Dropbox Folder randomly disappears from the MacOS Finder

[Steven-in-OC]

I am using the latest version of MacOS, Ventura 13.0.

I am using the latest version of the Dropbox desktop app, V160.4.4703.

The Dropbox folder appears in the new place in the Finder under Locations.

The problem is that this folder randomly disappears.

The only way to get the Dropbox folder to come back is to do a Force Quit Finder.

It is inconvenient to have to keep doing the Force Quit Finder multiple times a day to get the Dropbox folder to reappear.

This is a bug in the Dropbox Mac integration, and I would like it to be reported.

[bobr666]

I have been having this problem too. First time it happened, I re-installed it. Although Dropbox is apparently working on my system, it's not visible to Finder and now an app (DXO Photolab seems to be unable to see files, although they have been synced).

[Nancy]

Thanks for your post, @bobr666. 

Just to make sure I understand the issue; are you able to access ~/Library/CloudStorage normally on your computer, but the Dropbox folder is not always showing there? 

Can you let me know your current OS version, as well as the app version of your Dropbox app? You should be able to see both by hovering over the small Dropbox icon in your menu bar.

[bobr666]

Thanks for the response. I hadn't known about the ~/Library/CloudStorage path - useful thanks.

At the moment, things seem OK, although at one point a day or so ago, I thought I had the problem. I'm beginning to wonder if it is just in some apps. I will try to be clear about the issue and come back.

ps I'm running Ventura 13.4.1 on a Mac M1 Mini & Dropbox 178.4.4811

[AlvaroDiezMora]

I am experiencing the same issue, DropBox disappeared from my Finder. I tried rebooting, and it is still missing. I am running MacOS Ventura 13.4.1(c)

[Hannah]

Hey @AlvaroDiezMora, thanks for letting us know about this.

What's the sync status and version of the Dropbox app, when you hover over the Dropbox icon in your menu bar?

Did this happen after the update of the app to the new Dropbox for macOS version?

[AllenB]

I have the same problem.  I'll find that the Mac isn't replicating to Dropbox and when I investigate, I find that not only has the software stopped running, but it's completely vanished.  This has happened twice in recent months.  

There is clearly a Mac integration issue, and it would be nice to see Dropbox acknowledging that and doing something about it, instead of asking people to reboot their machines.

[Walter]

Hi there @AllenB - sorry to hear about this.

Could you let us know some additional information so that we can make sure we're on the same page?

For example, what is your computer's exact OS version and the version and status of the desktop app installed there as shown in your menu bar?

Have you reinstalled the desktop app since you first noticed this by the way? 

[AllenB]

Hello Walter, thanks for your message.

The Mac is cracking on a bit, so probably can't handle the latest MacOS.  It's on macOS Mojave 10.14.6.

I can't tell you the Dropbox version as the Dropbox software had completely vanished off the Mac, but as this was the second time this has happened, it must have been on a pretty recent version.  No more than six months old.  It's now on the latest version: 179.4.4985.

Allen

[Walter]

I see, thanks for the additional information, Allen - much appreciated.

Your computer's OS is supported so it shouldn't be an issue here. Were/are you running any 3rd party apps that could be causing issues on your machine? 

Also, you're no longer facing the issue you mentioned - correct? 

[AllenB]

I'm not "facing" the problem because it's an intermittent problem.  My concern is that if the Mac is disconnected from Dropbox for long enough, we'll get replication clashes.  Dropbox appears to handle those pretty well, but if the Mac got far enough out of date, surely that would be a problem.

The Mac is lightly used and has little on it that could cause a problem.  Apart from the apps that came with it, all it has it Microsoft Office for Mac, BBC iPlayer Desktop and Adobe Reader.  It's primarily used for email, Word and Excel.