Searching Not Working on iPadOS Files app

I don't have other services but Google Drive does not have this problem. And after more than a year of posting this question and going into loops with Dropbox staff, I don't think they are putting effort into actually fixing this. Really frustrating.

I’m going to give Dropbox another month to solve this.  Then I’ll pull my company’s business.  It’s only about a dozen users - but we all have iPhones and most have iPads.

There’s really no excuse for this.

hi Lori,

Please read the message strings above.  This has been raised for more than a year (or possibly longer) and I also gave up on Dropbox support (i still use it but in a very, very convoluted way, and I don't know why i honestly persevere when the other platforms search fine).  Please don't pretend that this is a new problem, if you search online forums you will see that even Dropbox has been saying persistently that they will look into it but it has been a ping pong game between dropbox and apple for as long as i know.

hi lori

sent you a message via your link at the bottom (not sure if it goes direct to you)

but why wouldn't you provide a solution right here on the forum?

Hi Lori, 

Still having problems, but something has changed. For the first time I can see that certain files appear when I start typing letters into the search box. However, I am unable to find any sort of pattern in what comes up, such as being in a shared folder or an unshared folder. 

Thanks, 

David

I have a semi-solution that I have been using if anyone is DESPERATE to keep going with Dropbox. I use pdf expert linked to Dropbox app on iPhone and iPad and in that app’s search function EVERY FILE instantly pops up, just like in dropbox app.  Then i press the file (magnifying glass icon next to file) then share that file via email that way by attachment.  You can also drag and drop files when you are in split view mode with mail app open on the side.  However, when i try to do the same thing by dragging and dropping from Dropbox in split view mode, it doesn’t work.  Dropbox will only let you attach files to mai and other apps when you click “share” and then “export file”.  So I find pdf expert way a little more streamlined when trying to share multiple files. 

All of this would be completely unnecessary, if, like in the old days, (gosh i can’t even remember when that last version of Dropbox was..) you could just long press anywhere in the mail app on iPad or iphone and it would previously let you type anything into search filed then it would pop up instanatly (i have like 5 sub folders and like 2500 files in one of those folders and it was even finding every file with the search term back then..  I can’t remember for the life of me whether this problem of search not finding files in Dropbox started when apple introduced their own files app or it was even before that…

BTW, can i ask the forum members here, if I want to move to another storage solution right now that works best with iPad/iOS, what would it be?  The BEST integrated solution - would that be apple iCloud or google/box app?  I dont’ really mind the cost, as I have been paying like 200 bucks a year..

If you are using iphone/ipad, then the best-integrated solution would have to be icloud drive I think.

And thanks for sharing the PDF Expert trick.

Yeah it’s very fine app, i actually just checked the pricing structure as i was going to recommend you just purchase the pro version (editing function).  I was gobsmacked when i saw the current pricing, there is actually no purchase outright option anymore (i remember i paid around AUD$15 few years ago to make it possible to edit the text within the pdf), and it’s all yearly or monthly subscriptions..  it’s fairly expensive now, and I’m not sure if i would’ve bought it at current price anymore..  Gosh all apps seem be heading towards this subscription model these days..

Its almost like... dropbox doesnt want you to use the native ios Files app and instead want you to use their Dropbox app. But Dropbox, if thats not the case, could you please let us know what we can do to make your service work well, search included, in the files app? As opposed to others i might be inclined to switch to dropbox, but this would be important for me, and it seems also for others.

I’ve pursued dropbox on this issue and have a ticket that has been open for years without being resolved. I’ve concluded they are not interested. Would also like to see the app on iPad support multiple instances of the app.

I too can not search Dropbox files via the Files App. I ALSO can not search Dropbox files from the Procreate or Adobe Illustrator Apps. If I am very lucky the occasional one-off random thing will show up. Most will not, ever. I tried contacting Dropbox about this a year or so ago, thinking I was maybe being helpful by bringing this to their attention. I was given a curt answer that this was not a Dropbox issue, I should contact the other Apps. Seriously? They all have this failure?? So I gave up for a while, but decided to reinvestigate after 1-2 years, see if there’s something I’m missing. Looks like there isn’t, this is an unfixable quirk of Dropbox, unless all of the users above have had their questions quietly answered behind the scenes with no real answer made public?

Hi KatRat, I hope you’re doing well. 

Currently, we don't have account visibility on the forum, so what I can do instead is open a ticket for you, and have a closer look.

Let me know if that’s OK and I’ll message you to the email address that’s tied to your Community profile.

Just posting to add my incredulity to this thread. 

Over two years has passed since my inital post on this thread and, still, there is no fix to an issue which appears fundamental to many users including myself. To add insult to injury, Dropbox will not even acknowledge that there is a problem. 

Dropbox, I've currently halted my subscription, pending a resolution to this problem. It's annoyed me too many times to warrant giving you more money. Here's how to bring me back on board as a customer:

1. Acknowledge the issue.

2. Do not tell me to open a ticket, or try rebooting or reinstalling. I've done all that, many times.

3. Provide your paying customers with information on what is causing the issue, and how and when it will be fixed.

Thanks!

Hey everyone, thanks for your patience here. 

I checked with our engineers and it seems that what you're experiencing isn't directly related to our app. It has to do with the Files app and how Apple integrates and works with the files you have in your Dropbox app. 

Your comments on this have been quite helpful, and I will do everything I can to ensure that your voice is heard. I'll forward your feedback to the appropriate areas so we can continue to improve.

Just reviewed this thread, seems like this has now been a problem for at least 3 years. Rather than a wait another 3+ years I have upped my Apple storage plan, and as soon as I have some down time I am going to start transferring out of Dropbox. It’s a big job, I’ve been with Dropbox for years, but this clearly isn’t moving towards resolution…

so..

should you guys work with apple to resolve it then... perhaps?