Forum Discussion

chrisbreen's avatar
chrisbreen
Helpful | Level 6
9 months ago

Dropbox app is disappearing from my Mac repeatedly, why?

I have been using Dropbox for years without any problems at all. However it has disappeared from my Mac 5 or 6 times in the last month and there is no logical reason why - it just goes. I then have t...
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Mac
Jay's avatar
Jay
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
9 months ago

Hi chrisbreen, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

If you're not on a Dropbox Basic plan with more than 3 devices connected, could you try an advanced reinstall of the app using the steps in this link?

Keep me updated with any progress.

  • chrisbreen's avatar
    chrisbreen
    Helpful | Level 6
    9 months ago

    Jay - I followed the advance install as you suggested. Dropbox remained on my laptop for a few days more, but has disappeared again. Please can you assist - it makes Dropbox completely pointless. 

    • itahoki's avatar
      itahoki
      Helpful | Level 6
      9 months ago

      Hey chrisbreen, 

      If the advanced reinstall didn’t fix it, try checking a few things. First, head to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy. Make sure Dropbox has access under Full Disk Access and Automation. This can help ensure Dropbox is able to run properly.

      Next, check System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items and make sure Dropbox is set to start when your Mac boots up. This should prevent it from disappearing unexpectedly.

      If you’re running low on storage, Dropbox might not have enough room to sync or stay active. Try clearing up some space and see if that helps.

      Finally, make sure your macOS is up to date by going to System Preferences > Software Update. Sometimes, older versions of macOS can cause compatibility issues with Dropbox.

      • chrisbreen's avatar
        chrisbreen
        Helpful | Level 6
        9 months ago

        Many thanks for this. So I have checked all areas.

        1. Dropbox didn't have Full Disk Access (but now it does)
        2. I can't see how to enable Dropbox for Automation
        3. I have about 10% of my 2tb hard drive available - I can free up some space however
        4. macOS is fully up to date

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