Spotlight Search Doesn't Link to Files in Dropbox in macOS 13 Ventura

[dsnidey]

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??

[JoePL]

@VikasK, where exactly is the "opt out of Beta" option? 

[barbazul]

I don't see that option on mine. My version is: V169.4.5684

[ciro207]

This solution does not work for me. Re-indexing Spotlight does not work either.

I noticed one thing, which no one else has reported I think, if I click or do CMD+return on the "Photos from Apps" section everything works perfectly.

In all other sections, nothing....

When the Finder icon is next to the documents, nothing can be done. Sometimes which file has the specific icon and then it works

 

[WilsonSemilio]

The highlighted "solution" doesn't work. I followed the steps carefully but Spotlight still can't open SOME folders. They have the Finder icon and nothing happens when clicking them.... Dropbox has lost a HUGE amount of value for me now that I can't search and open the contents effectively anymore. When will this be fixed?

[planche]

You can revert it. 

1. Uncheck all your folders in selective sync. 
   1. Wait and check they are gone from computer
2. Unlink your Mac/log out in Dropbox app
3. Delete the Dropbox app.
4. Download Dropbox from their website again
5. Install like normally.
6. IGNORE THE UPDATE NOTIFICATION MENTIONED A COUPLE POSTS EARLIER

Works fine!

[alzy]

Dropbox please fix this issue ASAP, you are absolutely trashing your brand here.

I am running v169.4.5684 on OS X 13.2.1 (22D68). I experience the same problem everyone else does (when I search in Spotlight, I see the results with a Finder icon beside them, but clicking on them does nothing)

I have paid for Dropbox for almost a decade because it "just works". You need to make this "just work" yesterday. I am losing probably an hour a day for months to this bug, it's absolutely intolerable.

If you have pushed a breaking change that has borked the experience for large numbers of users, you should revert it. Telling your users "it's fixed" when it's not is completely unacceptable. Noting you can downgrade to an old version is not acceptable. Dropbox needs to fix this NOW.

[barbazul]

This solution does not work. After uninstalling everything Dropbox already installs on the new Mac default folder.

[kohji]

---

@kohji wrote:

Okay.

So this discussion here started in last November. So many users here have complained about the changes.
The only way available to get Dropbox work as it was previously is, to uninstall, reinstall, then “keep it from being upgraded to the version for Ventura”.

I guess Dropbox engineers will not want to fix this issue.
I (or we) just want Dropbox guys announce either of “we are aware of the issue and trying to fix it”, or “it's the new specification and you'll have to accept this behaviour”. However, after three months since this thread initially opened, there is no such announcement from Dropbox.

I think I'll have to switch from Dropbox to other service(s) very soon.

---

I found the nice alternative to Spotlight by chance - it's “Raycast”.

When properly configured (allowing access to Desktop/Downloads/Dropbox folders etc.), it will do what I really miss with the new Dropbox + Spotlight combination: searching filenames and file contents through Raycast, Command+return showing the enclosing folder, etc., even from inside the newly located Dropbox folder.

The only shortcoming of Raycast I noticed so far is, because it has so many features (provided by various extensions), you'll need one more step (pressing return) to do File Search. But with this one keypress, everything is back to normal for me.

 

 

[kohji]

---

When properly configured (allowing access to Desktop/Downloads/Dropbox folders etc.), it will do what I really miss with the new Dropbox + Spotlight combination: searching filenames and file contents through Raycast, Command+return showing the enclosing folder, etc., even from inside the newly located Dropbox folder. 

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While configuring initial “permissions” on Raycast, this dialog popped up.

So, I am wondering, if it would be macOS Ventura, not Dropbox, that should be fixed.

If Spotlight could have access to files and folders managed by Dropbox, Spotlight would easily search files and folders under ~/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox ...

[weiskott]

Just to add my two cents that this issue is incredibly frustrating, though it does affect all kinds of cloud storage apps so not sure we should be specifically mad at Dropbox for not having an instant reaction time to it. I'm more mad at Apple for not caring about the consequences of shifting the location of the files.

But I'm more particularly writing to say there is a different workaround than I've seen mentioned in this thread (well, the first and last couple of pages that I perused when doing a deep dive on this issue this afternoon). You can simply use the native search from within the Dropbox desktop app (taskbar icon > search icon). Yes, it is one more click; yes, it requires changing your behavior; but for now I have found this the most feasible thing. (With my box-checking personality, there's no way I can install an older version of Dropbox and bear the constant "do you want to update?" proddings.)