Mac Sonoma 17.2: Using the free Dropbox app as before BUT the menu bar icon has disappeared

Walter and Hannah:

You folks are geniuses! I just rebooted the MacBook Pro as asked and Dropbox icon now is visible on the menu bar where it usually was........I opened it and my files are all visible and the icon stays there now.....a very Merry Christmas and happy Holidays to you and Dropbox tech support!!!

All comments

Hey @toysbyus - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Could you try installing the latest stable version of the app using the offline installer directly from this page and let me know how it goes?

If the issue persists, I'd appreciate a screenshot of your menu bar after rebooting your computer.

Thanks!

I'll try your advice and see if it fixes the disappearing menu bar icon! Thanks Walter!

Keep me posted, Steve!

Well, no luck...and in doing a screenshot, I can't locate where in the Mac that shot resides since there is no Dropbox access via the menu bar....darn it. Any idea where the Dropbox list of screenshots would be located? Users?

Found the "screenshot" folder with all of the shots inside "Mac HD" so here's the shot...note the same in the menu bar where the Dropbox icon used to be......

Screenshot 2023-12-18 at 5.16.14 PM.png

Meant to point out that there's a space in the menu bar where the Dropbox icon used to reside.......

Screenshot 2023-12-18 at 5.16.14 PM.png

So, there's no Dropbox icon in your menu bar at all at the moment, Steve?

Correct, Walter, NO Dropbox icon in the menu bar. Also should point out that the issue is only on my MacBook Pro running Sonoma. My Mac Mini running Sonoma DOES have the icon in the menu bar.

Hey @toysbyus, sorry to jump in here!

Is Dropbox on this computer updated to the new Dropbox for macOS version on File Provider (Dropbox folder in ~/Library/CloudStorage)?

Or is your Dropbox folder in your User folder?

Hello Hannah and thanks for responding!!

Hi Hannah!

I just started my MacBook Pro just now and the menu bar Dropbox icon was temporarily visible!!! Dropbox started moving files to "safe" locations on my Mac HD and, in doing so, the menu bar Dropbox icon is gone....again!

Merry Christmas to you, Hannah!

Hey @toysbyus - sorry to jump in, but could you reboot your computer and let us know how it goes?

Will do right now!!

Walter and Hannah:

Glad to hear it's sorted now @toysbyus

Happy Holidays from us too!

Hello Walter and Hannah! Started up the MacBook Pro this AM and, guess what? NO Dropbox icon on the menu bar at the top!!! It WAS there for sure when we were last in touch BUT definitely NOT there today. Any thoughts or suggestions? Sorry to bug you right before the holiday!

Steve

Hello again, folks! I just opened my MacBook Pro and, suddenly, the Dropbox icon has returned to the menu bar!!! Just selected it and my Dropbox files are all visible.......not sure what happened BUT the news is good. Hope that it remains now. I just also updated the OS to Sonoma 14.2.1 so perhaps that helped Dropbox's to show up again?? Back to your holiday prep, happy holidays to all...and to all a Good Night!

Merry Christmas to you all! well, the issue continues. Between yesterday and today, the Dropbox icon has again disappeared from the menubar! I updated the OS to Sonoma 14.2.1 and, for several hours, the icon was visible BUT the menubar icon is definitely gone.....again. May I ask a stupid question? Why is this happening after years of the icon always being visible? It is dependably visible on my MacMini running Sonoma, also updated to 14.2.1 ...........sorry to have to restart the conversation again! Happy New Year too, BTW!

Steve

Hey @toysbyus - I know this might sound trivial, but have you rebooted your computer and/or quit and relaunched the app since you first noticed this?

Nothing trivial about your suggestion: I've rebooted several times and no change. I'll try it again from the MacBook Pro and report back BUT I suspect that the Dropbox appl. is not going to show up in the menu bar........

Thanks for sticking with me! Remember that the icon USED to be visible but only changed its behavior after one of the Sonoma updates......

Let us know of any updates @toysbyus!

Hello Walter:

No updates at all, unfortunately. I have a Dropbox icon in my Dock that, when selected, shows Dropbox folder with some old files that I did BUT no way to "quit" the appl. Also, no dot under the Dock Dropbox icon indicating that it's even running. Dropbox appl. is shown to be in the Mac HD under "Applications" but no way to close it...or open it. How strange.....

Restarting the MacBook does NOT make the upper menubar DB icon become visible.

Screwy, eh?

Walter, back when I first installed Dropbox, it automatically oriented it self on my Mac computers and, until this most recent anomaly, it was always "there"...........being a young 76 as far as computers go, I usually just "fall" into the correct fix. Not this time apparently, though!

Hey @toysbyus and merry Christmas to you too!

Since your issue is still unresolved, I suggest performing an advanced reinstall of the Dropbox application.

Note: This won’t affect or remove the files in your Dropbox folder.

To do this:

Save and quit all programs accessing files in the Dropbox folder.
Follow the instructions for Mac devices in “How to run an advanced reinstall of Dropbox on your computer”.

Let us know how it goes!

Thanks for checking back in, Hannah!

I'll try this after lunch and report back. Re: getting older, my advice is not to do it. It's a losing battle.

Seriously will report back to you with results of the advanced reinstall!

Steve

Hello Hannah!

Well no luck with Dropbox. In a nut shell, this is what I am seeing: until several minutes ago,I could not "quit" DB because there was no way to access settings/prefs. In the Applications folder in the Mac HD, there IS a DropBox appl. icon BUT I cannot drag it to the trash. When I double click on that icon, I DO see the DB icon in my upper menu bar . Selecting that icon then gives me an option to quit DB.....is this what I should try to do??? I fear that doing anything will make the menubar DB icon disappear, never to return.......Sorry to drive you crazy or appear confused......I've just never seen this anomaly before......

Several hours later, just woke the MacBook Pro up and, amazingly, the Dropbox icon is STILL visible in the menubar!! For how long, I cannot predict!

Thanks for keeping us updated, @toysbyus!

Hopefully, this time it sticks, but if not, please let us know.

Hello again Hannah!

I've been using the laptop with the DB issue all afternoon, putting it to sleep multiple times and still the DB icon is visible when it wakes back up........I almost hate to shake a stick at a sleepy dog by playing with it too much. I'll take a chance that this is resolved and wish you and Walter BOTH a Happy and Healthy New Year......and will not predict what the longevity of the DB icon issue is......thank you again so much for your patience!

Steve