Disable Dropbox background automatic updates
- Windows onlyThis script improves your privacy on Windows
- Multiple actionsThis page belongs to a category, containing some changes with similar goal.
- Impact: Minimum
System Functionality / Data Loss Risk: Low
This action improves privacy with minimal impact when you run the recommended script.
- Batch (batchfile)These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.
- 2 scripts
- No subcategories
- Administrator rights requiredThis script requires privilege access to do the system changes
- Fully reversible
You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using this website.
The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.
Overview
This category focuses on disabling continuous background processes related to automatic updates of Dropbox. Although these processes are intended to keep Dropbox up to date, they can be intrusive and use system resources unnecessarily. Disabling them does not prevent updates, but stops the automatic background processes that are running constantly, contributing to both privacy and system optimization. Users have to manually update Dropbox to ensure they have the latest version and security features.
Apply Now
Choose one of two ways to apply:
Download script
Download and run the script directly- No app needed
- Offline usage
- Easy-to-apply
- Free
- Open-source
Normal — Everyday Privacy (Enterprise-Grade)
- Recommended for all
- Safe for daily use
- No impact on system stability
Read more about Normal and other protection levels
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Dropbox background automatic updates" using script
- ≈ 2 min to complete
- Tools: Web Browser
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 5 instructions
- 1
Download
Download the script file by clicking on the button above.
Use button above to restore changes. - 2
Keep the file
If warned by your browser, keep the file. - 3
Open
Open the downloaded file. - 4
Exit
Once it's done, press any key to exit the window. - 5
Restart
Restart your computer for all changes to take effect.
Apply with privacy.sexy
Guided, automated application with safety checks- Recommended for most users
- Includes safety checks
- Shows the code
- Free
- Open-source
- Popular
- Offline/Online usage
Help
How to apply or restore "Disable Dropbox background automatic updates" using privacy.sexy
- ≈ 3 min to complete
- Tools: privacy.sexy
- Difficulty: Simple
- ≈ 4 instructions
- 2
Choose script
- Search for the category name: Disable Dropbox background automatic updates
- Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
- 3
Run
Click on ▶️ Run button at the bottom of the page.This button only appears on desktop version (recommended). On browser, use 💾 Save button.
Explore This Guide
- 2 Privacy settings
Choose what to protect based on your needs: Click any option to learn more about what it does. Each change can be applied and reversed individually.
- Some settings and commands may require technical knowledge to apply correctly.
- Most users find the Normal protection above sufficient.
Disable "Dropbox Update Service" services
Dropbox operates using two Windows services, "dbupdate" and "dbupdatem", to manage automatic updates. Disabling these services can help enhance privacy and optimize system performance. Overview of default service statuses - "dbupdate" (Dropbox Update Service, tested on Dropbox version 184.4): •OS Version: Windows 10 (≥ 22H2) → Status: 🔴 Stopped → Start type: Automatic • OS Version: Windows 11 (≥ 22H2) → Status: 🔴 Stopped → Start type: Automatic "dbupdatem" (Dropbox Update Service, tested on Drop...
Disable Dropbox automatic updates scheduled tasks
This script disables the scheduled tasks that Dropbox uses to trigger updates. These tasks, named "DropboxUpdateTaskMachineUA" and "DropboxUpdateTaskMachineCore", are referred to as "Dropbox Update tasks" by Dropbox. Disabling these scheduled tasks can further enhance privacy and optimize system performance. Dropbox disables these tasks for enterprise installations by default. Overview of default task statuses - "\\DropboxUpdateTaskMachineCore" (tested on Dropbox version 184.4): •OS Version: Wind...
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About the Creators
These people have authored this documentation and written its scripts:
undergroundwires- Certified security professional
- 7+ years experience securing banks
- Open-source developer since 2005
- EU advisor, Public Speaker, Moderator
- Open-Source Contributors
- Hundreds across the globe
- Testers, reviewers, developers
- Companies, military agencies
- Community since 2017
Reviewed By
This guide has undergone comprehensive auditing and peer review:Expert review by undergroundwires
- Verified technical accuracy and editorial standards
- Assessed system impact and user privacy risks
Public review by large community
- Privacy enthusiasts and professionals peer-reviewed
- Millions of end-users tested across different environments
History
We continually monitor our guides, their impact and all other privacy options. We update our guides when new information becomes available. On every update, we publicly store who made the change, what has been changed, why the change was made and when the change was made.