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Solved
Spotlight Search Doesn't Link to Files in Dropbox in macOS 13 Ventura
After upgrading to macOS Ventura, I was prompted to upgrade to "Dropbox for macOS 12". I proceeded with that, it moved my Dropbox folder to ~/Library/CloudStorage and confirmed all was successful. Now when using Spotlight to search (I often type something like 'drawings folder' to open a folder called Drawings) the results in Spotlight show the Dropbox app icon beside the name of the item I want (rather than a Finder icon for folder or file). Hitting Enter or clicking on the result switches to Finder and does nothing, or sometimes will open the Applications folder and show the Dropbox app. It's not linking me to the actual file in ~/Library/CloudStorage.
I have done the following and the problem is not solved:
- Restarted
- Ensured all files are available for offline access
- Rebuilt the spotlight index
- Unlinked Dropbox from this Mac, did a complete clean install of dropbox, performed the upgrade to v159.4.5870 and synced just one folder to begin
Nothing works. Any suggestions??
- That’s the same problem I had. I solved it by doing a complete clean install of dropbox. You may not need to do all of this, but to be safe, in Dropbox settings Selective Sync uncheck all of your folders and wait for them to be removed from your Mac. Once that’s done, unlink your Mac from Dropbox preferences. You should see the Dropbox getting started screen. Quit Dropbox and move the app to the Trash. Remove all dropbox files from ~/Library being careful to look at the path name. Only remove things that are within a Dropbox parent folder. Look in library application support, and library preferences. Empty the Trash. Restart your Mac. Reinstall Dropbox from dropbox.com. Once reinstalled, to make things faster sync only one small folder and wait for the prompt that new Dropbox for macOS 12 is available. You should see the message within a few minutes of reinstalling Dropbox. Allow it to upgrade and migrate your files to the new location. Once that’s done you can then sync all your folders. Let your Mac index itself and the problem should be solved.
- Megan
Dropbox Staff
Hey dsnidey, thanks for posting here!
Could you confirm the version of the Dropbox desktop application you're running? You can do this by hovering your mouse over the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar.
Is the app showing 'up to date' or is it still syncing in you menu bar?
Also, feel free to try and quit the Dropbox desktop application and then search for the files again in Finder.
Keep me posted!
Hi, I'm running 160.4.4703. After a clean install and allowing all files to download locally and finish syncing it now seems to be working for the most part. There are some folders that still show in spotlight search results with a Dropbox icon rather than a folder icon, even though their parent folders are set to be available offline. All icons show everything is up to date. Any ideas? Yes quitting dropbox solves the problem but that is not a viable solution...
Same problem here.
I can see Dropbox files in the Spotlight search, but when clicking on them nothing happens.
Dropbox version is v 160.4.4703
I'm having the exact same issue, and I have tried all the solutions offered in this 5-page thread. Nothing works. This makes Dropbox non-functional for me! Please add me to the ticket. I am running the newest version of Dropbox and OS Ventura 13.0.1.
I previously requested being added to the open ticket for this, but so far I haven't been. This issue makes Dropbox nearly useless to me. Unless this is fixed or addressed soon, I will no longer be using Dropbox.
Hi, like I wrote before, a newest Dropbox update broke my Spotlight completely. So I installed Dropbox again like I described and it worked again perfectly. Dropbox asked me again to migrate the data, because otherwise I "wont be able" to use the all functionality with my macOS 13.1. But it still worked very well. Hm...I thought I wont do it, because it was possibly a reason why my Spotlight didn't work any more. But after I got an email from Dropbox encouraging me to accept the update, I thought, probably Dropbox team did some corrections and this time I will succeed. For my huge disappointment - the same procedure, the same result.
I would recommend everybody - DO NOT accept a Dropbox request to update to a newest version and to move your data to user/CloudStorage location as it brakes a Spotlight search o my mac system completely! Here are 2 screenshots:
If you go forward with it, your Spotlight wont work properly any more:
Trying to search for Bartok pieces on my Dropbox. No Preview (just seldom slim Finder icons), cannot open any file, not possible to locat a file with Control click:
Hi!
I'm update dropbox to latest version and now I have annoying isssue.
When I search something in spotlight search it finds it but I cant open folders, when I click on folders that find in dorpbox nothing happening.
Can somebody help me please 🙂
- Walter
Hey Guntis1111, sorry to hear about this.
Can you let us know the version and exact status of the desktop app installed on your computer as shown in your menu bar?
If you could also send us a screenshot of how it looks on your end when you do this, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks!
I have Mac OS
Dropbox version
When try to open this folders what spotlight found nothing hepens.
I'll be very grateful if you help solve the problem because it is very disturbing to work.
I got the same problem.
- Walter
Thanks for the additional information Guntis1111 and sorry to hear you're also having issues with this ulba
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. You can simply open the Dropbox folder in Finder (it should be under Locations in the left sidebar), allow a little time for indexing to take place then retry the Spotlight search.
Another reason is that the Spotlight index may need to be rebuilt, carry out the steps in this article. Note that the article mentions the Documents folder but you need to use the Dropbox folder instead.
If none of the above steps help, please let us know and we can investigate further.
- This issue occurs on Mac OS Ventura (v 13.0.1) and I'm a Dropbox Basic user.
- Basically if you search for a dropbox folder (e.g. "2 Real Estate") as seen in the below screenshots, it appears in spotlight search but when you actually select the folder to quickly access it, nothing happens.
- This issue only applies to dropbox folders not the files or items within them so if I searched for a specific PDF within the "2 Real Estate" folder, I am able to open it via Spotlight search. However, obviously we tend to search for folders rather than specific items and not being able to open folders is really frustrating.
- Note - I started experiencing this issue only after some Dropbox setting update (which moved location within Ventura). Oddly enough, previously, the Dropbox folders I search would have the typical Apple Folder Icon beside them when displayed in Spotlight Search as opposed to the Dropbox Icon beside the folder (which you see above) so that might provide a clue to people.
- So far I've restarted my Mac, Quit & relaunched Dropbox, Signed out & Signed in but none of these have resolved the issue.
Any help here would be greatly appreciated.
- I’ve noticed that Google Drive uses the new macOS cloud storage system, but just uses a symlink back to its folder in the user’s home folder. Possibly as a workaround for this issue?
Hi, the same issue here. As Dropbox destination to save all the data was moved within Ventura to /Users/mp/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox, Spotlight doesn't work any more properly. All the files I am working with each day are showed in a search, but there is a very thin Finder icon on the right side and these files cannot be opened, previewed or opened with +CTRL (if you would like to find where this file is saved). New start doesn't solve a problem. New index as well. Very frustrating!
- This issue occurs on Mac OS Ventura (v 13.0.1) and I'm a Dropbox Basic user.
Hi! After the update, all Dropbox files were moved to the Cloud Files folder. [/Users/username/Library/CloudStorage/Dropbox] The Spotlight search function has not worked since then. Or it works, but doesn't open the file. What is the solution to this? Thanks!
After the latest Dropbox update, I'm no longer able to open Dropbox files directly from Spotlight (macOS's file search function). I know this is due to a Dropbox issue because I can still open other files using Spotlight as long as they're saved locally, like on the Desktop.
What workarounds are there? Can I revert back to an old Dropbox version? This is a pretty significant QoL issue for my Dropbox usage
Thanks - I'm using v163.4.5456.
See attached screenshot for what I'm talking about. Generally, I can able to open files by using cmd-SPACE to search and then the arrow keys and ENTER to select and open a file. I can still do this for files not saved in the Dropbox folder, but not for files in Dropbox.
You can actually see in the screenshot which files are in the Dropbox folder versus which ones are not: if it's in Dropbox, the document icon is the Finder icon -- if it's not saved in Dropbox, the file icon displays normally. I believe this indicates some sort of permission-ing issue at the heart of this.
I am testing dropbox at the moment and wanted to go for the paid version. After finding out that Finder search for dropbox isn't working (see article here https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes) and tests I have done, I think I will leave that for now.
Applications like Alfred and Houdahspot work with the changes caused by Ventura. It is a clear message from dropbox that there is no priority for supporting dropbox on Mac OS when you see small software companies manage to solve the issue and dropbox just writes an article that it doesn't work.
Hi,
After Dropbox upgrade I could not find any file in Dropbox folder in finder.
When I search for files with Spotlight that are in my Dropbox folder, Spotlight correctly shows files that are in my Dropbox folders, but when I click on such files, nothing happens. Looking at the corresponding file in the Dropbox folder from Finder, I can see an icon from Dropbox: hovering over that icon, I see the message "couldn't communicate with a helper application". This happens both for files that are "online only" and for files that have already been downloaded (or set as "offline". I'm pretty sure that's been happening since the update to Ventura 13.1 (22C65).
If I simply double click on a file in a Dropbox folder from Finder, I can open that file (if it's offline, Dropbox first downloads the file).
- Hannah
Thanks for reporting this, lorebett.
Can you try to rebuild the Spotlight index, to see if that helps at all?
Same problem here on Ventura. All iWork documents are broken in Spotlight and the new Silicon Dropbox. Rebuild Spotlight doesn't help.
Another problem is that Dropbox does not automatically download the files. That's just annoying.
Hi, I recently did the new OSX upgrade, running Ventura, and reindexed spotlight to locate the moved files. It does see them in the search, but when I click on a folder (which has a dropbox logo now) it doesn't open. Nothing happens. However, if I click a file, that opens. I use the spotlight to locate folders dozens of times a day because I have no idea of the individual file names, so naturally, this is quite frustrating. Does anyone else have (or had) this issue?
ThanksI have been using Dropbox for a while and it used to work fine. But more recently I have noticed that I cam unable to open an excel file right from the spotlight search in Mac. I have to open excel and find that file and then open it or go to the folder where the file is and open it. Does anyone know how to enable spotlight search in mac to find a excel file and open it in excel when pressed enter?
