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Forum Discussion
MacOS Finder - how can I add Dropbox back to the sidebar?
Before I upgraded to Catalina (MacOS 10.15.5), Dropbox appeared under my favorites in the sidebar of Finder. After the upgrade, it was gone. I've searched many threads where this is apparently a common issue but the solutions appear to be for earlier versions of MacOS as the view I am seeing under Catalina does not match the solutions. I understand folders can be dragged to the sidebar. The problem is, I am not seeing the folder on the right, in order to drag it into the sidebar. I tried the "go to folder" but it only navigates to the files within the folder - it never shows a folder labeled Dropbox. I have the Dropbox App installed but it isn't helpful either as when I click on it, it opens a Dropbox window that, again, shows the files I have stored there. I want to be able to easily move files to Dropbox or access them to attach to an email, as I could before I "upgraded" to Catalina (which is starting to feel distinctly like a downgrade).
Thank you so much for getting back with me! After I inquired I contacted Apple support. When they could not help me, I came back to the Dropbox help community and continued reading. Another individual was having the same problem and discovered that Dropbox was in another location in the MacOS Finder. I looked in that same location, but did not find it. However, I decided to just keep looking and discovered that it was located in my MacOS Finder under "Network". I have no idea how it ended up there, but was able to successfully return it to its original location in my Finder Sidebar.
Again, thank you for reaching out; and thank you for providing this forum from which we can get answers. Even though it was somewhat indirectly, I was able to fix the issue because of Dropbox Community.
Blessings,
Tim
If your Dropbox folder is missing from Finder after upgrading to Catalina, it’s likely due to changes in how macOS handles cloud integrations. You can try adding it back manually by dragging the Dropbox folder to the sidebar, but if it’s not showing up at all, you might consider using CloudMounter. It integrates cloud storage directly into Finder and allows you to mount Dropbox and other cloud drives as if they were local disks. This makes accessing and managing your files seamless, without worrying about missing folders or Finder glitches.
I've just uploaded the latest ISO from Apple and have lost Dropbox out of my favourites and can't find a way of putting it back. Is there a simple route to take to reinstate it or do I have to delete and reinstall the App?
argghhh I hate computers sometimes!
- Nancy
Dropbox Staff
Hey Nick555!
It sounds like you installed the latest Dropbox update for macOS, which should move the Dropbox folder from Favorites to Locations in your Finder.
Can you please double check your Locations, and let me know if you can see it there?
I'm struggling with the same issue. I tried the steps you outlined - 1) Go 2) Home 3) Drag it over - and that horizontal line that tells you where the file is going to be placed never showed up. It acted like it was going to let me place it within a Location (Desktop, Downloads, etc.). I tried dragging back over to where it lived in Home so I didn't accidentally place it somewhere else and of course my finger came off the trackpad. So it moved and I had no idea where. I did a simple Command+Z to undo it and it showed back up under Home, but now it's an alias that won't open. I didn't do anything else, so I have no idea what to do at this point. I tried moving the alias to see if the horizontal line showed up for it, and it did not.
Here's a screenshot of what my Home location looks like. You can see Dropbox is an alias now. I've also included the error message I get when I try to open it.
Help! I just want my Dropbox back in my sidebar. This is so frustrating.
- Daphne
Hello Auskan, I hope you're well today!
So that you can drag the Dropbox folder into your Finder's sidebar, please try the steps below:
- Open your Finder window.
- Choose "Go" from the menu bar in the top right of your screen.
- From the menu, choose "Home".
From here, you can see the Dropbox folder in order to drag it into the sidebar.
Let me know how it goes!
I have done as you recommended and it does not work. I have also contacted Apple customer service and used Screen Sharing to allow them to shoe me what to do, and it will not work. I've had Dropbox in my Finder sidebar for years and somehow inadvertently removed it. I then had Dropbox Copy (that is the name automatically given to my it when I was able to put it back into my sidebar). However, when I removed DC in hopes of placing the original (the icon of which had somehow ended up on my desktop), nothing has worked. Any help in succeeding to get my Dropbox app back in my Finder Sidebar is appreciated.
- Walter
Hey TRKelley01, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.
Can you please send us a screenshot of how this looks on your end so that we can have a visual too?
Also, what is the desktop app's exact version and status as shown in your menu bar at the moment?
thank you!
This did not work for me. Whenever I click on the Dropbox icon, it pops up a folder. Help!
