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File search issues with beta for Mac
I just installed the beta version a few days ago. I use Alfred as a superior alternative to Spotlight to search files etc. since installing the beta Alfred canât find files in my Dropbox folder. I ha...
Thank you for reaching out about this issue and sorry about the problems you experienced. The issue youâre experiencing where files returned in a Spotlight search donât open when clicked is a known issue and should have been fixed by updating your Mac to macOS 13.3. For more information on using Dropbox on macOS, visit this article.
Aloha Nancy. I know I am coming in a month after your reply to @Malinalda about Spotlight apparently not working in the new Dropbox beta. I also have this issue. Here is some info:
1. I installed the Dropbox beta on Oct 18, 2022 on one of my iMac M1s which is now running Ventura 13.0 RC2 (22A380)
2. All files and folders are set to be local on the Mac, not "cloud only"; icons in the name column are all green checkmarks in small circles
3. Dropbox is v160.3.4650
4. Spotlight does not work at all on the Dropbox folder or any subfolder therein
5. I had macOS re-index the folder by adding the Dropbox folder to the Spotlight Privacy settings at the following location: System Settings > Siri & Spotlight > Spotlight Privacy. I then let the mds_stores, mds, and fileproviderd processes calm down to background levels (as ascertained using Activity Monitor), at which point I removed Dropbox from Spotlight Privacy. The same three processes ran at relatively high cpu usage for several minutes (my Dropbox folder is about 200GB in size) before settling down again.
6. At that point, I tried Spotlight again, but it still doesn't find anything in the Dropbox folder.
Please let me know if I can provide any other information that may help solve this problem.
Nancy
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHi drmacnut, thanks for providing all this info!
Can you let me know whatâs the current syncing status of your desktop app?
Also, whereâs your local Dropbox folder located at the moment?
I have the same issue. I have been on the macOS beta for months and just today Dropbox prompted me to move my files to ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox. Since that move, I cannot open files from Spotlight searches. Files/folders still show up when I search but single/double clicking on them does nothing.
I can click "Search in Finder" at the bottom of the Spotlight window to open a finder search and then open any Dropbox files/folders from there. The Dropbox files/folders I'm trying to open are fully synced and available offline. I right clicked on them, selected the offline option, and there is a green checkmark (no cloud) next to them.
Can anyone help?
I just got off the beta and have the same issue, cannot open Dropbox files/folders from Spotlight.
- Nancy
Hi dr_chicken,
There are a few reasons why you may be experiencing issues when searching for files within Dropbox using Spotlight.
Following the update where the Dropbox folder was moved to ~/Library/CloudStorage, Spotlight sometimes does not re-index the folder until after it is opened for the first time.
Could you try opening the Dropbox folder in Finder (it should be under Locations in the left sidebar), and then allow a little time for indexing to take place before retrying Spotlight search?
Another reason is that the Spotlight index may need to be rebuilt (you can check the steps in this article on how to do this). The article mentions the âDocumentsâ folder but you need to use the Dropbox folder instead.
If none of the above steps help, donât hesitate to ping me!
