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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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nikhil84, thanks for clarifying. So it sounds like the files are indexing, but you can't Cmd-double click to open the enclosing folder. Under Spotlight, does your file show in the "Photos From Apps" area? If so, if you Cmd-double click there, does it open the enclosing folder (pictured here)? This screenshot's from my system, but I have NOT upgraded to the latest Dropbox that moves the files into the /Cloudstorage folder.
Did this solve the other issue - where in the past you could user finder to search a subfolder on dropbox and it would only search that folder. Now 'dropbox' can't be search directly and only via "this mac" in Finder - and that searches all folders. If you have a key word search that hits thousands of files across the entire mac vs 4-5 hits in the right subfolder - its a BIG deal in time wasted.
Any thoughts on this particular curve ball dropbox and apple have provided?
(I've done all the re-indexing etc etc - this is a problem with dropbox folder structure being in /cloudstorage I fear...
Thanks!
- Megan
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi jat1971, thanks for taking the time to post here!
In regards to this search curve-ball as you mentioned, can you clarify the Dropbox version that you're using on your end?
You can find it, by locating your little Dropbox icon on your menu bar, next to your WiFi and hovering your mouse over it. Also, if you have any screenshots, feel free to attach them here, so we can have visual too.
Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!
Hi 171.4.6182
I tried to send this to dropbox yesterday - but the incident/case was now closed.
It says it all. This lack of coordination with Apple is just not good enough...
Thanks
Jamie
Hi Justin
Have to come back to you and say that the functionality of Finder with dropbox is just not possible to live with, and unless dropbox solve the issue I am going to have to ask for my fees back and I will migrate my team over to another service.
This is nothing to do with indexing etc. As things stand you can not go into a specific folder in dropbox and search using finder. The only function that has appeared is being able to search the entire mac hardrive. Like many I have millions of files, and folder structures to locate thousands of files with similar names and content key words. I need to be able to search a specific folder - otherwise I have wasted days accumulating key files into folders and then can not quickly find the file in question.
I've read lots online and the dropbox response has been in general a joke. At this time you don't have a product that works with mac computers and should be refunding clients. The only solution is to offer a way to move the location of dropbox back to its old location so that its treated like a real folder by finder OR solve the compatiblity issue with Apples new file system.
I can not lose hours per week trying to find things. Please escalate this as a formal complaint and a request for compensation and a refund.
Thanks
Jamie
- I’m wasting HOURS every day trying to MANUALLY find files in Dropbox. My productivity has literally been cut in HALF since Dropbox was moved to the new location. FIX. THIS. ISSUE.
Frankly, the fact it is taking Dropbox MONTHS to figure out how to incorporate their software into OSX's new file structure is pathetic. There have been zero issues with Google Drive and I am strongly considering ditching Dropbox for Google Drive, even if I prefer Dropbox's functionality.
Even though Apple's products mainly look pretty but are buggy as hell under the hood (Spotlight, Preview are fine examples of this), this seems to be a Dropbox problem, since Google Drive seems to have no problems with this.
Hey guys, just update to macos ventura 13.3 and it will work! My spotlight is now able to search files in google drive and dropbox and I am able to open them directly from spotlight! Cheers!
Nope - this is absolutely wrong. The problem of searching within specific folders is not solved by installing 13.3... Its important to read the details of the problem. If you have 100 files on your system to search then its fine if you search the entire harddrive each time.
If you have millions of files, and a folder structure to do sub-searches in then Dropbox have provided a complete joke of a system under the current Apple OS. Does anyone want to manually look through 100,000 files to locate the intended one - when a within subfolder in dropbox search searches just 100?
jat1971, this is working for me. I can open a subfolder within Dropbox and successfully search for something within only that subfolder, either by name or text content.
The thing that is not working for me is to bring up Dropbox items in the Finder search results context menu.
And the absolute marons at dropbox "help" just told me to re-index (you know the thing that removes 3TB of files from your HD and then re-downloads them all again rendering your workstation unstable and busy for 24hr) rather than listen to the fact that the files are indexed - they can be found, you just cant search within a specific folder - so you get all possible hits across your harddrive - a problem for many searches.....
Usualy denial and the audicity to quote apple "the change is intended to opptimise your experience". No if sodding well isnt'
When I asked for a refund for their recent screw up they explained how to cancel my subscription - what a group of irresponsible children they are - no sense of responsibility.
Maya was todays absolute loser btw.
