Trying to update Dropbox app - "Let your files finish syncing" error message

[EricSummerer]

Hi, currently running Dropbox app version 167.4.4719 on Mac OS Ventura 13.2.

Trying to update the dropbox app via the "Update to the latest version" banner in the menu bar. The process always interrupts, with the message "Couldn't Update Dropbox: Let your files finish syncing, then try again." I've interrupted syncing for the day in the dropdown, but still get the error message, with no other options beyond backing out of the installer.

I'm afraid to uninstall and reinstall, as the update alludes to moving folders around, and I don't know how that will be handled with a fresh install. Is there anything else I can try?

[EricSummerer]

Hovering the mouse over the Dropbox icon at the top of the screen displays:

Dropbox 167.4.4719

Syncing...

But no error messages.

[Hannah]

I see, thanks for checking!

Can you also make sure that Dropbox has full disk access?

[EricSummerer]

No, Dropbox did not have full disk access. I enabled that in settings, restarted the app, started the app again after my computer kernel panicked (which it seems to be doing more and more often when Dropbox has syncing active), and the software still won't update, saying that I need to finish syncing.

I've gone back to pausing syncing unless I'm actively transferring files via Dropbox, which seems to be fixing the hanging problem, but not the inability to update the app.

[Hannah]

How about these steps here, Eric? Do they help at all?

[EricSummerer]

It did... something? Fixing hardlinks and permissions as outlined in the doc resulted in the Dropbox app needing to sync several hundred items, but at least it was saying so in the lower corner of the app. "Syncing 741 items..."

Now, however, it's hanging on one specific .wav file in a client's folder, with no clear indication of progress, or an option to skip that file.

In addition, once I try to update the app and it doesn't work, the notification banner will often disappear, meaning that I can't try again. 

So, different, but not fixed.

[Hannah]

Thanks for trying, Eric!

What if you remove that files from your Dropbox folder, allow the app to finish and then add it back, does that work?

[EricSummerer]

Removing the offending file from the dropbox folder just brings me back to the "Syncing..." status in the lower corner of the app. No specifics or progress, and the same error message ("wait for dropbox to finish syncing") when I try to update the app.

[Jay]

Thanks for the info. In this case, I'd recommend contacting the support team for them to investigate this matter in more detail on their end.

[kleonard74]

I'm having the same issue. Has this been figured out yet?

[Walter]

Hey @kleonard74, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you please send us a screenshot of the app's exact status and version as shown in your menu bar/system tray at the moment?