explorer, a gray “X” icon can appear on a file or folder in your Dropbox folder. This is a Windows icon and not a Dropbox icon. It indicates that your file or folder may not be syncing with Dropbox. To fix this, try the steps in this article about fixing syncing issues in Dropbox. If that doesn’t fix it, contact Microsoft support.