The Dropbox system extension is automatically installed when you install the Dropbox desktop app. It allows you to open online-only files from File Explorer (Windows), Finder (Mac), or third-party applications. Notes: The Dropbox system extension doesn’t apply macOS 11 or later. If you’re on a Dropbox team account, an admin on your team can restrict your ability to install or uninstall the system extension. Installation of the Dropbox system extension is not applicable to macOS 11 or later. If you're having issues opening online-only files on macOS 12.3 and above, you can open them directly in Finder. If you’re on macOS 10.15 or earlier and experiencing issues installing the Dropbox system extension, you may need to update your system preferences to allow the blocked system extension. Learn how to update your system preferences.