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Dropbox Sync Time Remaining Isn't Showing on macOS

OS and Version: macOS Sequoia 15.2 (issue persists from earlier versions)

Dropbox Version: Latest update as of today. Dropbox business customer.

I’m encountering an issue with Dropbox for macOS using File Provider. When downloading files, the sync time remaining is never displayed. This makes it challenging to gauge how long the process will take, leading to a frustrating user experience.

This issue has been ongoing for quite some time, spanning multiple macOS and Dropbox versions, so it doesn’t appear to be tied exclusively to the latest update. Others at my company are also having the same issue. I am regularly syncing a large amount of files as I run a video production company, often times up to 2 TB or so.

Steps to Reproduce:

Attempt to download files through Dropbox for macOS (File Provider).
Observe that there’s no visible indication of sync time remaining.

Expected Behavior:

The sync time remaining should be displayed, allowing users to estimate when downloads will complete.

Actual Behavior:

The sync time is not shown, leaving users without any progress estimation.

Additional Notes:

Here's an image of the issue.

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Comments

Rich

jonathanbckr wrote:
I’m encountering an issue with Dropbox for macOS using File Provider. When downloading files, the sync time remaining is never displayed.

I'm pretty sure the time remaining has been purposefully removed. It's no longer shown on Windows as well.

jonathanbckr

Hmm, if this is purposeful then why? It was a useful function for us.

jonathanbckr

Only one reply in three days and no response by Dropbox support. Is there any way I can get visibility to this? Posting here feels like I'm throwing my problem down into a wishing well, and there's no way to reach out to support directly.

Mark

jonathanbckr wrote:
there's no way to reach out to support directly.

You can do so via www.dropbox.com/support.

Or, post on the relevant build thread for your Dropbox client version here.

vladgasan

jonathanbckr

Thank you for sharing this feedback and providing such a detailed explanation of the issue. We understand how important it is to have an accurate sync time estimate, especially given the volume of files you're working with in your video production workflow.

This is a known limitation with the current implementation of File Provider on macOS, and improving this experience is something we’d like to address in the future. While we don’t have a specific timeline for a fix just yet, it is on our radar, and we’re committed to ensuring that Dropbox continues to meet your needs.

In the meantime, if there’s anything else we can assist you with or any additional feedback you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out!