Child Item

How do I resolve a selective sync conflict after reinstalling the Dropbox app on macOS?

Device

MacBook Air
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)

macOS Tahoe 26.3
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)

241.4.4853

Question or Issue

Due to a failed macOS update I had to reinstall macOS and recover my data from a Time Machine backup. However, the system reported that my Dropbox app was corrupted, so I deleted it and installed a new copy from the Dropbox website. I set it to online only. All seemed to be well.

Today, I find that all my Dropbox folders are showing as having selective sync conflicts. This is both on my MacBook and in the web version of Dropbox. I don't know how this happened when none of them should have been on the MacBook to create a sync error in the first place.

Having looked at other posts, I know that Dropbox can't do anything about this and expects me to go through thousnds of files manually to check them. What I don't understand is what I am then supposed to do, because the instructions from DropBox staff/moderators are not clear to me. My question is which folders I am supposed to keep and which to delete. Do I just keep the online folders? If I delete the ones on my MacBook, won't it just create a new sync conflict? Will the sync conflict warning go away if I consolidate everything online?

As I pay good money for this service and it is vital for my work, I hope you can give me a clear set of instructions in plan English, because this 'feature' is now going to cost me hours of labour whrn I haven't done anything wrong.

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Comments

Nancy

I’m sorry to hear this happened, @Rich127.

When removing the Dropbox app from your computer, did you also delete your local Dropbox folder and tried to re-sync everything from the start? Or did you relink your Dropbox app to an existing Dropbox folder?

Had you used selective sync in the past, in order to remove folders from your Dropbox app (instead of using the online-only feature)? I’m just trying to understand how this selective sync conflict may have occurred.

Regarding your question, you can move any files you need/non-duplicate files from the conflicted folder(s) to either the original folder(s) or somewhere else in Dropbox (you can do this via the desktop app and let your updates sync online). If you see any folders with the gray minus sign on your Dropbox app, you'll need to allow the original folders to sync to your device before moving the files over. Then, you can go ahead and delete the conflicted folders.

To prevent a selective sync conflict after that, you can follow these steps.

Let me know, if you need further assistance.

Rich127

Hi Nancy, thank you for your prompt reply and clarification, which is helpful, to the extent that it can be.

I have never consciously chosen selective sync. I didn't actually know what it was until I read about it in one of the threads on here. I do also have a desktop iMac synced to Dropbox but haven't checked that yet. I assume it will have the same problem but I never opted for selective sync on that either. However, when I look in my app prefs on my MacBook I do have folders either checked or with a straight line next to them under the selective sync heading, but I don't know how this has happened.

I did not delete any Dropbox folders when I restored my backup. On the couple of occasions I had to do this before (on my iMac) I had no problem. However, the Dropbox app had not been corrupted on those occasions. I don't know why it was this time, as everything else restored perfectly. I assumed that as the restored folders were older, the online files would sync and update the backup. I don't think this was unreasonable, though I know better now.

I have no grey symbols on any folders. Just the addition of the sync warning to each folder name.

Online, Dropbox says I have no sync problems. 🤷