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Forum Discussion
I'm unable to rename a file after copying it from another sub-folder on my Mac.
Having this issue over the past several months. Saw another thread where others were having the same issue, but that thread was locked. I copy a file from one subfolder in Dropbox to another subfolder on my Sonoma 14.5 Mac, (Dropbox v199.4.6287) and then I can't rename the file. This doesn't happen every time, but has happened a couple of times in the last 4 months since Jan 2024, and may have started happening before that.
Other files in the same folder have the Dropbox Quick Actions context menu items when I right click on them. This file does not. I can open the file, change contents, and save, and that works. I can copy the file with a ctrl-c / cntrl-v in the same folder, and then the copy of the file appears to inherit the same problem, I can't rename it either. I can delete the file. A menu item "Do not sync" is not available in the right click menu for this specific file, although not in the Dropbox Quick Actions section of the right click menu.
If I quit the Dropbox app, still can't rename the file, start Dropbox back up, still can't rename the file. Force quitting the Finder, which then automatically restarts, all the finder windows ... does work! So letting others know this is a workaround for this problem rather than rebooting the whole computer, which also works. But this does appear to be a bug around something with file copying in Dropbox folders, unless it's a Mac OS level bug. I noticed after restarting the Finder that the little green circle with the check-box next to the filename is back, which wasn't showing before, so there was something going on with Dropbox integration with the finder perhaps.
- Nancy
Dropbox Staff
Hi Nathan S.16, and thanks for posting about this on our forum!
If the issue persists even after quitting the Dropbox app, then this may have to do with your Mac device indeed, rather than the Dropbox app. Let’s check a few things first, though.
First off, what happens exactly when trying to rename the file? Is the option missing from the context menu, or nothing happens/you receive an error?
Is this happening for specific types of files or files copied from a specific subfolder?
Have you tried renaming them via the Dropbox website? Does this work then?
Let me know what you find.
When this particular event happens, the file doesn't show up in the web version of Dropbox, since it is a new file and for some reason also won't sync to the cloud. The rename option is missing in the Finder context menu for this file.
- Megan
Hey Nathan S.16, you mentioned this isn't consistent and it happens with some files, while others aren't affected, right?
Do you think it'd be possible to trigger it, and send us a couple of screenshots, in order for us to have a visual too?
I also tend to believe this is linked to the OS, and not Dropbox directly, especially if the issue remains once the app is closed.
I have the same file renaming issue on Sonoma 14.5 using Dropbox v205.4.5765 which started maybe in the last couple months. It has never been an issue before but it is extremely aggravating and problematic. I hope there will be a bug fix soon.
SOLUTION: Mac OS Ventura -- I had to Restart the Finder and then the Rename option returned.
This has been an issue for me since Apple changed how cloud services work in Sonoma and moved the Dropbox location to ~/Library/CloudStorage. Never occurred before Sonoma.
Happens for me every now and then. Don't know what triggers it, something to do with frequent connecting/disconnecting to different networks "confuses" the OS is my hunch. I frequently change networks several times a day due to the nature of my work, often switching to tethering, often offline completely.
I do all my work out of Dropbox, and constantly rename files so it's a right pain.
I also have Box & Google Drive in ~Library/CloudStorage and haven't hit the same problem, but I only very occasionally use them.
Only way I've been able to fix it is to reboot, which costs me about five minutes of work each time and frequently isn't possible - I end up having to move files out of dropbox, rename them there, and then move them back in.
Very good to know from this thread I can resolve it by by restarting finder, but that's a workaround not a solution. It's not cost-free, I have ten to twenty tabs open at any given time so have to to setup that workspace again each time.
In terms of what happens: when I rename individual files I usually do it by selecting the file in the finder and pressing Return. Normally this opens the filename text box (wrong terminology but hopefully you know what I mean) with the filename selected and you can type in the new filename.
When the problem occurs, selecting a file and pressing Return does nothing.
Sorry meant to include that: Rename File does not appear in the context menu, along with various other things.
I’ll try to take a screenshot of the context menu next time and post it here.
I have the same problem. I create a PDF somewhere local on my machine. Then I copy it into a synced folder.
There the rename option is simply gone. Also hitting "Return" does not switch to rename mode. Annoying.I am also on macOS Sonoma 14.7.1
Dropbox for Mac: v214.4.5217
One way to workaround this, is to zip and unzip that file. Then I can rename it again.
- Walter
Hi there bitmonkey79 - thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Could you let us know if you get the same results when pausing the syncing process in the Dropbox desktop app and/or quitting it completely?
Thanks for the quick response :)
The result is the same in both cases.
Edit: Interestingly it starts to work correctly after restarting the dropbox app!
