Mac "Available offline" feature is not working.

[Stuart Mealor]

macOS Montery 12.3

MacBook Pro M1 Max, 2021

Dropbox is latest version for Mac: 152.4.4880

Dropbox is not sync'ing files correctly.

Under Sync, I have set "Available offline"

- like many others, I need all files locally, as I travel extensively, and frequently do not have internet access.

(I understand the option to have Online-only, and that's useful).

However, I need Dropbox to work as it always has, and keep a copy both on the Dropbox server, and my local Mac.

After testing, it appears the Dropbox application is NOT respecting the setting to make files "Available offline".

I have attached screenshots showing:

1. Dropbox version

2. Storage default set as "Available offline"

3. Finder showing that files are showing as Zero bytes, with the white cloud, indicating they are Online-only.

These files were sync'ed today using the Automatic camera uploads from my iPhone 12.

Yes, I can click on them and choose 'Make available offline' ... but that IS the default I have set !

This appears to mean setting the default to "Available offline" is not working.

Please advise?

 

 

[Hannah]

Hey @Stuart M.7, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Can you please check something? 

If you add a test file to your Dropbox using our website, instead of the Dropbox mobile app, does that one sync as available offline?

Also, what is the sync status of the Dropbox application at the moment? You can see that by hovering over the Dropbox icon in your menu bar with your mouse.

Keep me posted.

[Stuart Mealor]

Hello Hannah

Many thanks for your reply.

1. I have tested your suggestion.

I created a text document, and uploaded it directly to the Dropbox site.

It does not sync to the Mac.

I have attached a screenshot to verify this.

2. The sync status of the Dropbox app on the Mac is "Up to date"

Screenshot also attached.

Both the above indicate the problem is not with the Camera upload, but with the App or Dropbox sync, that is not respecting the setting to make all files "Available offline".

I am happy to continue working on this with you and trouble-shooting (I am an IT professional).

[Hannah]

Thanks for that, Stuart, I appreciate you doing this. I'd like to ask you to run just another test, if you can.

Is it possible that the parent folder the files are added to, is currently set to "online-only"?

If so, can you right click on it, and make it "available offline" and then add a test file again, to see if this time it syncs as "available offline"?

[Stuart Mealor]

Hello

I have never made any folders online-only.

Here is a screenshot.

Question: The pop-up menu show the two options: Make online-only, and Make available offline.

However, these do not indicate which option is currently set ?

How do you verify which setting is currently applied to that Folder ?

 

[Hannah]

Thanks for the screenshot, Stuart.

I do see the "available" icon on your camera uploads folder on the right.

You can read more about the "available" icon and the rest of the sync icons here.

If you actually click on the "make available offline" option and then add a file, what's the behavior you see?

[Stuart Mealor · Accepted solution]

I decided to go through all folders within my local Dropbox folder, and set them all to Offline.

This didn't work immediately, but after a number of sync's it appears to now be respecting the Offline defaults.

I have verified this on two local Mac installations.

I wil continue to monitor for any behaviour that is not respecting the default, or folder settings for Offline files.