How can I start the actual dropbox app in Windows 10 / not launching

That solved the problem. Holding CTRL allowed me to pull up the preferences menu, which I was then able to change to setup the Dropbox App. Thank you so much Elixir 

I have the same problem but this solution doesn't work for me. I have done an advanced reinstall (How to run an advanced reinstall of Dropbox | Dropbox Help), although some of the registry items did not appear. Installation also did not create a taskbar icon. When I add the icon and click, or CTRL-Click it, it  still opens the folder. Right clicking only shows "Dropbox" and "Uninstall" but clicking or CTRL-Clicking that also opens the folder.

(The reason I tried the reinstall was that I don't have a Masters degree in computing and so could not make any sense at all of the response I got to ticket #14152215. That ticket is closed now, however I've been in hospital following a very serious accident and so could not reply to it.) 

Hi swimlaps, how are you today?

When you check near your WiFi and date and time icon, are you able to see this icon next to them?  

Is it possible that it's hidden or collapsed on your task bar? 

Let me know more! 

Hold that last thought!. I've just restarted again and now the icon has appeared.

I have just been having the exact same problem. Glad it isn't just me. But I've reinstalled, made sure it's up to date, run it as an administrator, and tried right-clicking everything! Right-clicking got me a bit further to a little selection of Open, Properties, Run as administrator, Pin to Start etc. but I still haven't managed to get into the app preferences menu. Open still gives only the explorer view. 

Ctrl + Left Click on Dropbox System Tray Icon brings up the legacy Dropbox menu.  You should be able to access the preferences this way.

To see the desktop application.  Click Preferences... and in the General Tab, change the Open folder in: to Dropbox Desktop app

Other related problem:

Is anyone else getting a weird red square on their dropbox system tray icon?  I tried the advanced reinstall and still can't get the red square to go away.  I do not see any notifications within the Dropbox desktop application.  When I Ctrl + Left Click on the Dropbox system tray icon and snooze notifications and then turn the notifications back on, I get a windows system notification saying there are two new notifications, but I cannot locate them.

I am a new Dropbox user and have the same problem as OP on my Win 10 PC.  Latest version of Dropbox app installed, but I cannot launch the actual Dropbox app -- only Windows File Explorer appears with Dropbox directory and folders.  I have tried suggestions above, e.g. left and right Cntrl-click on icons in the Start Menu, Task Bar, etc. but consistently only launch the Explorer.   Thus, I cannot see my avatar to view settings to address another problem (some folders show up in my online Dropbox account view, but are no longer visible on the Win Explorer view).  Am only trying to copy some large folders to the Dropbox cloud for backup purposes, but not save them on my PC's User Dropbox folder.

Any guidance would be very much appreciated!  Thank you. 

Thanks, Megan!  I had overlooked that icon, and it opened a box from which I can: 1) search 2) open DP folder (Explorer) or 3) open an MS Edge browser and view dropbox.com.  The home view on 3) now shows all the files, and lets me manage them.  But the "app" is still mysteriously not opening.  At least for the moment, that seems like a major improvement.

Hey swimlaps, sorry to jump in, but could you send us a screenshot of the options you get when you click on the icon Megan mentioned?

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swimlaps wrote:

... it opened a box from which I can: 1) search 2) open DP folder (Explorer) or 3) open an MS Edge browser and view dropbox.com. ... But the "app" is still mysteriously not opening.

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The window you're seeing IS the Dropbox application. It's the app that controls syncing, shows your sync history and recent activity, and allows you to access Dropbox Preferences. Is there something specific that you're looking for and not finding?