Child Item

What is going on with Dropbox on MacOS? Spotlight and Finder don't work!!

Dropbox randomly updated to some new version and said everything is moving to Library/CloudStorage or something like that,

now I can't open files directly in Spotlight OR find using folder search in Finder (although global search "This Mac" works).

Biggest issues:

1. Searching using spotlight and clicking on it DOES NOTHING!

2. If I am in a folder within Dropbox folder on my Mac, and I want to search for a file IN that folder using Finder, it doesn't find any file if I search using the search box in Finder, I have to click "This Mac" to find files but it finds files from EVERYWHERE when I only want to find files from within that specific Dropbox folder that I am currently in

How do I fix this? I need this functionality working ASAP !

Moderated edited to remove swearing

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Mac

Insightful

Accepted answers

a1a1

Hi Jay,

Finally after 7 months of basically not being able to use my laptop I found the solution in another thread.

Instead of re-indexing Dropbox I had to re-index the entire hard drive.

From keganx:

I have managed to fix this. (For reference, I have tried re-indexing Spotlight using command line, and does not work).

Open System Preferences and go to Spotlight's Privacy tab.
Add the entire hard disk INTO the Privacy list.
Maybe wait 30s.
Remove the hard disk FROM the Privacy list.

@davidarden also posted the solution in another Dropbox thread: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Create-upload-and-share/Dropbox-is-not-searchable-in-Mac-OS-Monterey-12-0-1/m-p/626720/highlight/true#M58591

All comments

PaulRhys

This upgrade is a disaster. As well as what you say, I now can't edit any files in Dropbox by pressing spacebar in Finder and adding text, numbers, signatures etc. Instead, I have to move folders out of Dropbox, make the changes, and move them back in. Looking for another provider.

Mark

This is a known an expected behaviour I'm afraid: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

philipkd

I am having the same issue. The other threads refer to Spotlight not finding files, which is different than my issue. I appear to have the same problem as OP. Files can be found, but they simply can't be opened, though. This how they look:

Screenshot 2023-01-22 at 6.44.45 PM.png

There is this weird scrunched Finder icon next to the file names. I can open folders, but not specific files. I tried changing my file type association back and forth, no dice. Tried rebooting, all the usual nonsense.

Dropbox v165.4.4300

MacOS 13.1 (22C65)

dragononamac

How can I downgrade to the last version that worked properly? I don’t want this new version in cloud storage library folder I want it the way it was before

eheilner

I just upgraded to new Dropbox version and search appears to be screwed. I can see my files, I can open them no problem. But if I enter *ANY* search criteria in Finder, I get empty results.

To add insult to injury, I tried reaching out to Dropbox chat support and I am told that it is an Apple problem.

Needless to say this is totally unacceptable. If anyone from Dropbox support is reading this, then please address this immediately. Otherwise I'm thru with Dropbox.

Hannah

Hey @eheilner, since the Dropbox folder was moved to a new location, it needs to be re-indexed.

Can you please open the Dropbox folder, wait a little bit and then retry the search, to see if it works?

If not, you might need to re-index the entire disk.

Note: The article mentions the 'Documents' folder, but you need to use the 'Dropbox' folder instead.

eheilner

Hi Hannah,

Thank you for the prompt reply. I tried your suggestion and re-indexed the Dropbox folder, but no luck. Search is broken.

In fact, if you look here: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes it specifically states that "Searching through Finder will only find online-only files or folders that have been previously accessed on your device running Dropbox for macOS."

Needless to say, this is completely and totally unacceptable, Search is a core function of any modern operating system.

Can you please make the older version of Dropbox available until such time as this is fixed. I hope this will be fixed, since otherwise I will need to find an alternate solution.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Jay

Hi @eheilner, we appreciate your feedback on the new version of the Dropbox desktop application for Mac OS.

We take all comments into consideration when improving the app and services we provide.

philipkd

Dropbox Dash is a decent start, albeit buggy right now. I'm currently using Alfred, and am happy again.

eheilner

Yet one more bit of weirdness. On the Preferences panel the new (broken) version is showing as v167.4.4719

But the old (working)version is also showing the SAME THING: v167.4.4719

What gives? I'm asking this because I need the old working version.

dragononamac

yeah its weird, just don't click the "get started" upgrade option that pops up when you reinstall from scratch,

Gregor M.

I'm now just discovering that:

1. I am not the only one who lost access to both a functional Finder and Spotlight after the MacOS update.

2. DropBox Help is handing out entirely wrong and ineffectual fixes that do not work.

3. DropBox is not acknowledging the problem.

Gregor M.

I don't think the problems being experienced by many users can be categorized as an expected behavior, because the scope of the issues goes far beyond that matrix you linked to, from DB on potential upgrade issues.

Gregor M.

Same thing. Post the MacOS upgrade, all my Excel files lost their Excel icons, and were replaced with Finder icons, and then Spotlight was no longer a means to open these files. You could tell that clicking on a file offered by Spotlight would trigger DropBox to start working (tiny clock appeared on DB icon) but then the open operation failed.

This is really amazing that DropBox not only unleashed this much damage, but is not acknowledging it yet.

I had to back up my entire laptop, erase the laptop entirely, reinstall MacOS. And the problem still did not get solved.

Gregor M.

Your solution doesn't work. This is a failed solution being offered to everyone right now by DropBox help.

Adding then subtracting ( +/- ) the main DropBox folder from the Spotlight utility does nothing.

But here is something that does: using this method on the actual Macintosh HD.

I had to rebuild my entire MacBook Pro from scratch, and there's not a chance I will upgrade again or take that MacOS update.

DropBox: ten years ago, was my favorite software solution of ALL time. Ten years later: just a disaster at every turn.

Gregor M.

Yeah, what you need to know is that Hannah is offering the official solution offered by DropBox and it does nothing, zero, has not fixed the problem for anyone. This is DB's biggest fiasco yet.l

philipkd

The best thing is to use Alfred. It took some tweaking, but I’m happy now

eheilner

Dropbox *may* have fixed the problem. I posted this in another thread - Scroll down to the bottom - it's the last entry on this page:

https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/Spotlight-Search-Doesn-t-Link-to-Files-in-Dropbox-in-macOS-13/td-p/633406/page/27

dragononamac

@eheilner it still doesn’t work if you upgrade, as long as you don’t press upgrade then you’re fine (regardless of the Dropbox version)

Seems like Dropbox have two type of functionality in one software so they should give us the option

Kristojanis

Really disappointed with the newest version of Dropbox. Losing my time everyday because lost functionality of spotlight, can not find offline files, open excel files, word files are not even found.
I mean dropbox developers what the actual f.... ?

I don't want to be your beta version tester, therefore paying for working product.

albinotoni

For me, this update seems to go all but well. I work with audio and other media, and have been using dropbox for years between different computers with success. After the update, for starters, all the files defaulted themselves to 'online-only'. I don't know a single digital audio workstation or such program which would be okay with that. I have to wonder, why it has to be the default option? Anyway, I changed the files to offline again. It seems that some of them stayed still in online mode. Apps keep crashing.

Weirdly, the problems seem to be somewhat different on different computers (I have a M1, an older mbp and couple of windows pcs). Sometimes I swear I couldn't rename the files in dropbox, sometimes I cannot copy files from dropbox to elsewhere.

I've been chatting with Ableton about this (Live is the software I'm using most and which I've had the most problems after DB update) and it seems that it's something about the file indexing systems that are arguing with each others. I really don't understand how (then again, why should I?).

Now I've noticed that on M1 (OS 13.2) choosing not to start dropbox on system startup, it actually is still starting and the files keep syncing when the app is off.

And finally, on one of my pcs, dropbox told me that system extension has stopped and I have to login again. While doing it, it asks for the security code which they'll send me in email. The problem is that the code is wrong.

Before the update, I got an email from dropbox saying "This updated version of the Dropbox app has a deep integration
with macOS to ensure you have the best Dropbox experience." So far this has been the **bleep**tiest dropbox experience of all the times. What makes all this even much worse, is the fact that I've been using dropbox for years without problems. I mean it really has been worth of every penny and more. After the update it's like an ordinary external hard drive that I am afraid to use because you never know when it's going to broke completely.

DrAJP

The current functions of Dropbox are not good. The recent updates change the basics of how Dropbox has worked since I started using it, over ten years ago. The Spotlight search should work, Dropbox files should work and save in predictable ways. I have played with Google Drive a bit--as I am going to have to switch to something different if Dropbox doesn't respond--and it saves files in the same basic way that Dropbox did and creates a shortcut in the "Locations" settings to the appropriate folder.

Dropbox - the choice is yours. Are you going to respond to the complaints many of us have with the changes (Twitter is full of them) or just ignore us?

Thanks

A long time Dropbox user, always happy, until now.

jat1971

This idea that you just need to let dropbox re-index on a Mac is just nonsense.

Finder and spotlight will find files on your mac, located in dropbox - but it will not allow you to search for files within the dropbox folder. So if you have sets of files and you just wish to search for the right one, within a subfolder you can't. You have to go through all hits on your harddrive and try find the one you want (in the folder you wanted to search). Its a complete mess and this is entirely down to 2 large companies behaving like children.

So please dropbox, as its your software that is incompatible with Apple products, fix this problem - including an easy option to remove dropbox from this new location on a mac.

jat1971

Paid for Alfred and its useless. Absolutely useless as a simple practical replacement for finder to search within dropbox folder structure. I don't know if those recommending people to buy Alfred work for that company, but don't do it. Its not at all a simple comparable solution to dropbox fixing their now 'nonsense' app and give back functionality.

mararn1618

Guys, Dropbox has completely [removed per Community's Guidelines] it up for Mac users and obviously doesn't care at all for already several months. I am cancelling and moving to Google Drive.

I can confirm that Spotlight + Google Drive works as of 2023 July.

Gregor M.

Wow. So they never fixed it. Amazing.

I sent this to DB support today 16 September 2023 on twitter:

"Hi. After the Spring DropBox update did so much damage to my files on the MacBookPro M1, I had to rebuild my laptop and go back to a previous version of DropBox. I'm curious. Did you ever admit to the problem? And did you ever fix the problem? I've been a user since 2010, and I wouldn't dare update the software now. that's sad, considering what I pay each year for the subscription."

Gregor M.

I was active here in March,when DropBox released its new update for MAC OS, as I along with many others experienced a meltdown in indexing, file access, and a total disabling of Spotlight and Finder.

The thread is here: https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Apps-and-Installations/What-is-going-on-with-Dropbox-on-MacOS-Spotlight-and-Finder-don/td-p/652761/page/2

Did DropBox ever solve this problem? I had to do a hard reset on my MacBook Pro M1 (2020) and have never dared to take any new DropBox update since. Incredible really, given what I pay each year.

--DropBox User since 2010

Megan

Hi @Gregor M., let's jump right into this!

If I understand this correctly, it sounds like you're facing some issues with Spotlight, and Finder, is that right? If not, feel free to correct me, and let me know more.

Would you be able to share some details, or even screenshots of what is exactly happening on your end, along with the Dropbox version that you use, in order for me to have a clear visual?

Keep me posted!

EFARR

I am having the same problems, no spotlight search with dropbox folders, wasting all kinds of time.

Hannah

Sorry to see you're having this issue, @EFARR.

Have you tried any of the troubleshooting steps in this thread, to see if they help?