Dropbox is not searchable in Mac OS Monterey 12.0.1

[robinwn]

Dropbox files/folders are not searchable in spotlight on new MacBook Pro with M1 chip - Monterey OS 12.0.1. Have re-indexed spotlight. Have uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox and rebooted. Have made sure Dropbox has full access in Security and Privacy. Help please?

[Hannah]

Hey @bri_guy and @vmkirin, thanks for the additional info here.

Are you having this issue specifically with Spotlight search?

If so, there are a few reasons you might be experiencing issues with it.

Following the update where the Dropbox folder was moved to ~/Library/CloudStorage , Spotlight sometimes does not re-index the folder until after it is opened for the first time.

Could you try opening the Dropbox folder in Finder, and then allow a little time for indexing to take place before retrying Spotlight search?

Another reason is that the Spotlight index may need to be rebuilt, carry out the steps in this article.

Note: the article mentions the ‘Documents’ folder but you need to use the Dropbox folder instead.

If none of the above steps help, please let me know and we can take another look.

[ughnett]

I use CleanMyMac to re-index spotlight with a press of a button & Alfred to replace spotlight search / just some tips 🙂 both are super useful apps in general

[davidarden]

Glad to hear it!!

[davidarden]

Awesome!

[Nancy]

Hi @reno08, I hope you’re doing well. 

In case you haven’t tried this already, can you please give this solution a go and let me know if it helps at all?

[cinnil]

Exact same issue except im on monterey 12.6.1. and dropbox v161.4.4923.

Want to note that this only happened after the update where the Dropbox folder was moved to ~/Library/CloudStorage. It really messed up my workflow and I wish I could go back. If anyone knows how to undo that and move back in dropbox versions, that'd be great.

Additionally, have two issues:

1. Preview no longer works properly on files in dropbox, all files just shows as the dropbox logo in spotlight

2. Can no longer jump to the folder location with CMD+return on a file that is held inside dropbox. It will open the file as if you clicked on the file every time if the file is held in dropbox.

Lastly:

Tried Nancy's solution to reindex and it doesn't help. I reindexed and restarted multiple times. No difference.

Other issues are the same:

In Spotlight (cmd+space) :Searching for a file in the Dropbox folder *by name* works, but not *by content* (PDF files that should be indexed without a problem)

In Finder search : neither by name nor by content works in the Dropbox folder.

Elsewhere on the same volume is fine.
I have tried adding then removing the Dropbox folder to the Spotlight privacy exceptions list, that didn't help.

[Megan]

Hi @cinnil, how are you today?

Would it be okay if I reach out to you via email, in order for us to investigate further? 

Let me know!

[cinnil]

I'm well, thank you. Yes, please do. @Megan 

[Megan]

Hey @cinnil, just sent you an email!

I'll see you there. Cheers!

[Yojimboz]

Hi!

With the last Dropbox update on Mac the folder was moved (yes, you know) and now it sits in "Locations" section in Finder sidebar.

After this spotlight search have stopped working in Dropbox folder at all. 

I've tried rebuilding index but no luck.

Anybody has the same issue?