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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. Now when using Spotlight to search (I often type something like 'drawings folder' to open a folder called Drawings) the results in Spotlight show the Dropbox app icon beside the name of the item I want (rather than a Finder icon for folder or file). Hitting Enter or clicking on the result switches to Finder and does nothing, or sometimes will open the Applications folder and show the Dropbox app. It's not linking me to the actual file in ~/Library/CloudStorage.
I have done the following and the problem is not solved:
- Restarted
- Ensured all files are available for offline access
- Rebuilt the spotlight index
- Unlinked Dropbox from this Mac, did a complete clean install of dropbox, performed the upgrade to v159.4.5870 and synced just one folder to begin
Nothing works. Any suggestions??
- 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.
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You "did this yesterday and it still works"? What about when your files change? Spotlight will not be aware of the changes. And what if you have more storage on Dropbox than your computer can hold (when you put everything temporarily on the hard drive)? Thank you for a useful solution -- but I do not see it as a long-term one.
Can you explain the steps to do this...so that I will be able to search again....I dont see how to do this??
Can you explain the steps to stop Spotlight from searching Dropbox? I dont get it...
You have to go to System preferences \ Siri & Spotlight then click the button on the bottom "Spotlight privacy" and had the folder Users\youruser\Library\Cloudstorage. Unfortunately this fix will not work for everybody, I did it once with no success.
The other way downgrading your dropbox app to the older version, which fixed completely for me.
Here are the steps to do that:
1. Log out on the dropbox app on the mac.
2. Uninstall dropbox app. I used AppCleaner to remove all, but had to go to manually delete the old Dropbox folder , located on Users\youruser\Library\Cloudstorage. (this library is hidden on your user folder, click Command+Shift+Dot )
3. Restart
4. Make a new install of dropbox, and the most important, don't do the update dropbox to the latest version , you will get a notification just live it there.
If you do this update , all the files will be moved again to the Library\Cloudstorage and Spotlight will not indexed them correctly after that.
The issue is with spotlight , that can't index correctly the files located on the Cloudstorage.
hope this help!
Exrtremely risky! I will have to take the time to copy all files to an external disk. Not when workin 70 hours a week. Spoiled dropbox, I really despise when "big bother" mandates me to do things I don't want "for my own safety". Don't thread on me Dropbox, I will search for a better app, after being one of the early adoptes....
Well described. Dropbox became useless, not Spotlight though..... Let's blame it to the right culprit. What pisses me off is that the upgrade and move to Library was mandatory and irreversible.
Totally agree. And being worse than One Drive takes a real effort! 🙂
Megan, thanks for skirting the real problem. Don't you think 4 weeks is enough to reindex a folder? You totally ruined Dropobx and trampled with my trust. What was it mandatory and irreversible, to start with. I would not even like an answer. I am searching for a better application.
What I do not really understand - there is no clear statement from Dropbox Team side - something like - please do not update, there is a buggy update, it will brake your system, we work on that hardly, we will inform you asap. Instead of that each new person coming to this forum with the same issue will be asked to experiment, reindex etc..I did it 4 times, and?
Dear Dropbox team, what do you expect? Do you really believe if it doesn't work on 20 machines, will it work on 21th? Please deactivate this update notification to avoid a further frustration of your customers. And once really solved, please notify your users again.
It is reversible. Just sign out, deinstall, download, install again and sync. And do not update again! There is still possible to use Dropbox in a way we used to...
