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The Dropbox desktop app is stuck on starting on Mac OS
I can't get past the "starting..." stage on the DB app. I've uninstalled, cleared everything related to DB from my computer, downloaded fresh, installed again. Everything I can think of. Always, the menu bar icon stays gray and the pulldown shows "Starting..." I've let it sit for days, no luck.
I can get to my account via dropbox.com as usual. It's the app that's not working. I've unlinked the account and relinked it. I must be missing something. FWIW, this happens on both my Macbook Pros, a new M3 and an M1.
And I've read old messages about this problem... so, a new query. Ideas please?
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The existence of a beta is encouraging. It's ridiculous to ask us users to test it, though.
So 15.1 is out of beta. Just installed it this morning, and surprise surprise, Dropbox app still doesn't work. You'd think this would be a priority for them.
Dang it, I'm having this too. I see it on macOS Sonoma 14.7.2, Dropbox 215.4.7202. First Dropbox appeared to be up-to-date, except it did not upload my new files. Then I tried to pause and restart sync, at which point it said "Starting" forever. Then I quit the Dropbox app and restarted it, and now it says "Connecting components" forever.
I hate to go back to sneakernet, or NAS folders, or ....
Just noticed that the files themselves appear in Finder with a bang-inside-a-cloud icon which says "Couldn't communicate with a helper application."
Fixed for me by logging out and logging back in.
I believe these are the repro steps but since it involves an upgrade I can't repro:
- Update your macOS. In my case I updated from Sonoma something to Sonoma 14.7.2 (23H311)
- Login. Dropbox appears to be up-to-date but isn't per above. New files are in an error state, "Couldn't communicate with a helper application."
Still doesn't work for me. After numerous contacts with the support team (I've tried all their suggestions; all my software up-to-date on a new mac), I'm giving up. I don't have time to waste trying to solve a problem that should be theirs, not mine.
At one point, they declared my issue "solved." Declaring it so don't make it so.
At least I can get to my DB files through the web interface, which I need to do because my work team uses DB, apparently without issues. If I didn't need it for work, I would drop DB like a hot potato .
