Dropbox app update stopped sorting by "date modified" when I view files in Finder

kjydacbr wrote:

Dropbox update stopped sorting by "date modified" when I view in Finder.

Dropbox normally has nothing to do with the sorting within Finder or Explorer. They're just folders like any other. Have you tried refreshing the window, or toggling Date Modified so it flips between ascending and descending?

It used to sort in the previous version before the update. Yes, I've tried refreshing the window, quitting Dropbox, and toggling the Date Modified between ascending and descending. But thanks for your suggestions.

Hey kjydacbr, thanks for joining us on the Dropbox Community!

Would you mind sending a screenshot of the issue, so we can have a visual?

Thanks!

Sure, here you go. I redacted folder/file names for confidentiality, but you can see that I've got it set to sort by Date Modified, but the dates are all over the place.

kjydacbr wrote:

... you can see that I've got it set to sort by Date Modified, but the dates are all over the place.

They're not, actually. Everything appears to be sorted correctly. Look at the examples I've noted in your screenshot below. The items in red are all at the same level, and are sorted correctly with each other. The items in blue are all at the same level, one level lower then the red items, and they're sorted correctly with each other. etc.

What you're seeing is each top level folder is sorted by date modified with all the other top level folders. Then anything within those folders is sorted by date modified with the items in each folder.

As this is happening in Finder, Dropbox has no control over it. That's purely a function of Finder and the OS.

Okay, it must have been the recent update on my Mac that made the change to the way it used to sort the files. I will see what I can do with my Mac preferences. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this to me and even make a diagram!

Looks like anyone with this issue might just have to wait for an Apple bug fix. I entered a prompt to Venice.ai and this was the answer:

Yes, this is a known issue after updating to macOS Tahoe 26.2, and it appears to be caused by changes in how Dropbox interacts with Finder, especially with Dropbox’s migration to the File Provider framework. Here’s what’s happening and how you can mitigate it:

Why it happens

Tahoe 26.2 introduced Finder sorting regressions. Users report that sorting by Date Modified now shows folders that haven’t been touched in years at the top, indicating the sort order is not reflecting recent changes correctly.

Dropbox’s newer File Provider integration can cause Finder to display misleading metadata. For example, files may appear with green checkmarks (offline available) but still behave like aliases, and Time Machine may not back them up properly—symptoms of deeper Finder/File Provider mismatches.

Dropbox sync behavior has also been affected by Tahoe updates. Some users find that modified files don’t sync until the Dropbox app is restarted, which can further confuse Finder’s modification timestamps.

Workarounds you can try

Opt out of Dropbox File Provider (if you’re on it): Dropbox support notes that migrating to File Provider isn’t required. Disabling it may restore traditional Finder behavior. After opting out, your Dropbox folder should appear under Favorites in Finder with more conventional handling.

Restart Dropbox sync: If a new upload by someone else isn’t updating the sort order, manually pausing and resuming Dropbox sync can force Finder to refresh the modification dates.

Adjust Finder view settings per window: Finder’s sorting and grouping are stored per window. Ensure you set the sort to Date Modified and Group to None in both your main Dropbox window and any upload dialogs you use. Hold Option and click the Group button to change Sorting if the standard Sort control isn’t behaving.

Use a different sort temporarily: Some users work around Finder’s Date Modified bugs by sorting by Date Added instead, which may better reflect recent uploads until Apple/Dropbox address the underlying bug.

What to expect going forward

Early Tahoe 26.1 bugs (including Finder Services issues) were reportedly addressed in later 26.2 developer betas, suggesting Apple is aware of Finder regressions.

However, community reports confirm Date Modified sorting remains inconsistent in the 26.2 production release.

Dropbox and Apple may need to coordinate fixes for File Provider-related metadata quirks. In the meantime, the opt-out path is your most reliable lever to restore predictable sorting.

If the above steps don’t stabilize the sort order, consider toggling Dropbox’s File Provider status and restarting both Finder and Dropbox. This issue is unlikely to be user error; it’s a compatibility quirk between Tahoe 26.2 and Dropbox’s current Finder integration.