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Mac Finder extension incompatible with Google Drive Finder helper Finder extension

I have the same issue that many other people have reported. On my MacBook Pro running MacOS 14.1.2, I have both Dropbox v189.4..8395 Personal Plus (I have never had a beta version) and Google Drive File Stream v85.0.26.0. My Dropbox sync/cloud icons are missing from my Dropbox folder. If I uncheck the Google Drive Finder helper's Finder extension, then the Dropbox sync icons immediately re-appear. However, this reduces the functionality of my Google Drive installation. I need *both* of these cloud sync systems to work. Is there a fix for this problem yet? -Marc Levoy, Stanford University and Adobe Inc.

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Walter

Hi there @marclevoy - thanks for bringing this to our attention.

If the 3rd party app you mention is utilizing the icon overlay and context menu functionality of your computer's Operating System I'm afraid there's not much we can do in this case.

I can only suggest quitting the other app when working in your Dropbox folder to avoid any conflicts.

I'll leave this thread open for other users that might be able to provide other possible workarounds.

I know it's not much, but I hope this helps!

marclevoy

Thank you for the clear response. I might point out that the "3rd party app" in this case is Google Drive - a major player in the cloud storage marketplace. Your incompatibility with their system will force users to choose between them, and you might not like the choice they make. -Marc

Mark H.94

Hi Walter, I too am having an issue with the Dropbox Finder Extension showing up in the Settings Menu. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox several times with no success. Is there a way to force add the Dropbox Finder Extension?

Nancy

@Mark H.94, are you also using Google Drive on your device, and there’s a conflict with the syncing icons you see?

Mark H.94

Yes, I have Google Drive, but the Dropbox Finder extension worked fine before I upgraded to the Dropbox Finder version. I’ve unsuccessfully tried to uninstall and revert to the previous version of Dropbox.

Nancy

I believe you’re referring to the Dropbox update for macOS on File Provider, correct? If yes, then I’m afraid it’s not possible to revert back to the previous Dropbox version.

If you want though, please send me a screenshot of what you see in your Finder > Dropbox folder, and I can take a look.

itahoki

This issue arises because macOS limits Finder extensions, and conflicts often occur when multiple cloud services try to display overlays simultaneously. While there's no direct fix to allow both Dropbox and Google Drive Finder extensions to work seamlessly, a practical workaround is to use Commander One, a robust dual-pane file manager for Mac. It supports both Dropbox and Google Drive integrations without Finder extension conflicts, providing full functionality for both services in a single interface. This eliminates the need to rely on macOS Finder overlays while maintaining productivity.

Hope it helps