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Smart Sync has disappeared from context menu
In my Dropbox folder in Finder, I right click on a folder/file and I no longer have the option for Smart Sync. Has anyone found a solution to this?
I have tried all of the solutions that I can find throughout this community to no avail.
- Deleting the cache files
- Uninstalling and reinstalling (Including a restart of the Macbook)
- Restarting the Macbook
- Checking and unchecking the 'save hard disk space automatically' in Dropbox app preferences.
- I have also looked everywhere in the Dropbox webpage for the 'turn smart sync on' checkbox but it doesn't appear to exist. I imaging this was taken out since the previous posts which mention it.
- There is also no option to check or uncheck smart sync in my app preferences. Nor any mention of smart sync.
I am running MacOS Big Sur Version 11.0.1.
Dropbox says it is up to date when I hover over the icon (154.4.3932)
I'm really at a loss of what to do next. I've lost a days work trying to sort this out and haven't heard back from support since emailing them.
I've attached an image of what I see when right clicking on a folder.
Regards and thanks in advance!
Aegon wrote:
In my Dropbox folder in Finder, I right click on a folder/file and I no longer have the option for Smart Sync. Has anyone found a solution to this?
You still have the options and they're visible in your screenshot. Dropbox has just renamed them in the more recent versions. Local is now shown as Make available offline and Online-only is now shown as Make online-only. They're no longer listed in a separate sub-menu.
19 Replies
- Rich
Super User II
Aegon wrote:
In my Dropbox folder in Finder, I right click on a folder/file and I no longer have the option for Smart Sync. Has anyone found a solution to this?
You still have the options and they're visible in your screenshot. Dropbox has just renamed them in the more recent versions. Local is now shown as Make available offline and Online-only is now shown as Make online-only. They're no longer listed in a separate sub-menu.
I seeee! I just tried it and it worked. I feel so stupid now haha.
Rich thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.
You're the best!How do I do this on a Windows system? If you can post screen shots, too that would be very helpful! 🙂
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Lynn Bennett, thanks for the nudge here!
Can you please clarify what you'd like to do exactly?
The options to make a file online-only or available offline, should be there when you right-click on a file in your Dropbox folder.
Is that not what you see on your end?
DropBox made me upgrade in order for the smart sync to work. I really enjoyed and will miss the free version. LOL!
Hi Rich,
Can I jump in on this issue here too? I too am experiencing this, but I only have 1 of the items appearing under the Quick Actions menu, sometimes 2. But never the 'Make online only' option.
Thanks,
Aggie- Megan
Hi AggieK, how are you today?
Have you made sure your app is running? What is its syncing status while we speak?
Keep me posted!
- I’d like to understand this clearly:
Has the latest version of macOS and Dropbox app returned the Smart Sync function, where a file I’ve made available online-only is been downloaded in the background if it’s accessed in a third-party app like part of a, lets say an Adobe InDesign file as a link to a JPEG image?
I’ve not upgraded my M1 MacBook Air to macOS 12.3 as this support page still after half a year still suggests Smart Sync feature still IS NOT available in newer macOS versions: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/macos-12-monterey-support.
As I no longer find any mention of Smart Sync function on Dropbox website, and that support page suggests the old way of supporting third-party apps no longer work, I’m left with a conclusion Dropbox no longer serves me the way it has, and I have to reconsider any more paying for the subscription. - Hannah
Hey heikkipekka, thanks for taking the time to post here.
This concern is only impacting our customers on macOS 12.3 and above.
Any customer that's running macOS 12.3 and below, will still have full functionality of the feature.
All apps should be able to access online-only content as macOS 12.2 devices and below.
And of course, we're currently working on fully supporting macOS 12.3 and above, as mentioned in this article.
Hi Hannah,
It is nice that this issue only affects people who have updated their MacOS at some point since mid-January, when OS 12.3 was released. I assume that this means that, unfortunately, 97% of Mac users still have this problem. It is unacceptable that Dropbox is still running a year behind the times--and is a year late delivering one of the key features Dropbox users are paying for.
There have been promises of this feature being restored for Mac users for ages, with no date certain ever provided and no promised results ever delivered.
When does Dropbox expect this feature to return? Also, what sort of compensation is Dropbox able to provide for this sustained loss of functionality to those of us who for those of us who have, in good faith, taken Dropbox at its word that this functionality will be returning imminently, month after month?
