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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.
My old method of searching from the top right search bar brings up the usual...Search: This Mac "Dropbox". When I select Dropbox, no files appear. Before Ventura (or before OS 13), the Search always worked for Dropbox files. Please help. Thank you!
- Mark
Super User II
This is the known, and expected, behaviour I'm afraid.
https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes
Thank you for the link.
I am baffled by why it says under the row "Searching through Finder won’t find all content in your Dropbox folder [but] Search using Spotlight isn’t affected."
Unless I am misunderstanding, CMD F or Spotlight bring up the same "Search" box whether from Desktop or Finder. And, once I enter a search word, the results are always the same from Dropbox...nothing (when I clearly have many files). To me, that means Spotlight is affected!
Is there any email (or phone number?) to contact someone in IT at Dropbox instead of putting this burden on good samaritans like yourself to help with these questions and where we can offer suggestions for change?
It's funny after 4 months Ben (if I remember right) from Dropbox Team wrote here finally. Everything is solved with 13.3 but if you do have problems, please contact. Yes and I do have problem. And I wrote again. If I do an update, nothing happens - my Dropbox stays on an old version and I will be requested to update again and again. I did it 2 times. Another 4 months to wait? Im totally curious how Dropbox support works...If it works at all..
Hi,
Does anyone have same problem?
I upgraded to macOS Ventura 13.1 on December 2022 then I found that
Spotlight can't search online-only files contents (ex. text, tags, comments, URLs).
Why? I'm in a lot of trouble about this.
Is this a technical specification change?
Is this related to Dropbox folder's location change to ~/Library/CloudStrage/ directory on Apple Silicon Macs?
This happened only on Apple Silicon Mac.
I still can search online-only files contents on Intel iMac.
MacBook Air 13.3 inch M1 2020
macOS Ventura 13.1Dropbox 166.3.2847
After these struggle, Dropbox folder location has changed AGAIN.
I didn’t realized that alias linked to the old Dropbox archive.
But it’s good for me that I can choose the default folder location.
Well.
The worst thing is this change doesn’t contribute for the contents search issue.
Same here - the documents inside the new Dropbox folder will be listed in the Spotlight search result, but won't open (by pressing return) nor won't display (by Command-regurn). Uninstalling / reinstalling won't help.
Interestingly enough, Spotlight won't show up the document inside the new Dropbox folder, but it will show up the "folder" inside the new Dropbox folder.
Dropbox please fix this! This is a deal-breaker issue.
Dropbox version 166.4.2920
The new Dropbox (files moved to Cloud) the MacOS Spotlight search in Finder "Search by current folder" option does not yield any results - when switched back to global spotlight search it yields results as expected. Bug in new system architecture?
- Megan
Dropbox Staff
Hi dominic k.2, happy February 2nd!
Can you try out the steps my colleague provided here, and let me know if this worked out for you?
In case this made no difference, feel free to send me a couple of screenshots, demonstrating what you see on your end.
Keep me posted!
Please read the above messages. We are able to get db searchable by adding it to the privacy list, however we are unable to open the files in finder...only open the files directly.
dominic k.2 wrote:The new Dropbox (files moved to Cloud) the MacOS Spotlight search in Finder "Search by current folder" option does not yield any results - when switched back to global spotlight search it yields results as expected. Bug in new system architecture?
I am seeing this as well. My default search is "Search the Current Folder" so I noticed this bug right away
I'm having the same problem. I tried the fixes recommeded by Dropbox folk, but with no luck.
Here is a screenshot:
Same problem here (Mac M1 Mini, Ventura 13.1). My workaround for now is to scroll to the bottom of the Spotlight window, select "Search in Finder", and open the file from the resulting Finder window. (My files are all available offline (on my SSD); I don't know if this will work for online-only files.)
Spotlight customer service has been terrible on this issue. I assume they're working on a fix, but it's only an assumption, because there's been no serious communication with their customers (paying or otherwise.)
- there's no serious communication with customers. And I do not expect there will be some…Dropbox Team just closed the door and is not going to accept there is an huge issue… Such a pity for such a great company…
Hi, I have a problem with Dropbox app on MAC - M1 - after typing desired file in Spotlight it shows me the desired file name but with Finder icon next to it, instead of icon for pdf or doc file, when I click on file to open it, nothing happens. To view the file I need to go to "Search in Finder" then I can access them. I cant go directly from Spotlight and open a file. Tried to run Mac in safe mode and there is no problem with spotlight then, uninistaled the dropbox and all was fine. My OS is Ventura 13.2
- Megan
Hi jotemel, how are you today?
I merged your post under this thread, since others had expressed the same inquiry, and I want to keep everything at the same place.
Could you clarify the Dropbox version that you have installed on your device?
Feel free to have a look at what others have suggested, and all the troubleshooting steps mentioned, and let me know how it goes.
Thank you!
My Dropbox version is v167.4.4719
I started a support ticket yesterday with a detailed explanation and also pointed the support team to this thread.
Today I got an email from support saying, "Thank you for alerting us to this problem. Dropbox engineers are aware of the problem and are working on a solution."
Sure hope it doesn't take long for them to fix. This bug is causing me to lose anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes each and every day with the insane productivity slowdowns it is causing me. I'm really close to canceling my Dropbox subscription of more than 10 years and finding another solution.
- Be sure it will take time. They are working on that since December…
I have the same issue. Tried a complete uninstall, deleted the folders, reinstalled. Same issue.
Spotlight will find the file but cannot open it.
colinkj wrote:
I started a support ticket yesterday with a detailed explanation and also pointed the support team to this thread.
Today I got an email from support saying, "Thank you for alerting us to this problem. Dropbox engineers are aware of the problem and are working on a solution."
Sure hope it doesn't take long for them to fix. This bug is causing me to lose anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes each and every day with the insane productivity slowdowns it is causing me. I'm really close to canceling my Dropbox subscription of more than 10 years and finding another solution.
This is the very same email I received from the support several weeks ago.Obviously other people here who previously submitted similar support tickets have got the same email.
It is a copy/paste email...
Dropbox please fix this issue ASAP, you are absolutely trashing your brand here.
I am running v169.4.5684 on OS X 13.2.1 (22D68). I experience the same problem everyone else does (when I search in Spotlight, I see the results with a Finder icon beside them, but clicking on them does nothing)
I have paid for Dropbox for almost a decade because it "just works". You need to make this "just work" yesterday. I am losing probably an hour a day for months to this bug, it's absolutely intolerable.
If you have pushed a breaking change that has borked the experience for large numbers of users, you should revert it. Telling your users "it's fixed" when it's not is completely unacceptable. Noting you can downgrade to an old version is not acceptable. Dropbox needs to fix this NOW.
