files with .icloud extensions not opening

[slaxton]

After upgrading to Mac Catalina OS, I found 408+ of my files in dropbox now have .icloud extensions and won't open. Apple says it is dropbox's issue. I need the files. How do I retrieve them from dropbox?

[gmath59]

Same issue here, noticed it very late in the process. So all backups are overwritten.  Paying a lot of money to dropbox to have trustworthy file management. I am now in the process to dig deep in my kept USB sticks and old drives to recover as much as possible. This is a real disappointment.

[Mark]

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@gmath59 wrote:

Same issue here, noticed it very late in the process. So all backups are overwritten.  Paying a lot of money to dropbox to have trustworthy file management. I am now in the process to dig deep in my kept USB sticks and old drives to recover as much as possible. This is a real disappointment.

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Sadly the issue isnt a Dropbox one - its the fact that the files are stored on iCloud that is the issue. Dropbox IS backing up and storing files as it should - its just that the computer/you havent put the correct ones in there. It is backing up .icloud files because thats what is in the folder. Either they've not been downloaded from iCloud correctly before uploading OR you are trying to double sync 

[gmath59]

Thanks for making me the stupid one. Could very well be that the problem is not dropbox related, but I suffer from the results in dropbox. To be honest: I have never created .icloud files, I didn't. even know there is something like .icloud files.  I also never have actively put files from my iCloud to dropbox. So what did cause this is a mystery to me. 

But as I already mentioned I'm old school have several old drives lying around to recover the lost files. 

I saw the problem is over 3 years old but never got a notice, that's what frustrates me the most.  

[Mark]

If you still have iCloud connected you may be able to download them directly from iCloud on the device you are using, however, unfortunately this is user error 😞 

SOMETIMES putting them back in to the iCloud folder and double clicking works. 

It has been noticed - and why help centre articles etc. say 'dont do this' and actually on often Dropbox wont allow you to do it, but, ultimately Dropbox will only sync what its told to do - so if it already has iCloud files in it then it will sync them as it cant work out what is what. Its also an issue that, thankfully, most people dont come across. It is just unfortunate you have been bitten 😞

[cookiediamond]

I tried removing the ".icloud" extension from the file name (by renaming the file on dropbox website) and it solved the issue. I was then able to download the original file.