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Permissions Error Message every time Dropbox starts

As of yesterday, when I start up my Mac (High Sierra) I get a message saying "Dropbox needs to change permissions for the Folder: ... " The folder location is correct, and it has not changed in months/years.

I have found someone else with exactly the same issue - https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Error-messages/Permissions-Error-Message-All-of-a-Sudden/td-p/264080 - but the solution was given to the poster outside of the community messages.

What do I do to fix this?

Thanks

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Accepted answers

alphi

Hi Jane - several restarts did nothing, but quitting dropbox, and then restarting, did the trick. I didn't expect it to be so easy

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Jane

Hey @alphi, thanks for checking in with us referencing the previous discussion, I hope you’re doing well today!

As I’d like to get a better idea of what you’re experiencing, would you mind sharing a screenshot of how the error message appears to you? You may keep in mind that in some occasions the solution may be specific to a user’s setup or device settings & that’s why the solution wasn’t posted back on the thread.

To give you some possible hints to help you determine the possible cause, could you check if the are Symlinked or referenced locations inside your Dropbox folder? Also, is it likely that an application could be using the files placed in your Dropbox folder? Have you tried quitting all other apps & restarting Dropbox?

Once you let me know of this info, I’ll make sure to get back in touch with you in a bit more detail. Thanks & I’m positive we’ll figure a solution together here!

alphi

Hi Jane - several restarts did nothing, but quitting dropbox, and then restarting, did the trick. I didn't expect it to be so easy

Jane

Ah, it’s great to hear that you got this sorted with this easy fix @alphi! :slight_smile:

You may keep in mind that unlinking & relinking your account on your desktop recreates the local database, so it's a great troubleshooting step you could use again in the future.

Other than that, it’ll be a pleasure to work with you again in the future, so please do let us know here in case you have more thoughts or questions. Happy Dropboxing & I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!

blizzrdof77

Where exactly is the solution to this?

Walter

Hey there @blizzrdof77 - how are you today?

I understand you are getting a permissions error - could you please send me a screenshot of the exact error message you get to make sure we're on the same page?

From what I understand the solution to the OP's inquiry was simply quitting our desktop app and re-launching it.

Note that this kind of issue can be caused by your Home directory being "locked". If that's the case, just right-click on your Home folder ( /Users/{your username} ) and choose "Get Info". Then, uncheck the "Locked" checkbox.

In addition, issues like this can be due to local network sharing or folder redirection preferences setup in folders or files within your Dropbox. Similar effects can also happen when your Dropbox folder or its system files are located in a mounted network drive or a remote location (like roaming profiles) since this could cause Dropbox to not have constant access or permissions to operate in those locations.

You might also want to try the "Fix Permissions" button through your desktop app (supposing that it's running):

1. Click on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and then click on the gear :gear: in the Notifications panel.

2. Select 'Preferences'

3. Click on the 'Account' tab

4. Hold down the 'Option' key

5. Click on the 'Fix Permissions' button (making sure you're still holding down the 'Option' key)

6. You may be prompted for your a username and password, this is your computer login credentials, not your Dropbox account ones.

This should allow Dropbox access to your home folder, Dropbox folder, and any required settings.

I hope this information helps to some extent and do let me know what you find. Thanks!