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Dan68's avatar
Dan68
Explorer | Level 3
3 months ago

Dropbox is stuck at indexing ever since I installed the app on my new MacBook Pro.

I got a new MacBook Pro and installed Dropbox. It worked for a while but suddenly stopped working without me realizing. It seems to be stuck at "Indexing...". Now I have many files locally on the computer in my Dropbox folder that are not synced. I also tried to make a backup copy of the Dropbox folder's content but I get a message for some files that I do not have the permissions to do so. It does not even work with the admin account. I am a bit worried about loosing the files and need to get Dropbox to work again properly asap.

 

Any help much appreciated!

Daniel

Desktop
Mac
Sync
  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    3 months ago

    Thanks for posting about this here, Dan68. 

     

    Have you rebooted your device, since the indexing issue started, and the Dropbox app is still stuck? 

     

    How did you try to back up your Dropbox files exactly?

     

    Finally, can you clarify what you mean when saying it doesn’t even work with the admin account?

     

    Let me know when you’ve got more info.

    • Dan68's avatar
      Dan68
      Explorer | Level 3
      3 months ago

      Thanks for the prompt reply Nancy .

       

      1. Reboot: Yes, the computer was rebooted.

      2. Backup: Just copy and paste in Finder.

      3. Admin: I tried the copying with the computer's administrator account as well. (On macOS I have is both a normal user account which I normally use and an administrator account/login on the computer.)

      • Jay's avatar
        Jay
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        3 months ago

        Hi Dan68, were the files in a normal folder in Finder before you copied and pasted them, or were they from another location like a network drive, or another user account?

  • jamicakalesoria0024's avatar
    jamicakalesoria0024
    New member | Level 2
    2 months ago

    If Dropbox is stuck at indexing on your new MacBook Pro, it could be due to several reasons such as file system issues, permission settings, or large file transfers. Here's a step-by-step guide to troubleshoot and resolve the issue

    1. Restart Dropbox

    • Quit Dropbox: Click the Dropbox icon in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then click your profile picture or initials and select Quit Dropbox.
    • Reopen Dropbox: Open Dropbox again from your Applications folder or by searching for it in Spotlight (Command + Space).

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