Most of my files are showing as Zero bytes on desk top app

[RobWilkins]

Most of my files are showing as Zero bytes on desk top app and will not open – Why?

Mac OS Monterey 12.3.1

This problem has only started happening in the last couple of days. I've been happily working on files up till then. Now most of the files on my Dropbox App show as zero bytes and will not open. The files are definitely there on Dropbox.com and I can download them.
(Please see screenshots attached)

I have repaired permissions. Re installed the App from afresh and turned my iMac off and on again.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance. 😊

From Dropbox AppFrom Dropbox.com

Rob

[Mark · Accepted solution]

Are you using SmartSync? 

If so download them first and then they will open 🙂

[Mark L.41]

I have the same problem and I'm not using SmartSync for the folder in question.

I'm running Montrey 12.3.1 on a M1 Mac. I have recently updated Dropbox to the new M1 Client v147.3.4765

 

[boozbeatz]

I have the same problem. I'm using Mac Monterey 12.13.1 and my files are showing zero bytes. 

I followed another forum comment and went to dropbox preferences, selected Account help down the option key and selected fix permissions. It fixed some. Then when i opened the files they could open and the zero bytes restored to the file size. My problem is i have 60k files so its making life a bit fo a nightmare.

[GreyOwl54]

 Have you checked this (option) under Settings > General > Preferences?

I was unaware of it until just now, but it does seem to answer the point. (Apple MacStudio, M1 Max, Monterey 12.5)

[Trey H.]

Have have the same issue, and I Mark's (SuperUser) comment about SmartSync is not applicable/helpful (yet somehow it is listed as the "accepted solution".  Have have 50k+ files, and most are reading Zero bytes on the desktop.  Have reinstalled the Dropbox desktop app, un-sync'd and re-sync'd the files in question, restarted Dropbox, and restarted the Macbook.  Nothing.  Has never been the case before.  Incredibly frustrating.  Hard to believe that we havent had a Dropbox employee assist with this question thread.

[Trey H.]

I found a workaround of sorts that I will share now.  The end result is that my files still do not automatically sync offline to my desktop (though that is the setting), but at least now I can open them directly in Finder (something I was not able to do prior to this fix).

[Ananda13]

Just chiming in here to say I had the same problem and then I right-clicked the main folder (from my Mac) and selected "make available offline" and that seemed to fix the issue and now all the files are actually on my desktop too.