"798 files unable to sync" error on the Dropbox desktop app

Question

My DB has been syncing for weeks and alternatively tells me it can't sink files (300, 600, whatever). It says to check sync issues but there is no information if I click on that and I have no idea where to find the files that are "stuck". I think all of this syncing is also interfering with running other apps.  I am at wits end!  Please help!

susanowm · Answer

Unfortunately after syncing overnight, I am still stuck with a message that 641 files are unable to sync.

susanowm · Answer

Did that and now it is syncing 40k, then 50k, then 100k files!  Hope that is a good sign...will update when it hopefully finishes.

radical_exponent · Answer

It looks like the sync engine might be running into permission errors trying to sync your account; files on your local disk appear to be marked such that the dropbox app itself is not allowed to make the necessary modifications to sync them.

To fix, can you try going to (dropbox tray icon) -> (your user avatar in the top right which doubles as a menu) -> Preferences -> Account, then holding "Alt" or "Option" (depending on whether you're on mac or windows). That should cause a set of previously hidden buttons to appear - one of which should be "Fix Permissions". Give that a try. 🤞