Dropbox support for macOS 12.3

[Anna R.5]

So I'm referring to https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/macos-12-monterey-support

Does this mean it will be 100% safe to upgrade to macOS 12.3 as long as I keep Smart sync to Local, please?

[user001]

Hello @Walter 

May i ask for a status update? 

Thank you!

[HarvNagra]

Hey all,

Since Dropbox is dragging their heels on sorting out the compatibility issue with macOS Monterey 12.3+ as indicated here – https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/desktop/macos-12-monterey-support 

I had the thought to share feedback with Apple that their dropping support for the kernal extension has caused havoc for their creative customers that use these cloud based storage solutions. Perhaps if enough of us raise this issue with Apple, they'll put more effort into ensuring that the new extension / API is as functional as the previous and helping cloud providers sort out a fix. Wishful thinking.

Send your feedback here as to the problems 12.3+ has caused you with Dropbox: https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html 

[Pokapix]

On Macrumors forum, user pasamio writes that Apple made everyone aware that the kernel used by Dropbox would be removed in future version of macOS, back in 2019! So Dropbox had the chance to prepare way early of this incoming dooming of the smart sync, which here in June 2022 still hasn't been resolved, even if Dropbox promised to do so in early 2022....

Link to forum post on Macrumors: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-confirms-macos-12-3-deprecates-kernel-extensions-used-by-... 

This is really really unprofessional Dropbox, you made our company and my clients stuck on macOS 12.2, since you can't solve this matter. You've had all the time in the world, but instead you focused your resources on spitting out new features, instead of fixing your broken software.

I'm still repeatable trying to keep clients away from leaving Dropbox as our main collaboration platform due to this problems, and it's becoming REALLY hard to argument to keep on using Dropbox, when the solution is so broken as it is. First the arrogance reply on the M1 support, and now the broken Smart Sync which you had ages to fix.... And now macOS 13 is on it's way...

Clients are pushing for Onedrive and Sharepoint as replacement for dropbox – but now after 6 months waiting for a fix, my arguments can't hold ground anymore, which is sad, because dropbox is the better collaboration platform, but lack of support.... is disrespectful to us customers

[cbonargent]

Hello,

So is Dropbox still actively working on full support for macOS 12.3 (Monterey) and higher, or is it definitively “over” and Smart Sync, etc. will no longer function in the future w/macOS ?

I’m still willing to stay a bit longer in macOS 12.3 if there is a solution coming eventually, but if this is not the case, it would be better and more forthcoming for Dropbox to announce it to us now.

Please give us, as paying subscribers, a chance to find a solution if Dropbox is no longer planning to actively working on this problem. 

@Walter 

@Megan

@Hannah

@Nancy

Thank you in advance for your diligence!

[G-Tech]

It seems the limitations come from macOS 12.3+ related issues with regards to cloud synchronization. Besides Dropbox, I have GoogleDrive, OneDrive and iCloud Drive installed as well, and they are working no better:

- GoogleDrive implements a dirty workaround with a local, virtual SMB server. This is really "dirty" since macOS' SMB implementation is also buggy, so it leads to even more issues and degraded performance

- OneDrive seems to be the only solution that fully relies on macOS' native cloud sync, so it comes with all the limitations (similar to what iCloud Drive has): your offline files cannot be stored on external devices anymore. So, if you need a larger set of offline files and your internal HDD has limited capacity, you're screwed. macOS' native cloud sync stores offline files in the user's Library folder only, and there is no way to change that. In addition, OneDrive's sync engine is not only slow, but also error-prone and leads to sync conflicts pretty often, even if you're the only one working with a file.  

- iCloud Drive: it definitely works the worst: no chance to define where to store offline files, super-slow sync with standstills sometimes for hours. Restoring broken or deleted files just works if you're lucky, mostly the files are gone forever.

Although I am heavily impacted by the limitations the Dropbox client has these days, it is still clearly the most reliable cloud sync solution for macOS.

The workaround for Dropbox is to get a large enough (external) HDD and then make all the folders that contain files you need to open outside Finder available offline. This also solves the issues with embedded assets in Adobe documents.

[cbonargent]

The workaround for Dropbox is to get a large enough (external) HDD and then make all the folders that contain files you need to open outside Finder available offline. This also solves the issues with embedded assets in Adobe documents.

@G-Tech — yes I've come to the same 'solution', through a long chat I had with one of the Dropbox techniciens but also because that's the way I've been working from the start, on my iMac (2021): all my "everyday" folders are local with the green icon (have always been) and the rest is online only with access through the web portal only. I just wanted everything on my iMac to sync continuously.

But ever since I got the last (2021) MacBook Pro a few weeks ago, and I have a mini-network going, I understand the Dropbox problem more fully, the 'pain' it might be of not having cloud files (blue icon) that sync continuously, with nothing local. Of course with 1To of storage on the Macbook, I will eventually transform these cloud files to local 'green icon' ones and work like that if there is no other solution upcoming.

I was glad to have Monterrey 12.1 on the laptop, and not the latest macos, so everything works fine for now, but sooner or later, maybe with Big Sur, I'll have to update the systems. I hope there is some news at that point. The technicien at the other end of the chat assured me they were still working on the problem.

Thanks for the info!

[user001]

Be VERY careful with data on an external hd

See:

https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Dropbox-installs-integrations/Syncing-Dropbox-folder-to-external-har...

The risk would be too big for me with 14 TB data… 

[themaybeblock]

Developers have sure gone quiet in here, or are they just avoiding the heat? How about an update, Megan?

[G-Tech]

We’ve been using Dropbox with external drives for years. Never had a problem. If the drive gets disconnected, Dropbox just quits with an appropriate notification.

[Marky9201]

Please can you give an update on when the Powerpoint issue (asking the user to repair and failing to open it) in dropbox will be fixed?