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Forum Discussion
Dropbox is not searchable in Mac OS Monterey 12.0.1
Dropbox files/folders are not searchable in spotlight on new MacBook Pro with M1 chip - Monterey OS 12.0.1. Have re-indexed spotlight. Have uninstalled and reinstalled Dropbox and rebooted. Have made...
I have found a solution, everyone! I hope everyone struggling with this will find this post. The problem isn't with dropbox, it's with Mac Spotlight. Which surprised me, as I always thought the finder search was separate from Spotlight, but apparently, on the back end, both are one-in-the-same. I've heard many times that re-indexing spotlight didn't work, but it does! You just have to do it a different way for everything to ACTUALLY 100% reindex.
Tutorial is here on apple's forums: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253479408
Just giving credit where credit is due.
In case that goes away, instructions are also listed below.
- Open System Preferences and go to Spotlight's Privacy tab.
- Add the entire hard disk INTO the Privacy list.
- Maybe wait 30s.
- Remove the hard disk FROM the Privacy list.
Spotlight will re-index. After finish re-indexing, the search in folder works for me.
(To see if Spotlight is indexing, use Command+Space to invoke Spotlight, and type in something. Wait a second. You should see a progress bar to show indexing progress)
Of note, I am on Mac OS Monterey 12.6 (21G115). My dropbox version is 158.4.4564. These are both the lastest, as of now, 10.3.2022.
Hopefully this helps! Changed my life - I can work again!
Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff
Hannah_ I have this problem too. I can find files in Dropbox by a direct Dropbox search and by a direct Spotlight search (⌘-space, ⌘⌥-space), but the same files are not found in the Finder search. I've done the usual restart of Mac and Dropbox. A solution would be fantastic.
p.s. when I search "This Mac" I can see the file. When I click on "Dropbox" the list of matches disappears.
- Walter
Hey dvpp666, sorry to jump in here, but can you let us know if the files you can't find in Finder are available offline on your computer or if they're online-only?
Also, have you made sure that the desktop app is up to date in your menu bar and not still syncing?
Keep us posted!
Walterthanks for the quick reply. The files are findable (and openable) in the Finder if I search "This Mac" but not if I restrict the search to "User(i.e. me)" or "Dropbox" folders
The files are local and Dropbox is fully synced. I can send you a screen shot if there is some mechanism for that.
I am having this same problem. Brand new MacBook with a very large hard drive to hold my entire dropbox file, so not online only. It's like Spotlight didn't index any of my dropbox files. I use Dropbox box literally every 5 minutes so I really need this fixed. Help!
- Walter
Hey izaguirres, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.
Could you let us know the app's status as shown in your menu bar? Is it 'up to date' or still syncing?
Did you install the desktop app with admin privileges in the first place?
Any additional information or screenshots would be much appreciated.
