How to Set up and Use Dropbox on Windows 11

Dropbox is one of the oldest and very reliable cloud storage platforms. Launched back in 2008, it has been offering one of the most user-friendly GUI along with the pay-as-you-use subscription.

With the increased penetration of the internet and our inclination towards convenience, cloud storage has completely eradicated the need to carry physical portable storage devices.

If you are someone who needs to send or receive data to people around you frequently or do not always carry your personal computer while traveling, Dropbox can do wonders for you by storing your files securely over the cloud available just a click away.

Though you can use Dropbox directly from the website as well, you can use features such as automatic sync on specific folders, notifications when others update a shared document only when you have the standalone app for Dropbox.

Download and Install Dropbox on your Windows 11 PC

Downloading and installing Dropbox is a very straightforward process and hardly requires any effort from your side. Moreover, you can either choose to download the standalone app from its official website, or you can also download the Dropbox app from the Microsoft Store as well.

First, to download the standalone app of Dropbox, head to its official website www.dropbox.com/install using your preferred browsers and click on the ‘Download Dropbox’ button present on the webpage.

Once the dropbox has been downloaded, head to your default downloads directory and double-click on the DropboxInstaller.exe to launch the installer.

Dropbox installer will now start downloading and installing the app onto your PC. Wait till the process is completed. Once the app is done installing it will open a separate window on your screen.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to go through this much hassle, you can also download Dropbox from the Microsoft Store.

To do so, head to the Microsoft Store either from the pinned apps on your Start Menu or just simply search for it from the flyout.

Next, on the Microsoft Store window, type Dropbox in the search bar and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Finally, click on the ‘Get’ button to download and install Dropbox on your Windows 11 PC.

Next, from the opened window, either log in to your Dropbox account if you already have one. Otherwise, sign up for a new one by clicking on the ‘Sign up’ button.

Once you have successfully logged in, you will receive a message of installation completed on your PC. Click on the ‘Next’ button to proceed ahead. In case you wish to change the default Dropbox directory for file syncing, click on the ‘Advanced settings’ button and browse the directory using the file explorer.

On the next screen, you will need to choose if you wish to keep all your files strictly on the cloud or you wish to have an offline copy as well. Click on the ‘Make files local’ tile to keep an offline copy, else, click on the ‘Make files online-only’ tile to keep them only on the cloud. Then, click on the ‘Continue with Basic/Plus’ button to proceed ahead.

After that, you will need to choose folders on your system you wish to sync, some will be pre-selected. To add more directories, click on the ‘Add folders’ option. To remove any of the pre-selected ones, click on the checkbox preceding each option. Once you have your folder preferences ready, click on the ‘Set up’ button on the window to continue.

Alternatively, if you do not wish to set any folders as of now to sync, click on the ‘Not now’ button present in the bottom right section of the window.

If you choose to not set up syncing directories, you will receive a prompt on your screen. Read it carefully, and click on the ‘Continue to Dropbox’ button present on the prompt to continue.

And that’s it the Dropbox is not installed on your Windows 11 PC. You will also see a Dropbox folder shortcut created on your desktop after successful installation.

Using Dropbox on Windows 11

After you have installed Dropbox on your system, you will have files to share, folders to sync, and a whole lot of preferences to set. The tips mentioned below will definitely help you use Dropbox efficiently.

Accessing Dropbox Directory

To quickly access your Dropbox directory, click on the chevron present in the right section of the taskbar to reveal the hidden icons. Then, click on the ‘Dropbox’ icon. This will bring up a pop-menu on your screen.

From the pop-up window, click on the ‘folder’ icon situated in the top right corner. This will open the Dropbox folder on your screen. Moreover, since the taskbar is always accessible on every screen of Windows, you can always use this method to quickly head to the Dropbox directory.

Sharing a File/Folder from Dropbox

To quickly share a folder/file from Dropbox, click on the chevron present on the taskbar to reveal hidden icons, then click on the ‘Dropbox’ icon. This will bring up a pop-up window on your screen.

Next, make sure the ‘Activity’ tab is selected to see all your recently added files and folders. Then, hover over the file/folder you wish to save to reveal quick actions. Once revealed, click on the ‘share’ icon. This will open a separate window on your screen.

Then, enter the name of a contact, a pre-existing group name, or the email address of the person you wish to share the file with. Next, click on the drop-down menu beside the address field and choose the appropriate permission for the file by clicking on it.

Alternatively, you can also share a link by clicking on the ‘Copy link’ button. To adjust permissions for the link, click on the ‘Link settings’ button.

Checking Dropbox Sync History

To get a quick glance at the sync history, click on the Dropbox icon from the hidden icons section of the taskbar. This will open a pop-up window on your screen.

Now, click on the ‘Sync history’ tab from the window where you will be able to see all the recently synced files and folders to Dropbox.

Since you will be pilling up your Dropbox folder with more and more files and when you need a file urgently, scrolling through heaps of files and folders is definitely not recommended.

Searching in Dropbox

To search for a file in Dropbox, click on the Dropbox icon present in the hidden icons section on the taskbar.

Then, from the pop-up window, click on the ‘search’ icon located in the topmost section.

Now, enter a file name or a part of it in the search box to commence the search. You shall see all the matching results in the window. You can then hover over your desired file/folder and perform quick actions right from there.

Following this simple guide, you can quickly install and use Dropbox to make your file sharing and receiving much easier. Moreover, all your collaborative documents also have a single place where you can access them from.