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The Dropbox desktop app is stuck on starting on Mac OS

I can't get past the "starting..." stage on the DB app. I've uninstalled, cleared everything related to DB from my computer, downloaded fresh, installed again. Everything I can think of. Always, the menu bar icon stays gray and the pulldown shows "Starting..." I've let it sit for days, no luck.

I can get to my account via dropbox.com as usual. It's the app that's not working. I've unlinked the account and relinked it. I must be missing something. FWIW, this happens on both my Macbook Pros, a new M3 and an M1.

And I've read old messages about this problem... so, a new query. Ideas please?

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Walter

Hey there @jgoshawk - sorry to hear about this.

Can you please let us know the exact OS version of your devices and the version of the Dropbox desktop app too?

Have you ensured that this is not caused by an antivirus, a firewall or some VPN/proxy setting?

Any additional information or screenshots are more than welcome!

jgoshawk

Hi Walter,

Macbook Pro M3 Max, Sequoia OS 15.0

Macbook Pro M1, Sonoma OS 14.6.1

Dropbox.app version 209.4.3661

No antivirus active.

No VPN running.

I don't think it's a firewall issue. To test that, I just now successfully installed the app on an older Macbook Pro running Monterey OS 12.75.

I hope this helps

Walter

Thanks for the additional information @jgoshawk - much appreciated.

How many files are you trying to sync, if I may ask?

jgoshawk

At the moment, a single file would suffice, but I can't get to the point of synching. My local Dropbox folder is empty.

Hannah

I hope it's okay for me to jump in here as well, @jgoshawk.

Out of curiosity, is it possible to connect to a different network/WiFi to test if the app works?

jgoshawk

I might try that later in the day, but please note that I can successfully use the app on an old computer on this same network -- so I don't think the network/WIFI is the problem.

Hannah

Sounds good, @jgoshawk!

Noted, and please let us know what you find.

jgoshawk

Different network doesn't help. I started a ticket with support. They say DB engineers are aware of the problem and will let me know if they find a solution. Apparently I'm not alone.

Hannah

Thanks for the update here, @jgoshawk.

Can you please give us your ticket number, do we can have a look on our end as well?

Thanks a lot!

jgoshawk

Sure. It's ticket #24331088

cloudres

Unbelievable... I'm glad I waited and didn’t update. It’s devastating to know that the Dropbox developers are aware of the issue and there’s no solution yet. Absolutely crazy. Sequoia has been in beta for months and months. Are they kidding?

Hannah

Thanks for the ticket number, @jgoshawk.

I passed everything along and once the team has an update for you, they'll let you know.

DBX_Pedro

Hi @jgoshawk,

A quick follow up on this. We understand that this issue can be frustrating.

If you happen to have the time, can you please try the following steps :

Look for the search bar.
Then type terminal.
When the terminal window opens:
Type the following command:
sudo /usr/libexec/ApplicationFirewall/socketfilterfw --add /Applications/Dropbox.app

It will ask you for the password of the Mac. Next, after this is introduced, can you please see if the issue persists in the Dropbox app ?

Can you please test this and get back to us?

jgoshawk

Hi Pedro,

I followed your instructions. Even downloaded a fresh copy of the app. It still fails.

DBX_Pedro

Hi @jgoshawk,

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I am sorry to hear this is the case.

We will have to wait for the team to look into this.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and patience over this period.

sherlockaudio

I have exactly the same situation/symptoms. It has been going on for a couple of months now. I could not even log into Dropbox through a browser until I figured out that I needed to deactivate my VPN and turn off all anti-virus features in my browser, which is frustrating because to use a secure file sharing service I had to lessen my overall security. So now I can log into Dropbox via a browser but even with the VPN deactivated and all anti-virus turned off, I still can't get the Desktop app to work.

jgoshawk

Well, it's comforting to know others have the same problems. BTW, it's been happening with me for many months. I ignored DB entirely for quite a while, but now I need it again. Hoped a new computer would solve the issue, but no. It's not the machine, or the OS, or the network. Putting my hopes on the genius of DB engineers. Yup.

DBX_Pedro

Hi @sherlockaudio,

Thanks for sharing your feedback.

We understand how frustrating this issue is. Just to let you know the team is aware of this problem and actively is working on it.

We'll keep you all updated as we have more information to share.

We appreciate your patience in the meantime.

mattcwilson

Chiming in to say I'm having the same issue.

I was able to install Dropbox v 208.4.5824 about 3 weeks ago on my brand new Mac Studio, running Sonoma 14.6.1.

After a reboot, I noticed the Dropbox icon was not in the menu bar. Looking in Activity Monitor, Dropbox was not running (although the "Dropbox Finder Extension" is). I tried manually launching Dropbox, and it doesn't appear to do anything. No Dropbox process appears in Act.Mon. or in the Force Quit dialog.

I tried reinstalling via Homebrew and it wanted to upgrade to 209.4.3661. That seemed to work, but launching Dropbox still exhibited the issue. I tried killing the Finder extension and relaunching Dropbox. That brought the Finder extension back up, but no main sync process. When I try using the context menu for the Finder, no options are present.

I tried rebooting, no luck. I tried doing a manual install from the website, also no. I even tried getting the manual offline installer, which gave me a DMG for Dropbox 210.3.4786. That, too, does not launch.

Please let me know if there are any diagnostics I can provide or any steps I can take. Thanks!

jgoshawk

Sorry to say, Dropbox can't fix it. Support says the solution is to install the beta version of OS 15.1. Maybe they're right, maybe not, but I won't play this game. Beta versions are notoriously unstable; they're called beta for a reason.

I run a complex suite of high-demand software and I can't afford the risk that a beta version of OS will mess with my workflow. So for the time being, I'll use work-arounds with my DB folders and forget about the app. Disappointed, yes.

cloudres

The existence of a beta is encouraging. It's ridiculous to ask us users to test it, though.

jgoshawk

So 15.1 is out of beta. Just installed it this morning, and surprise surprise, Dropbox app still doesn't work. You'd think this would be a priority for them.

kenstir

Dang it, I'm having this too. I see it on macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, Dropbox 215.4.7202. First Dropbox appeared to be up-to-date, except it did not upload my new files. Then I tried to pause and restart sync, at which point it said "Starting" forever. Then I quit the Dropbox app and restarted it, and now it says "Connecting components" forever.

I hate to go back to sneakernet, or NAS folders, or ....

kenstir

Just noticed that the files themselves appear in Finder with a bang-inside-a-cloud icon which says "Couldn't communicate with a helper application."

kenstir

Fixed for me by logging out and logging back in.

I believe these are the repro steps but since it involves an upgrade I can't repro:

Update your macOS. In my case I updated from Sonoma something to Sonoma 14.7.2 (23H311)
Login. Dropbox appears to be up-to-date but isn't per above. New files are in an error state, "Couldn't communicate with a helper application."

jgoshawk

Still doesn't work for me. After numerous contacts with the support team (I've tried all their suggestions; all my software up-to-date on a new mac), I'm giving up. I don't have time to waste trying to solve a problem that should be theirs, not mine.

At one point, they declared my issue "solved." Declaring it so don't make it so.

At least I can get to my DB files through the web interface, which I need to do because my work team uses DB, apparently without issues. If I didn't need it for work, I would drop DB like a hot potato .