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PatrickMcGraw's avatar
PatrickMcGraw
Explorer | Level 4
3 years ago

Dropbox app doesn't start Mac

On macOS11.6.8,  every time I restart the machine, the Dropbox app fails to restart automatically so my files stop syncing, and I have trouble restarting it manually.  The Dropbox icon doesn't appear on the menu bar and double clicking the icon in the launchpad doesn't actually start it the way it does with a normal app.  I remember seeing some article explaining an alternative way of starting the app, not through the launch pad, but now I can't seem to find that article and the only solution I've found is to download and reinstall the app--- annoying and time-consuming.  Can someone tell me how to do one of the following (in order of preference):

1)  Ensure that Dropbox automatically starts after a restart of the computer, so that the icon appears on the menu bar and everything automatically syncs or

2)  Manually start the app without having to download and reinstall it again every single time?

 

Thanks!   Just wasted an hour dealing with this with a deadline coming up.  

5 Replies

  • Hannah's avatar
    Hannah
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    Hey PatrickMcGraw, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

     

    Firstly, can you please double-check in the Dropbox preferences that you've set the app to start upon system startup?

     

    If that setting is already enabled, have you tried to uninstall the app, restart your computer and then reinstall it, to see if that helps?

     

    Keep me posted.

    • PatrickMcGraw's avatar
      PatrickMcGraw
      Explorer | Level 4

      Thanks, I checked the preferences and it does show a check mark for "Start Dropbox on system startup."  We have another power outage scheduled in a couple days, so at that point I'll check again if it starts, and then maybe consider the uninstall and restart.  What I've done so far is reinstall, but that might not be the same as uninstalling first and then reinstalling?

      • Hannah's avatar
        Hannah
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Exactly, we definitely recommend uninstalling, before reinstalling in this kind of situation.

         

        So, make sure to let us know, when you have an update.

         

        Thanks Patrick!

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