Dropbox is a cloud storage and file hosting platform that offers similar basic functionalities and features as Google Drive. Dropbox offers a storage space of 2GB for a free plan and for further you have to purchase its premium. It allows you to synchronize/manage the files locally. You just have to interact with the Dropbox folder and copy/cut/paste data into it. The data will automatically be synchronized with your cloud storage.

Dropbox is available on all the most used platforms, including Ubuntu 22.04, and today we will guide you to install/access Dropbox on Ubuntu 22.04.

• How to Install Dropbox on Ubuntu 22.04
• Default Repositories | Nautilus-Dropbox Client
• Deb File | Nautilus and CLI Client
• Flatpak/Flathub
• Insync | Third-Party Dropbox Client
• How to Remove Dropbox Access From Ubuntu 22.04
• Bottom Line

How to Install Dropbox on Ubuntu 22.04

Dropbox cannot be installed directly as an application. However, you can install various Dropbox clients to get Dropbox support on your computer and keep synchronizing through the local folder/directory.

Let’s explore/learn about the top Dropbox clients for Ubuntu 22.04:

Default Repositories | Nautilus-Dropbox Client

Ubuntu 22.04’s default repositories contain a Dropbox plugin named nautilus-dropbox. This plugin synchronizes the Dropbox web service with the Nautilus file manager of Ubuntu 22.04.

sudo apt install nautilus-dropbox

Soon after installation, the following box appears:

Here, you need to get the Dropbox daemon before using Dropbox itself:

Right after downloading, it instantly opens up the browser where you need to enter the login credentials for Dropbox (click Create Account if you are a new user):

After providing the sign-in details (or the sign-up), Dropbox will be logged in, and the interface will appear:

Once the web setup is done, you need to launch the Dropbox application from the applications menu to link the web-based Dropbox with the installed application.

Once connected, Continue to the Dropbox:

This process will create a “Dropbox” folder in your “Home” directory which synchronizes the Dropbox data. Whatever you put/delete in either of the directories (dropbox online or local), the data will be synchronized.

Interestingly, the “nautilus-dropbox” plugin offers a navigational icon on Ubuntu’s menu bar, where you can:

• Launch Dropbox’s local folder and manage the online Dropbox folder.
• Customize preferences, synchronization, notifications, etc from that navigational icon.
• Manage/Choose what to sync from the Preferences option.
• Pause the synchronization.

That’s all about the Nautilus-dropbox client on Ubuntu.

Deb File | Nautilus and CLI Client

A Deb package of Dropbox serves as a Nautilus (File Manager of GNOME) and CLI client of Dropbox. Let‘s see how it can be installed:

Step 1: Download the Deb File

Visit the Dropbox Downloads Page and download its latest deb file. Get the link of the version and use the wget command to download it:

wget <Link-of-.deb-file>

Step 2: Install the Dropbox From the Deb File

Use the below command to install the newly downloaded deb file:

sudo apt install <.deb-File-Path>

Once the installation is completed, the following launch box appears. Click on Start Dropbox:

Open it and start configuring (same as in Method 1). Once all is done, you can check the availability of all the Dropbox-associated items (synchronized folder, the dropdown panel), as can be seen below:

The dropdown panel has various navigation/features. Among these, “Preferences” allows you to customize the core settings, i.e., synchronization, Notifications, General, and more:

That’s how you can install and get Dropbox through its Deb file.

Flatpak/Flathub

Flathub also has a Dropbox client which you can install with the help of the flatpak package manager or its GUI support. Before performing this method, you must have the flatpak installed and the flathub repository is added too. Let’s install it:

Step 1: Install flatpak/Enable Flathub

Flatpak is not installed by default. You need to install it and also add the remote support of the flathub repo. Here are the commands:

sudo apt install flatpak
sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

Step 2: Install Dropbox Client

Use the below command to get a Dropbox client from flathub/flatpak:

flatpak install flathub com.dropbox.Client

Step 3: Run Dropbox and Setup Dropbox

Initially, the Dropbox application (installed via Flatpak) will not launch because it opens the Dropbox locally integrated directory and you have not yet set up Dropbox. Thus, launch it first from the terminal to complete the setup:

flatpak run com.dropbox.Client

As we have already set up an account (while doing method 1), it has just asked to link your Computer with Dropbox.

Note: The steps to set up Dropbox are the same as those of Method 1.

Open the Locally Synchronized Dropbox Through the Dropbox Application

Once you have carried out the setup through the command line. Launch/Click the Dropbox application which will open up the Dropbox locally synchronized folder:

Here, you can add/remove data synchronized with your Dropbox.

Insync | Third-Party Dropbox Client

Insync is a third-party Dropbox client. It is a dedicated GUI application (not like the above) that manages your Dropbox. Let’s see how Dropbox can be integrated using insync:

Step 1: Install Insync

Download the Deb package file from its Website:

wget https://cdn.insynchq.com/builds/linux/insync_3.8.7.50516-jammy_amd64.deb

Now, install by using the “apt install or dpkg i” command:

sudo apt install <Path-to-Deb-File>

Step 2: Configure Insync for Dropbox

Launch Insync using its GUI application and choose the “Add Dropbox” option:

This opens up the browser where you need to log into your Dropbox. After signing it, Dropbox will ask to grant access to Insync. Upon successful setup, your Dropbox will be opened, and choose/select the folders/files that you want to synchronize using Insync:

After granting the permissions, the synchronized data can be seen on Insync:

That’s how you can manage your Dropbox with Insync.

How to Remove Dropbox Access From Ubuntu 22.04

To remove Dropbox access from your Ubuntu 22.04, you need to identify the client you are using. We have shown here the removal process of the Dropbox clients discussed above.

Remove Nautilus Dropbox

sudo apt autoremove nautilus-dropbox

Remove Flatpak/Flathub-Based Dropbox Client

flatpak uninstall com.dropbox.Client

Remove Insync

sudo apt autoremove insync

That’s how to install and use Dropbox on Ubuntu 22.04.

Bottom Line

Dropbox support can be availed on Ubuntu 22.04 from the default repositories using the command “sudo apt install nautilus-dropbox”. Moreover, you can also get it using flatpak, deb file, and third-party tools (Insync).

The default repositories, deb file, and flatpak have the same feature/method to access Dropbox (by synchronization). Whereas the Insync tool (a paid tool) has its own interface to interact with/manage Dropbox. All the possible methods have been addressed to install/access Dropbox on Ubuntu 22.04.