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Greg T.16's avatar
Greg T.16
Helpful | Level 5
7 years ago
Solved

Smart sync icons missing

The venerable "missing smart sync icons" problem. MacOS Mojave 10.14.2  Dropbox 64.4.141.  (Professional Acct) Have reinstalled DB several times (including via full desktop download). Tried the ...
Setting up the apps
  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    7 years ago
    Hi Greg, as you’re on a Mac, you can check if a third-party application is causing this issue with the following steps:
     
    1. Save any files and quit ALL programs.
    2. Completely quit and close any third-party cloud service applications such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or others.
    3. Quit Dropbox:
    4. Relaunch Finder using the following steps:
      1. Click on the Apple icon in the top left of your screen
      2. Click on "force quit"
      3. Select Finder then click "Relaunch"
    5. Restart the Dropbox application.
     
    If the issue is resolved at this point, it may be due to the third-party applications running on the computer.
     
    If the issue persists, or you see that a new application is causing issues please let me know.
Megan's avatar
Megan
Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
3 years ago

Hi vegarhoel, welcome to our Community! 

 

Would you mind sharing some additional info with us such as your OS, Dropbox version and syncing status? Do you face the exact same issue as the OP?

 

Also, feel free to let us know if you've tried any troubleshooting steps on your end, just to make sure we're aligned. 

 

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!

MLondon's avatar
MLondon
Helpful | Level 5
3 years ago

I have been having the same problem for a month.

When I view my Dropbox files in the MacOS Finder the sync status icons do NOT appear.


I can Right-click on a file/folder and I do see the Dropbox icons in the services menu.

I am running Sonoma 14.1.2 and Dropbox 187.4.5691

Have tried all the suggestions in this thread and nothing has worked.

However I noticed that Jay, a Dropbox staff member wrote that only PROFESSIONAL and BUSINESS plans have the SmartSync option. I was on PROFESSIONAL for years, but without asking me, Dropbox changed me to ESSENTIALS. 

 

 

Can someone please confirm if the ESSENTIALS plan should allow SmartSync and should show the sync status icons in the finder?

 

Thank you.

  • MLondon's avatar
    MLondon
    Helpful | Level 5
    3 years ago

    One other thing:

    In macOS Sonoma System Preferences>Extensions>Finder Extensions

    I am NOT Seeing the "Dropbox Finder Extension"

    This is despite uninstalling and re-installing Dropbox from the official link sent to me by Dropbox Tech support multiple times.

    How can I force the "Dropbox Finder Extension" to load?

    • Hannah's avatar
      Hannah
      Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
      3 years ago

      Thanks for bringing this to our attention, MLondon.

       

      Just to confirm, if you go to this page, do you have the 'Dropbox system extension' set to 'on'?

      • MLondon's avatar
        MLondon
        Helpful | Level 5
        3 years ago

        Hannah - Yes, Dropbox system extension is ON.

        Prior to my earlier post, I tried turning it OFF, Uninstalling Dropbox, reinstalling Dropbox and turning it back ON, but that did not help.

         

        I read from a previous user that they had problems due to a previous Beta version of the Dropbox app.

        Is there a "deep cleaning" script or other instructions to remove virtually all traces of the Dropbox application that may be preventing the installer (for some weird reason) to install the Dropbox Finder Extension?

         

        Also, for a decade or more, my Dropbox folder has been in ~/Dropbox

        I understand that the new, File Provider version (which I do NOT want to switch to), requires that the Dropbox folder be located in ~/Library/CloudStorage

        Is it possible that the current, NON-File Provider version of the app is also expecting this location?

         

        Regardless, this should not affect the installers failure to install the Dropbox Finder Extension

         

        Really hope this can get resolved ASAP so I can get back to productive work.

        Thank you

  • Hannah's avatar
    Hannah
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    3 years ago

    Hey MLondon, this is a thread that's a bit old, so some info might not be relevant any more.

     

    Is the Dropbox application working fine otherwise? Like, if you add a file to your Dropbox folder, does it sync to your account online?

     

    Can you also send me a screenshot of what you see when you right-click on a file or folder in your Dropbox folder?

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