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Dropbox app is disappearing from my Mac repeatedly, why?

I have been using Dropbox for years without any problems at all. However it has disappeared from my Mac 5 or 6 times in the last month and there is no logical reason why - it just goes. I then have to re-download the app. Any idea why and how this can be stopped?

I began a thread on this last week and had one response from Dropbox asking a question that I answered but I never heard back. Not good. I need some assistance with this please!

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Jay

Hi @chrisbreen, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

If you're not on a Dropbox Basic plan with more than 3 devices connected, could you try an advanced reinstall of the app using the steps in this link?

Keep me updated with any progress.

chrisbreen

Jay - I followed the advance install as you suggested. Dropbox remained on my laptop for a few days more, but has disappeared again. Please can you assist - it makes Dropbox completely pointless.

itahoki

Hey @chrisbreen,

If the advanced reinstall didn’t fix it, try checking a few things. First, head to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy. Make sure Dropbox has access under Full Disk Access and Automation. This can help ensure Dropbox is able to run properly.

Next, check System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items and make sure Dropbox is set to start when your Mac boots up. This should prevent it from disappearing unexpectedly.

If you’re running low on storage, Dropbox might not have enough room to sync or stay active. Try clearing up some space and see if that helps.

Finally, make sure your macOS is up to date by going to System Preferences > Software Update. Sometimes, older versions of macOS can cause compatibility issues with Dropbox.

chrisbreen

Many thanks for this. So I have checked all areas.

Dropbox didn't have Full Disk Access (but now it does)
I can't see how to enable Dropbox for Automation
I have about 10% of my 2tb hard drive available - I can free up some space however
macOS is fully up to date

marksow

@chrisbreenhave you resolved this? I'm in the exact same position. The app keeps disappearing. I've tried advanced reinstall but it still keeps happening. Very frustrating!

chrisbreen

Hi Mark - I haven't. It is infuriating. It has worked perfectly for years and now it doesn't. Typically, there is a single response from someone at Dropbox and no follow up. I thought it might have been disc space, but it doesn't seem logical that with reduced disk space the system would remove an application. So, it has uninstalled itself again this morning and I am going to search for an alternative to Dropbox because its lack of reliability now makes it useless for me. ... I can't understand why someone from Dropbox isn't digging deep to find and cause and/or solution.

marksow

I had the same. No acknowledgement that this is a genuine issue. Surely someone is working on a fix? By the time it's released there'll be a few people that have found alternatives.