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Forum Discussion
Greg T.16
7 years agoHelpful | Level 5
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 "check-uncheck finder integration" (have uncheck, uninstalled, reinstalled, rechecked, too).
- Have unlinked account and relinked account.
- ForceQuit finder more times than I can remember.
- Have ForceQuit the Dropbox Finder Integration app.. every time b/f restarting or trying fresh install.
Menu options for local vs OnlineOnly are active and work. Just can't tell looking at any file/folder in Finder whether it is local or online only.
What am I missing?
OneDrive does this, no problem. Just about at my ropes end with DB.
- Hi Greg, as you’re on a Mac, you can check if a third-party application is causing this issue with the following steps:
- Save any files and quit ALL programs.
- Completely quit and close any third-party cloud service applications such as Google Drive, OneDrive, or others.
- Quit Dropbox:
- Relaunch Finder using the following steps:
- Click on the Apple icon in the top left of your screen
- Click on "force quit"
- Select Finder then click "Relaunch"
- 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.
121 Replies
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- vegarhoel3 years agoExplorer | Level 3
There are no issues with syncing, as far as I can tell. All content looks normal, except the missing icons.
- Megan3 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi vegarhoel, and you said you don't want to update just yet, which makes me assume that your Dropbox folder isn't located in ~/Library/CloudStorage, right?
Have you also followed these steps?
- vegarhoel3 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Ohmygod that worked! Thanks Megan 🙂
- Megan3 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Now that is what I like to hear (or read in our case) vegarhoel!
Always at your service if you need anything else! 😉
- MLondon3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
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.
- MLondon3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
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?
- MLondon3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
The Dropbox Finder Extension which is supposed to appear in MacOS under System Settings>Extensions>Finder Extensions is NOT showing up.
Therefore the Sync Status icons which are supposed to appear in a Finder window to indicate Sync Status are not showing up.
I have Uninstalled and Reinstalled Dropbox numerous times.
Running latest versions of Dropbox 187.4.5691 and MacOS 14.1.2
I am running Dropbox Essentials (having been automatically changed by Dropbox from Professional)
Grateful for any help.
- Hannah3 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
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'?
- MLondon3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
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
- MLondon3 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Also, to be clear, in the Dropbox Preferences window (accessed from the Menubar icon>Preferences, in the General tab, I am not seeing anything related to Smart Sync.
Mine looks like this:
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