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Forum Discussion
Why are some of my Dropbox files not showing in File Explorer (Windows)?
I can view and access files via my phone and via dropbox online, but some files are not visible in Windows Explorer (Win 10).
The strange thing is that the files are actually there; If I open excel...
Is it possible that the files are hidden in your system? Can you please turn on the Windows explorer settings to show hidden files?
In order to do that go Windows Explorer >> View >> Options >> Change folder and search options.
In the next window, Click View > and toggle the button to show hidden files:
Is the files visible now in Windows Explorer?
Hi Richard, can you please launch your Dropbox folder, and check if the files are there? Please click the Dropbox icon in your windows tray, then click the folder icon, it will take you to the Dropbox folder. Do you see the files there?
Also, in the Excel program do you see the file path in the recent files list?
If you browse that folder in Windows explorer, do you see the file?
Thank you for your response.
If I click the dropbox icon and then the folder icon, the file is not visible.
In Excel, the file name and path appear correctly in the recent files list (and opens correctly if selected).
In Excel, if I click Open > Browse and select the folder, the file is not visible. If I type the correct file name and click the "open" button, the file opens correctly.
If I browse the folder in Windows explorer the file is not visible.
Is it possible that the files are hidden in your system? Can you please turn on the Windows explorer settings to show hidden files?
In order to do that go Windows Explorer >> View >> Options >> Change folder and search options.
In the next window, Click View > and toggle the button to show hidden files:
Is the files visible now in Windows Explorer?
Bingo! The files were set as Hidden.
No idea why, or how this could have happened. I was working on several files at the same time, yet only some saved as hidden, and I definitely didn't intend for anything to be hidden, so now I have to figure out what on earth was going on.
Thanks for your help.
I have what sounds like the exact same issue though I don't think it's Dropbox with the issue. I also have XYplorer, and everything shows up in there just fine. I'll put money on the latest Windows 10 update being the culprit.
Hidden files setting solved it for me - thanks for clear printscreens above!!!!
I have a similar problem but it's not invisible and can't be opened through Explorer. I always use my computers as my work network and until recently have had no problem setting up files on one computer and having them be instantly available on the other. But today, everything is normal on the originating computer, the Dropbox site via a browser, and when pulling up the online "globe" icon through the the app via the tray icon (and I get the green check, and when I go through settings/preferences it should be making a hard drive copy, showing--I have premium and archive some of my files online only but this was a new one) But if I click the file icon to show via Internet Explorer, it doesn't show up. Normally I wouldn't even have to bother to go through the tray icon; I could just click the Dropbox "file" in Internet Explorer (which is usually open) and a new file would be visible. I've done all of the regular troubleshooting including loading the new (fall 2019, I think) app for Windows, which I assumed was the problem.
I have done this myself and the issue remains. A file created by another user in our shared dropbox will show up when I access my dropbox via the web, but refuses to show up in my windows dropbox files. The other user does use dropbox on a Mac, but this isn't a regularly occurring issue - I can see I believe most (if not all) of their other documents.
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hey sdemarc2 - have you ensured that the filenames do not contain an invalid character that might be causing this syncing issue?
