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Forum Discussion

kimsel's avatar
kimsel
Explorer | Level 4
3 years ago

Search not working on my Mac

Hey all, I cannot get my search to work. I'm not using smart sync. I can see the file I need, and it will not find it in a search. Help.

I have an apple M1 and Monterey. 

  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    3 years ago

    Thanks for the info. The ability to search the documents themselves for keywords is available on paid plans.  

     

    As you mentioned you're on a Basic plan, this wouldn't be available on your current plan.

  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    Hey there kimsel, sorry to hear you're having issues with this. 

     

    Can you please let us know the Dropbox desktop app's exact version and status as shown in your menu bar at the moment? 

     

    Also, are you having with searching your files in Dropbox via a web browser too? 

     

    Keep us posted! 

    • kimsel's avatar
      kimsel
      Explorer | Level 4

      Hi Walter. I'm using the web version. When I download the app to my desktop, it automatically goes to my work upgraded dropbox account. The issue is with the free web version. 

    • kimsel's avatar
      kimsel
      Explorer | Level 4

      Hi Walter. I'm using the web version. When I download the app to my desktop, it automatically goes to my work upgraded dropbox account. The issue is with the free web version. 

      Thanks! 

      • Walter's avatar
        Walter
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        I see, thanks for clarifying that for me kimsel 

         

        Could you clear your browser's cache or try another browser and let me know if you get any different results? 

  • ethancargio's avatar
    ethancargio
    Explorer | Level 3

    There are a few things you can try to troubleshoot this issue: Check your Spotlight settings: Make sure that the folder containing the file you're trying to find is included in the Spotlight index. To do this, go to System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy and make sure that the folder is not listed in the "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations" list. Rebuild the Spotlight index: If the folder is included in the Spotlight index but the file still isn't showing up in search results, try rebuilding the index. To do this, go to System Preferences > Spotlight > Privacy and add the folder containing the file to the "Prevent Spotlight from searching these locations" list. Then, remove the folder from the list and Spotlight will start re-indexing it. Check your search syntax: Make sure that you're using the correct syntax when searching for the file. For example, if you're searching for a file named "example.txt", make sure that you're typing "example.txt" into the search bar, not just "example". Use a third-party search tool: If none of the above solutions work, you could try using a third-party search tool like Alfred or HoudahSpot to find the file. These tools often provide more advanced search options and may be better at finding files that Spotlight misses.

    • alessio766's avatar
      alessio766
      New member | Level 2

      thank you so much for suggestions;

      the first 2 options not working unfortunately....

      what a nightmare, dropbox unuseful in this way....

       

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