macOS Sequoia 15.5 - Getting a message that "The application couldn't be found", after an update.

Hey @obsidianspider, let's see what we can find about this together!

As a first step, can you hover your mouse over the little Dropbox icon in your menu bar, next to your WiFi, and clarify which version you're using?

What is the app's syncing status when this behavior happens?

If you could also send me a few screenshots of the message you get after the update, that'd be great.

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!

Right now it's version 227.4.4774, but I noticed the problem with the last few updates.

When the problem is occurring, files are not syncing. New files placed in the Dropbox folder when the problem is happening have a little cloud icon with an exclamation point (!) in it.

After I reboot my Mac the error message is gone and all files sync as they should.

The problem just happened today and I already rebooted, so I won't be able to recreate the issue until the next software update, but I can post a screenshot then.

Hey @obsidianspider, thanks for the speedy reply!

I'd definitely appreciate it if you had the patience to wait, and provide me with a screenshot when this reoccurs.

Also, one more thing to keep in mind: if you see the same message again, try searching for the Dropbox desktop app on your Mac's applications to see if it comes up with any results.

Thanks for being so response. I'd be happy to get screenshots and double-check that Dropbox shows up in the Applications folder the next time the problem shows up. Based on past automatic updates I'm guessing it will be a few weeks until the next one comes through.

Maybe in the interim someone else will see this and can share their own screenshots.

Walter

Keep us posted anyhow @obsidianspider

Until then, take care!

Ken74

Same problem here. Dropbox app syncing status says "Your files are up to date". The Dropbox app does appear in the applications folder. As the OP described the cloud icon next to a newly copied file has an exclamation point in it and the file does not appear on my Dropbox account. At the top of the finder window it says it can't find the Dropbox app.

To fix the issue rather than rebooting if I just quit the Dropbox app and then reopen the Dropbox app things work fine again.

Nancy

Sorry to hear the same thing is happening to you too, @Ken74.

Do you mind sending over a full screenshot of what you see in your computer’s Dropbox folder, so that I can investigate this further?

Besides the .jpg file that’s not currently syncing, do you see the cloud icon with the exclamation mark for any other types of files?

I have the same problem. On Finder window, it appears "The application "Dropbox" could not be found". My dropbox is running but not syncing. I do not see the green check icons, but I do see the cloud icon with the exclamation mark for those files that is not being synced. This is resolved by quitting Dropbox and re-lauching. But it comes back after a few sleep-wakeup cycles. This problem started several weeks ago.

I'm on M3 Macbook air with MacOS 15.5.

Nancy

Sorry to hear you’re having the same issue, @kidhkgg. Besides restarting the Dropbox app, did you also try reinstalling it and it didn’t help?

Does your desktop app report that it’s up to date, or does it show a different syncing status?

9elfer

I have the same issue... brand new Mac Book Air running Sequoia 15.5.... lost all day to trying to install dropbox, deleting, reinstalling, absolutely nothing works when trying to run the app and access setting.

Walter

Hey @9elfer - sorry to hear about this. Could you attempt a clean, advanced reinstall and let us know how it goes?

I did reinstalling, but the problem persists. Desktop app was up-to-date before the reinstall and is up-to-date after the reinstall.

Nancy

I see, thanks for trying that @kidhkgg! Do you remember if there was a specific update of the Dropbox app/your OS around the time the issue occurred?

Are you seeing the same cloud icon with the exclamation mark for all of your files?

Finally, can you double check your Finder and let me know if there’s any sign of a second Dropbox folder, besides the one you’re looking at?

TYR

I'm having a similar problem. I can't even get to a download of the Dropbox app on my new MacBook Air. When I click on any of the supposed links on various help messages I've been scrolling through, they all just lead back to my web Dropbox page. Again and again and again. No icon in sight, other than the one in the top left corner that is identical to the home icon. No app in sight. I'm a paying Dropbox user for many years, and all my work is on Dropbox. If I can't get this to function, though, I'm going to have to migrate to another cloud service. When I pull up a Word document that I've been working on, I don't want to have to go to convolutions to get it to open up in my Word app. I don't like working on web versions; they are unwieldy and cluttered. I want to find my Dropbox documents in my Finder, click on them, and have them open in whatever software in which they were created-- just like I've been doing for the past 10 years or so.

Looking through many different help requests, it seems that there are many varieties of problems with Dropbox and this version of Sequoia.

Walter

Hey @TYR - thanks for bringing this to our attention and sorry to hear about your experience thus far.

If you've ensured that this is not caused by an antivirus, firewall or even a VPN/proxy setting on your computer, could you try the offline installer from this page directly and let me know how it goes?

Jay

Hi @kidhkgg, just checking to see if you saw our last reply.
If you still need any help, feel free to reach out to us again.
If your issue has been solved, let us know what worked for you!

Timandra

I'm having problems too after updating to Sequoia 15.5 - the camera uploads folder has disappeared. It is not syncing and I can't access photos from dropbox. What is happening?

It looks like Dropbox updated today, and the problem came back.

I'm now on version 228.4.5567

The forum will not allow me to put a screenshot in this reply, but the message "The application "Dropbox" could not be found." is now showing in my Dropbox folder

I am also seeing the "Cloud with the Exclamation Point" icon next to files that are not syncing.

The Dropbox in my menu bar near the clock shows the round "syncing" icon.

The Dropbox app appears in my Applications folder.

As a test, I did not reboot my Mac. I tried the previously suggested manual quitting of Dropbox.

Manually quitting Dropbox and restarting it got rid of the message in Finder, and allowed my files to resume syncing.

I am on the business trip, and I did not bring my macbook. I will update in a few days.

Hey there, @Timandra!

I can see that my colleague handled your existing thread. You can see more updates here.

If you need something else, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help every step of the way.

Hey @obsidianspider, happy Monday!

Do you see the option to click a camera-like icon when replying back to me? It should look something like this:

Alternatively you can use Command-C to copy the screenshot and Command-V to paste it in this reply box.

Looking forward to your reply!

Hey @kidhkgg!

Sure thing, no worries. Reply back to us once you're back, and we'll investigate further.

Thanks a bunch!

The camera icon is not there. It goes right from the "link" icon to the "emoji" icon.

When I try to paste an image into the box nothing shows up.

If I try to drag the screen shot image file into the box I get a "File not allowed" message.

Anyway, that's a separate matter. Thanks though.

Hey @obsidianspider, I just sent you an email, in order for us to have a closer look and investigate further.

Reply back to me, and we'll take it from there. Thanks!

The problem is back this morning after waking my iMac from sleep. This is the first time I'm noticing it after waking from sleep and not from an upgrade as the version is still 228.4.5567

Manually quitting Dropbox and restarting it resolved the error in Finder.

Hey @obsidianspider!

I saw your recent reply to our active ticket. I'll get to it as soon as possible, thanks for updating the thread! 😇

Back from business trip...

I do not remember what was the specific version when I expreienced the issue. But I always keep all applications up to date. The dropbox issue occurred the current (as of the second of July) version and the previous version. For more previous versions, I am not sure.
The cloud icon with ! appears to those needs syncing. No icons at all for up-to-date files.
I searched through my macbook using terminal, but I did not find any other dropbox folder other than ~\Dropbox. I also did not find any trace of the second dropbox folder.

Hope this helps. Best, ildoo

TYR

Thanks, @Walter. I ended up chatting with a Dropbox person and after an hour and 15 minutes of us trying this and that (it didn't seem to be an antivirus, firewall or VPN/proxy issue on my part), he figured it out. I don't know exactly what he did. But eventually I was able to download and install the app through https://www.dropbox.com/download.

Hey there, @TYR! Happy Monday.

Awesome news, that's what I like to hear!

If you need anything else, just give us a shout. ☺️