I can't move my Dropbox files to an external drive

Hi robshookphoto - thanks for the additional details there.

May I ask if you've tried reinstalling the Dropbox desktop app at all since you first noticed this issue? 

If you did and this persists, you can contact our support team directly for further assistance with account and device specific information as they'd be better equipped to look into this for you. 

Keep us posted anyhow!

I  meet the requirements as does my drive. I tried all that. It appears to work, and then when I login dropbox fails to open with an error message and the second time it opens the folder is back in library. I have also tried opting out of file provider and it errors too.

That's all fine - we can blame apple. But you didn't answer in your last paragraph why nothing is syncing to my computer. It doesnt work when I "check" the folders in preferences sync. It doesn't work when I right click the folder and select "make available offline". Both of these make the folder available but not the files within. In finder, clicking the little cloud icon also does not download the files contained within - only "ghosts" of them.

Has dropbox seriously decided that the way to download files to your device is to go into every single sub folder and click the cloud icon next to every file?

robshookphoto wrote:

Every time I switch it and log in dropbox closes because of an error and when I reopen it hasn't switched; the folder remains in "Library."

If you're on the File Provider update, storing your cloud storage folders (any, not just Dropbox) in the Library is a requirement put forth by Apple. However, while on File Provider you can still store your Dropbox folder on an external drive as long as you meet the specific requirements listed in this help article.

If you don't meet those requirements, then the only other option would be to opt out of the FIle Provider update. If you're already on File Provider, opting out will require you to sign out of your account and use the advanced options when signing back in. You would also need to re-download any offline files stored on your device.

robshookphoto wrote:

I selected "store offline" in preferences under "choose how you store files." I then chose several folders to sync and left it overnight. It said everything was synced in the morning. I went to those folders in finder and they were still online-only.

That's the expected result. The option in Preferences is just for newly added files to your account. Basically, files added to your Dropbox from other devices or the website. Those files will sync back to your device either as Available Offline or Online-only, based on that setting. It has no effect of files that are already on the device.