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Dropbox desktop app on Mac forces sync preference to be online-only repeatedly
Latest macOS: Sequoia 15.6.
Dropbox: 230.4.8797
I have been noticing a sync issue warning in Dropbox menu bar for a few days so I checked settings today:
I had selected the "Default sync preference" as "Available offline" when installing Dropbox on Mac. But I see in the settings that it had changed to "Online-only" on its own.
I have more than sufficient disk space on my Mac and in comparison my entire Dropbox folder size is a fraction. I do not do have any other folder sync selected other than ~/Dropbox and in "selective sync" tab I select all folders to be available on this mac.
As you can see in the screenshot above I have not even opted for "Dropbox on File Provider" and I do not want to.
Even right now as I am writing this post and it switches back to "Online-only" the moment I move to any tab even in Dropbox settings and come back to sync preferences tab.
(I have screen-recording but I can't embed in this post. I can share if needed).
So at this point I am not even sure whether all my files and folders are actually available offline on the mac.
How do I fix this?
Hi Nancy
I had not on the same system but before the mac reinstall/reset - same Dropbox a/c. Even on previous install I had enabled it by mistake seeing a popup or prompt/message "you are eligible.." (something like that; don't remember exactly) and had successfully disabled going through some hoops and what not. On this install I didn't enable File Provider to begin with.
I’d just like to make sure that there are no remnants of File Provider folders
I don't know how to check that. Just in case it helps you - I see `DropboxSoftwareUpdate` and `DropboxMacUpdate.app` at `~/Library/Dropbox`. Also `~/Library/CloudStorage/` is just empty.
By the way I could see these as well https://help.dropbox.com/sync/macos-sync-icons#Dropbox-sync-icons-in-the-menu-bar (didn't test the notification and camera upload ones because I haven't enabled camera upload and there were no notifications for me) - as the link shows it's only menu bar app icons No sync icons on dropbox files/folders and no special (i.e the Dropbox logo one) Dropbox sidebar icon
I can't see any Dropbox related context menu options when I right click on any Dropbox files or folders in ~/Dropbox folder.
Update: I went inside Mac `System Settings > General` and then in `Extensions` sections I could see these Dropbox related extensions:
"File Providers" extension section: "Dropbox" extension was disabled there. I enabled it
and then I could see this change:
Sidebar Dropbox icon was now the Dropbox icon (not the generic finder icon) - just like Finder Dropbox icon already was (shown in a screenshot above)
And I also could see Dropbox related options in context menu when I right clicked on any file or folder inside ~/Dropbox folder
After this I looked through others and found "Sharing" extensions section: A "Dropbox Transfer" extension which was already enabled. So maybe it was always enabled or got enabled (or even got added; I don't know as I hadn't checked it before) automatically after I enabled "File Provider" Dropbox extension above. Anyway no change to report because of this because I did not change this.
Still no sync icons on local Dropbox files and folders. (Even after many Dropbox/Finder restarts. I in fact "fore quit" everything in Activity Monitor with 'dropbox' in its name)
PS. IMHO - It would be helpful if you (I assume you are from Dropbox) could tell me such possible settings beforehand as I as a user do not know what system/settings changes Dropbox does to OS or expects to be present beforehand. Will save a lot of to and fro from both sides.
22 Replies
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- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi litgit, thanks for messaging the Community.
Before we troubleshoot any further, could you confirm what sync icons you're seeing on the files and folders in the Dropbox folder?
A screenshot showing this, while hiding any personal info, would be appreciated.
Hi Jay
I did the reinstallation from the link above.
- That warning "Dropbox is experiencing…" is gone now.
- Sync is working - tried with a dummy folder creation and then deletion.
- "Default sync preference" for "Choose how new files…" is now selected as "Available offline".
- Finder sync icons are still not showing
- Tried quitting/restarting dropbox and 'killall Finder' couple of times.
- Jay
Are you certain that you're viewing the Dropbox folder from the Favourites list? It should have an icon for Dropbox itself. Without the icon, it would mean that the app isn't running or syncing correctly, which would also explain the lack of sync icons in the Dropbox folder.
Could you double-check the Dropbox folder location using these steps, and that this is the same folder shown in the Favourites?
I need to understand this - "Dropbox folder from the Favourites list" → do you mean the Finder sidebar favourites list? If so then, yes. My last screen shoot "clearly" shows that. I will add one again:
As you could see the Finder sidebar Dropbox favourite shortcut has no special icon for Dropbox - neither do the folders inside Dropbox have sync icons.
However when I click on my user folder (i.e ~/ which is also where the Dropbox is) and see the folders, the Dropbox folder has a Dropbox icon on it (just like Pictures, Music have special icons). here:
Yes - it is the same folder. I followed the link and that's where my Dropbox folder is - at ~/Dropbox i.e /Users/<user>/Dropbox (as usual).
- Nancy
Hi from me too, litgit! I know you previously said that you haven’t installed the Dropbox on File Provider update on your device, but is it possible you had it at any point in the past, before switching back to the legacy version?
I’d just like to make sure that there are no remnants of File Provider folders on your computer that could be affecting your sync icons.
Finally, besides the absence of syncing icons next to your files, can you see any Dropbox-related options after right-clicking on your files/folders within the local Dropbox folder?
Hi Nancy
I had not on the same system but before the mac reinstall/reset - same Dropbox a/c. Even on previous install I had enabled it by mistake seeing a popup or prompt/message "you are eligible.." (something like that; don't remember exactly) and had successfully disabled going through some hoops and what not. On this install I didn't enable File Provider to begin with.
I’d just like to make sure that there are no remnants of File Provider folders
I don't know how to check that. Just in case it helps you - I see `DropboxSoftwareUpdate` and `DropboxMacUpdate.app` at `~/Library/Dropbox`. Also `~/Library/CloudStorage/` is just empty.
By the way I could see these as well https://help.dropbox.com/sync/macos-sync-icons#Dropbox-sync-icons-in-the-menu-bar (didn't test the notification and camera upload ones because I haven't enabled camera upload and there were no notifications for me) - as the link shows it's only menu bar app icons No sync icons on dropbox files/folders and no special (i.e the Dropbox logo one) Dropbox sidebar icon
I can't see any Dropbox related context menu options when I right click on any Dropbox files or folders in ~/Dropbox folder.
Update: I went inside Mac `System Settings > General` and then in `Extensions` sections I could see these Dropbox related extensions:
"File Providers" extension section: "Dropbox" extension was disabled there. I enabled it
and then I could see this change:
Sidebar Dropbox icon was now the Dropbox icon (not the generic finder icon) - just like Finder Dropbox icon already was (shown in a screenshot above)
And I also could see Dropbox related options in context menu when I right clicked on any file or folder inside ~/Dropbox folder
After this I looked through others and found "Sharing" extensions section: A "Dropbox Transfer" extension which was already enabled. So maybe it was always enabled or got enabled (or even got added; I don't know as I hadn't checked it before) automatically after I enabled "File Provider" Dropbox extension above. Anyway no change to report because of this because I did not change this.
Still no sync icons on local Dropbox files and folders. (Even after many Dropbox/Finder restarts. I in fact "fore quit" everything in Activity Monitor with 'dropbox' in its name)
PS. IMHO - It would be helpful if you (I assume you are from Dropbox) could tell me such possible settings beforehand as I as a user do not know what system/settings changes Dropbox does to OS or expects to be present beforehand. Will save a lot of to and fro from both sides.
- Jay
Thanks for the info, with the extension enabled, now the Dropbox folder has the correct icon, and now you're seeing the context menu items.
Could you try rebooting your Mac entirely to see if this helps regarding the sync icons in the Dropbox folder?
Hi. I can see the icons on Dropbox files and folders in finder. All green checked i.e synced.
Thank you for working with me on this issue Jay Nancy. I really appreciate it.
Feedback:
- These steps/settings should be documented by Dropbox
- I have been using Dropbox sine the 500MB days i.e 16 years and this is the first time I have seen Dropbox behave this badly and weirdly. Even with all the app en**bleep**ifications (oh that has happened too much; starting with "cross platform" apps), until now this had been one of those apps that just works.
Please pass this on if you think this helps :)
