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Spotlight Search Doesn't Link to Files in Dropbox in macOS 13 Ventura
After upgrading to macOS Ventura, I was prompted to upgrade to "Dropbox for macOS 12". I proceeded with that, it moved my Dropbox folder to ~/Library/CloudStorage and confirmed all was successful. No...
- That’s the same problem I had. I solved it by doing a complete clean install of dropbox. You may not need to do all of this, but to be safe, in Dropbox settings Selective Sync uncheck all of your folders and wait for them to be removed from your Mac. Once that’s done, unlink your Mac from Dropbox preferences. You should see the Dropbox getting started screen. Quit Dropbox and move the app to the Trash. Remove all dropbox files from ~/Library being careful to look at the path name. Only remove things that are within a Dropbox parent folder. Look in library application support, and library preferences. Empty the Trash. Restart your Mac. Reinstall Dropbox from dropbox.com. Once reinstalled, to make things faster sync only one small folder and wait for the prompt that new Dropbox for macOS 12 is available. You should see the message within a few minutes of reinstalling Dropbox. Allow it to upgrade and migrate your files to the new location. Once that’s done you can then sync all your folders. Let your Mac index itself and the problem should be solved.
JoePL wrote:As far as I'm aware, MacOS 13.3 isn't available yet, which wasn't clear in the Dropbox support response.
macOS 13.3 RC (Release Candidate) has been available for developers since Wednesday.
Here, it seems like the version fixes the issue that Spotlight won't index files and folders under ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox/ .
Yes, as I mentioned, the Dropbox support rep suggested 13.3 fixes the Spotlight issue. Curious to hear if you or anyone can confirm Spotlight + /Cloudstorage/ folder indexing is now working correctly?
JoePL wrote:Yes, as I mentioned, the Dropbox support rep suggested 13.3 fixes the Spotlight issue. Curious to hear if you or anyone can confirm Spotlight + /Cloudstorage/ folder indexing is now working correctly?
On 13.3 RC (22E252), I have confirmed it by the following steps:
- Making sure I have the newest Dropbox v170.4.5895, from "General" - "About Dropbox"
- Making sure my Dropbox folder is located as ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox, and ~/Dropbox is now a symbolic link to that
- Making sure that there is no Finder window currently opening a folder under the Dropbox folder
- Making sure the whole Spotlight index is deleted and rebuilt, by issuing the command sudo mdutil -E /
and I can say it perfectly operates with Spotlight + (new location version of ) Dropbox, just like it did in the pre-Ventura years.
I guess the 13.3 Final will be released within a week or two.
Could you confirm please that under 13.3 there is possible to lokate file or folder with control + click direkt from spotlight search? Thank you in advance
kohji, thanks for outlining your steps below . . .
- Making sure I have the newest Dropbox v170.4.5895, from "General" - "About Dropbox"
- Making sure my Dropbox folder is located as ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox, and ~/Dropbox is now a symbolic link to that
- Making sure that there is no Finder window currently opening a folder under the Dropbox folder
- Making sure the whole Spotlight index is deleted and rebuilt, by issuing the command sudo mdutil -E /
On step 2, could you clarify how to make ~/Dropbox a symbolic link?
JoePL wrote:On step 2, could you clarify how to make ~/Dropbox a symbolic link?
There are several ways to confirm this:
(1) to see the Finder showing the icon of symlink (or what is called “alias” in old way) like this:
(2) to see the "Get Info" (“symbolic link” in UNIX and Linux can be regarded as “Alias” in the macOS world):
(3) or to see in the terminal like this (the leftmost “l” denotes symbolic link):
For those who were waiting for it macOS Ventura 13.3 has been released.
Fingers crossed all is good after this update.
Will report back when I get time to do the update.
It's fixed! Euge!
BenDBXCommunity Manager
Hi Everybody,
We expect this issue to be resolved with macOS 13.3. Thanks for reporting back that updating to 13.3 has provided resolution MikeCTZA and reformedtexan
We don't expect this problem to persist, but if anybody continues to experience it, please don't hesitate to let us know!
Regards,
Ben
Fixed! I just updated to macOS 13.3 Ventura and can search and open all files from Spotlight Search. Woohoo! FINALLY!!!
Hi Ben, experimenting with Dropbox team together I was upgrading 4 times and all of them was unsuccessful. Thats why I would like to ask you about an extra confirmation, that a new Dropbox version on a new Ventura 13.3 is able to open files or folders "in place" by pressing Cmd+Enter directly from the Spotlight search. I mean not to open a file it self, but to show a location where it was saved. It's is my daily workflow and the old version still works fine. Please let me (us) know
Thank you very much. I will try😊
Rijak ThePlanner, can you confirm Spotlight indeed works if you fully upgrade and enable the Dropbox files to be stored in the ~/CloudStorage/ folder?
I did an upgrade and it works! Everything works just fine on Ventura 13.3. But...my data was NOT MOVED as an assistant was telling me..And Dropbox location wasn't changed. 😊 Does it mean Dropbox team have decided to leave an old version finally like it was? Any way - it works and there is no upgrade request any more!
After updating to Ventura OS 13.3 it is working again. In the end it was a permission issue after all.
The first time you try to access a file, dropbox will now ask you if you allow the app to access dropbox files.
I do not really understand how it was "solved" again!!!!! - I did this last Dropbox update already second time on 13.3, it goes well, but after all I do have an old version again. Files are not moved. And after a while I will be asked to update again! What a...f..?
v170.4.5895.
