Disable box sync login popup on startup.

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25 comments

  • PV Website Team

    For macOS, some of the solutions mentioned will still load Box and then close it after startup. To prevent it from loading do this:

    1. Open a new Finder window
    2. Click Go in the top menu
    3. Press and hold the Option key. This will make Library appear
    4. Click Library
    5. Open the LaunchAgents folder
    6. Delete the file com.box.desktop.launch.plist
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  • khowlett

    Windows 10 solution:

    1. CTRL-ALT-DELETE

    2. Task Manager

    3. Startup tab

    4. Right-click BOX icon

    5. Disable

     

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  • Senseohasser

    Absolutely!

     

    The behavior of the BoxSync is terrible. First of all it installs itself for all users and secondly there is no switch to disable the automatic start with Windows Login. Any crappy 3$ shareware offers an option to disable this.

     

    Absolutly annoying is that the automatic start re-enables itself after it is turned off in the msconfig.

     

    Please fix this!

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  • judas78

    I absolutely join to the proposal to set an enable/disable at starup option in the preferences tab. The behaviour of the program at this point is completely irritating and I find ridiculous not to have the chance of choicing.

     

    Please, FIX THIS!!!!

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  • BrechtMo

    Is there any way to prevent the launch of boxsynch for certain users? We install box on all our computers, but not everyone who logs on has a company box account. I don't want them to be bothered by the box window.

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  • katriel

    Agreed! 


    The other thing annoying about this feature is that if you don't have an internet connection on startup, Box Sync gives a "Failed to connect" error, and has to be exited and restarted in order to even log in. So the popup on boot makes it unambiguously more work to log in to Box!

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  • BrechtMo

    I "fixed" this with a scheduled task running at user login which kills the boxsync process.

    Not very pretty but it does the job.

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  • CSimeon

    Startup selection should be an available preference.

    Even better another option should allow sync software to start with a programmable delay.

    It really bogs things down on startup!

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  • Playroom

    Here's the answer. Took me awhile to find it. Super easy.

     

    Go to: System Preferences. Click users and groups. Click Login Items.

    Click minus sign at bottom to disable at startup. Deselect little check box to hide application on startup if you kept it as a startup item. 

     

    1. So anything on that list is what will automatically start up.
    2. Checking the box hides it from sight on startup
    3. clicking the minus then deletes it from start up.

    Sheesh, THANK YOU!!!!! for explaining that. It has been driving me crazy. Sometimes the simplest solution is the correct answer.

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  • BrechtMo

    Is this something for macs?

    I'm looking for a windows solution that is centrally managed.

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  • kbdi

    Box Sync login window pops up for every user added to my Windows 10. However, only certain users use Box Sync. It would be really nice if Box Sync login window wouldn't pop up at all and silently login only for users that logged into Box Sync.

     

    Dropbox doesn't popup annoying login dialog on startup for users on the same Windows machine who don't sign into Dropbox, but Box does. What a horrible user experience...

     

    Until Box can fix this issue, my suggestion is to disable Box on Startup for any Windows machine with multiple users. Box Sync is fine if you are the only user for the OS. However, it really sucks if there are multiple users for the OS.

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  • BestOpaEver

    That's great - thank you for providing step-by-step instructions.  Unfortunately I am using Windoww 7 and cannot find "System Preferences" so please provide more detail on how to reach that area.  Having Box Sync auto-launch at Startup is most annoying.  I need to connect via VPN, so Box wastes a lot of time trying to sync before giving me the error message saying that it can't connect.  I need to figure out a way to start up my laptop, connect to the internet, estabish VPN, and after all that I can launch Box Sync.

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  • Spock

    Box Sync is a resource hog and I won't allow it.  

     

    Just uninstalled that crap until they can figure it out.

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  • rashad

    Fully agree.
    It's a shame that organizations that have a good initial concept can't follow through with their design. I found Box Sync an excellent cloud idea/service - but as time goes on, "little" things (to them) like not having a "start with windows" switch or a setting that can refresh/make sure the login is remembered.
    So, yes, I'm uninstalling Box in favour of Dropbox, iCloud, GoogleDrive and/or OneDrive.

    It is a darned shame - but there's just so much frustration you can deal with in tech.

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  • Jan Attar

    I note that it has now been six years since this subject was first raised. 

    It is now the year 2021 when I install Box sync for the first time and find out that the app automatically starts up without asking if I want it that way.

    So I go to my Mac's settings and check the list of startup items. But Box sync is not included there so I can't turn it off. Thats bad for an otherwise good application.

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  • Lena Shore

    A solution/workaround while we wait for Box...

    https://lenashore.com/2021/09/box-com-can-bite-me/ 

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  • ClearBlueSky85

    I found out that if you disable Box Sync startup entry in the registry, but put Box Sync startup in the shell/start menu folder, it will startup minimized without displaying the dialog. Here are instructions for Windows 10:

     

    First part - disable Box Sync startup in registry by following options:

     

    Method A:

    1. open task manager (CTRL+SHIFT+ESC, or ALT+CTRL+DEL then press Task Manager)

    2. goto startup tab and disable Box Sync

     

    Method B:

    1. run registry editor (WIN+R, or right click Start Menu button then click Run, then type "regedit", and press enter)

    2. goto HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and delete Box Sync entry

     

    Method C: 

    1. download and run Piriform CCleaner

    2. click on Tools > Startup 

    3. disable or delete Box Sync

     

     

    Second part - add Box Sync to user shell / startup folder

     

    Method A:

    1. open user startup folder (WIN+R, or right click Start Menu button then click Run, then type "shell:startup", and press enter)

     

    Method B:

    1. open user startup folder (WIN+E,, or open This PC, then type "%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" in the address bar)

     

     

    2. right click in startup folder and click create new shortcut

    3. type "C:\Program Files\Box\Box Sync\BoxSync.exe" -m

     

     

    by using user start menu startup shortcut, instead of registry startup entry, when starting up, I no longer have the Box Sync window pop up. maybe it is because the -m flag starts minimized, but something about starting with the registry entry does not work

     

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  • BrechtMo

    Hello ClearBlueSky,

    would you know if the automatic updater still works that way?

    I think the sync client updates itself but I guess it needs system access for that.

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  • barbara-o

    I'm sorry. Can you tell me how to get to System Preferences?

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  • AlainL

    Hello,

    I've encountered the same issue of autolaunching at Windows startup.

    Here is the solution I found onWindows 7.

    - Launch Startup > Administrative Tools > System Configuration

    (or directly call msconfig.exe)

    - Select "startup" tab

    - uncheck the line "Box Sync"

    Capture.PNG

     

    It will remove the corresponding registry key.

    (you can remove it directly through regedit.exe)

    - don't forget to click on Apply/OK

     

    Hope it may help someone.

    Regards.

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  • GoodEnoughThen

    Surely Box could have made this an enable/disable feature but they use the auto-start as a way to promote their product, by having it pop-up for all users. I'm sure the marketing folks thought it was clever but for the end-user experience it is super annoying. Shotrt of uninstalling Box Sync and switching back to Dropbox, which I was very tempted to do, I decided to investigate further...

     

    The Windows 7 style registry solution (delete the 'Run' registry entry) does not apear to be used by Box Sync in Windows 10.

     

    In the Windows 10 registry (regedit.exe), navigate to and delete the following (string) entry:

     

    HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BoxDesktop.boxnote\shell\open\command

    where (Default) is

    "C:\\Program Files\\Box\\Box Sync\\BoxSync.exe\" --open-file=\"%1\

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  • GoodEnoughThen

    UPDATE - my proposed solution does NOT appear to fix this issue in Windows 10. I should have tested more thoroughly. Sorry ?

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  • kathryn_crissma

    WINDOWS 10 - your solution still works except instead of unticking a box you right click on the Box Sync listing/icon and select Disable from there. 

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  • NielCansino

    Here's what worked for me (2020):

    Delete all items that has 'Box' in it inside the registry entry:

    1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
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  • Michele9

    Has this been fixed yet, or do we have to switch to dropbox instead.

    So many people have asked for it, so why hasnt it been addressed.

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