Files have a brown box on their icon and dont open in Windows 11

Just happened to me too and I realized my wifi was off, so the PC couldn't access my Dropbox. Once I put my wifi on the little brown boxes disappeared and I could open all my files again. Hope that helps you!

I also found this to be the problem. I think my Antivirus system (I use AVG) had stopped Dropbox. Anyway, whatever the cause, Dropbox was stopped and (almost) every file had a brown box on its icon. I started Dropx again through searching for the app and opening it. About 2000 files then updated and all the brown box icons have disappeared.

(replying to orig so people don't have to scroll)

1. Open File Explorer (easiest way is to hit the Windows {4 squares} button then type "File Explorer")
2. In the left pane, right click on your OneDrive (in my case, it's named "MyName - personal")
3. Scroll down to and click on "more options"
4. Click on "Always keep on this device"

It'll take a minute or two to update all your files.

I'm sure there are better ways to make these files accessible without actually keeping them on the device, but I don't know how.

What is going on here? There is no information anywhere so it obviously isnt a problem for everyone.

Most of my files stored on Dropbox now have a small brown file box icon on the lower left corner of the main icon for all MS Office files. They open perfectly well on the phone and a laptop running Windows 10 but not on my laptop running Windows 11.

I get an error message saying the program cant open it because the file is unsupported or may be corrupt.

Why the **** do they release an OS that doesn't work with their own programs??

Please help,

Thanks

In case anyone is still grappling with this issue and it is not connected with Dropbox use, I found Microsoft's guidance about syncing one drive troubleshooting helpful. I didn't have any sync stat column in file explorer (windows 11) and had the brown box icon on all my files, so had no idea what to do. But when I unlinked my one drive with my computer and then relinked it, it solved all of this and I at last had a sync status column and could choose my usual options. Hope this is helpful for someone?

Thanks very much. I tried unlinking one drive then relinked it and those brown boxes were gone.