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Forum Discussion
Dropbox menu bar missing on Mac OS
Device
MacBook Air M4
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
Tahoe 26.3.1
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)
Latest available, just reinstalled as of mid-March 2026
Question or Issue
A second MacBook Air (M2) running a near-identical setup DOES show the menu bar. I use Bartender, which confirms through a search that the menu bar item doesn't exist. I just ran an advanced reinstall of Dropbox, but still no change.
7 Replies
If the preference has somehow been set to "Do not show in menu bar," then how would one access or change that preference if the only way is through the menu bar item? There's no dock item, either. And opening the Dropbox.app only opens the folders in the Finder.
No differences, at least that I am aware of. No security software, use of VPN both equally as the occasion demands. One MacBook okay, the other...an oddly invisible, undetectable Dropbox menu bar icon?
- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
You mentioned that another device of yours does show the menu bar.
Are there any differences between the two devices in terms of software, such as any proxy, VPN, firewall, or other security software?
Of course I've rebooted endless times. Bartender offers a "Search menu bar items" feature, which doesn't recognize the existence of Dropbox. It's not hidden. I tried quitting Bartender. No difference.
- Jay
If the Dropbox desktop application is syncing, then the menu bar icon should be running, as without that icon, it wouldn't be possible for the app to continue running.
Could you try quitting Bartender to see if the menu icon appears normally? Have you tried rebooting your machine as well?
Yes, the Dropbox desktop application is successfully running and syncing. I'm disappointed that all of the files' dates have renewed on both computers to the same date because of the reinstall, but the primary issue is still the absence of the menu bar item!
