How Do I Start Drop Box on My Computer Again
This article covers basic and avant-garde fixes for Dropbox sync issues. If y'all're experiencing syncing bug on any device, including your computer (Windows or Mac), phone (Android or iPhone), or tablet, utilize this commodity to troubleshoot.
Employ this commodity to fix the following issues:
- Dropbox is not syncing, updating, or refreshing files, folders, or shared folders.
- Dropbox is non "downloading" or not "uploading", meaning non syncing or updating, files.
- Dropbox appears to have stopped syncing, is no longer syncing, or is stuck indexing.
- Files are taking a long fourth dimension to sync, are syncing slowly, or appear to always exist syncing.
- You see a "tin't found secure connectedness" mistake or a unlike sync error message.
- Dropbox has unexpectedly loftier CPU, memory, or RAM usage.
- You encounter "permission mistake", "access denied", "permission denied", or "rejected by server".
- You lot see a "Dropbox is damaged", "OperationalError", or "BrokenTempDirError" error.
- If your files aren't showing upward or you don't see files that should exist there, visit the selective sync characteristic article in add-on to this commodity.
- If the Dropbox Smart Sync feature isn't working as expected, visit the Smart Sync characteristic article in addition to this article.
- If you see a sync icon that you don't recognize, like a grayness circle with a minus sign or a red circle with an "X", visit this sync icons article in improver to this article.
For a basic introduction to how Dropbox sync works, visit this sync overview article instead.
Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes syncing files easy.
Basic solutions to file syncing issues
Most file syncing problems on any device can be stock-still with the following solutions:
Make sure yous're looking in the right places
Here are all the places you can access your files in Dropbox:
- Dropbox.com in a web browser on your phone or computer
- Dropbox folders on your computer, which you tin detect in two places:
- The Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
- The Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac)
- The Dropbox mobile app on your phone or tablet
As long as you're signed into the aforementioned Dropbox account, and aren't using the selective sync feature, you lot can access all of your files in Dropbox from these locations, and they should all sync with each other.
Wait a few minutes and bank check dorsum
There are a lot of reasons why syncing could be temporarily delayed. For example, your device could be struggling to connect to internet or your files may be very big. Wait a few minutes and and then check back.
Check your cyberspace connexion
For a file to sync, Dropbox must connect to the internet on the device where you added or inverse the file, and the device where you're trying to access it. Brand certain the device you're using is connected to the internet. If you're using data, connect to Wi-Fi instead.
Reopen the Dropbox on your desktop or refresh dropbox.com
To restart, resync, or force sync Dropbox, close and reopen (quit and relaunch) Dropbox on your desktop or refresh (reload) dropbox.com on your device. If you added a file to the Dropbox binder in File Explorer/Finder and it'due south not syncing on dropbox.com or the mobile app, make sure Dropbox is open and running on your desktop.
Shut other applications that are open on your device
If Dropbox files are open up in some other awarding, they might not sync. You might see an error message indicating that your file is in use. Fifty-fifty if you don't see this mistake, double bank check by endmost all non-Dropbox applications.
Make sure Dropbox is upwardly to date on your reckoner
- Larn how to update Dropbox on Windows
- Learn how to update Dropbox on Mac
- Learn how to update Dropbox on Android
- Larn how to update Dropbox on iPhone and iPad
Your device settings determine whether y'all have to update the apps on your device manually or if they're updated automatically. Check if Dropbox is up to date on your device:
Brand sure you're signed in to the right Dropbox account
Y'all can sign in to multiple accounts on the same device and app, so if you're missing a file that should have synced, make sure y'all're on the right business relationship. Learn how to check which account you're signed into and sign into the right account.
Follow our filename recommendations
Certain special characters in filenames may not be compatible with certain devices. Remove any special characters in your filenames and cheque this article for more recommendations.
Restart your computer or phone
Restart your device and reopen yourthe Dropbox folders.
If information technology'south a shared file or binder, make sure you lot added it to your account, and that no 1 inverse information technology
If a shared file or folder isn't syncing, make sure it'south added to your business relationship. If changes to it aren't syncing, it could have been moved, deleted, or renamed by someone yous're sharing it with. Check your business relationship on dropbox.com to see if the file is withal in its original location with its original proper name, or ask whoever you're sharing the file with if they moved, deleted, or renamed it.
Avant-garde solutions to file syncing issues
If the higher up, basic solutions don't solve your file sync issue, endeavour some of the more-advanced solutions below.
Let Dropbox permissions in your computer'southward firewall, security, and antivirus software
- macOS x.15 and newer updates are enforcing stricter permissions which may crusade syncing issues on Mac computers. Make certain Dropbox permissions are allowed by post-obit these steps:
Give Dropbox folders on your desktop full permissions in all of your firewall, security application, and antivirus software preferences. The steps volition vary depending on your operating organisation and applications.
- Sign in to dropbox.com.
- Click on the Apple carte du jour (Apple icon) in the top left corner of the bill of fare bar.
- Click System Preferences.
- Click Security & Privacy.
- Click on the Privacy tab.
- Click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner, and enter your Mac username and password to allow changes.
- Scroll downwards and click Total Disk Access.
- Check the box beside Dropbox.
- Click After on the screen that pops up.
- Select Accessibility.
- Check the box beside Dropbox.
- Restart Dropbox on your desktop to employ these changes.
Check if the internet y'all're trying to connect to has security restrictions
If you meet a "can't found secure connectedness" error message or similar, the internet you're trying to connect to may have special permissions or security restrictions. Especially if you're trying to connect to a corporate network, yous may have to enter proxy server information, connect to a LAN (local surface area network), manually fix the network to permit the "*.dropbox" domain, or check with an admin.
If the Dropbox folders are on an external hard drive, cheque your connectedness
If the Dropbox folders you desire to sync are on an external hard drive, make sure the external hard drive is connected and recognized by your calculator. If it'south continued and recognized, and you lot're still having syncing problems, move the Dropbox folder dorsum to your computer temporarily to meet if the external hard drive is causing the issue. Contact back up if this is the case.
Uninstall and reinstall Dropbox on your desktop
Uninstall and reinstall Dropbox on your computer. Learn how to uninstall Dropbox on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Then, reinstall Dropbox on your desktop.
Make sure yous're not trying to sync a file that Dropbox can't sync
- The files "desktop.ini", "thumbs.db", ".ds_store", "icon\r", ".dropbox", and ".dropbox.attr".
- Temporary files created past applications (such every bit Microsoft Discussion, Excel, or PowerPoint). They often offset with a ~$ (a tilde and dollar sign) or .~ (a catamenia and a tilde).
- Certain types of files and metadata similar symlinks (symbolic links), aliases, shortcuts, junction points, resource forks, networked folders, and extended attributes. Larn what types of extended attributes Dropbox can sync.
- Files that Dropbox has flagged equally copyright violations, DMCA violations, or malware. If this is the instance, you might see an error message that says that permission has been denied or that your file has been rejected by the server. If you suspect this is the problem, contact support.
There are certain types of files that Dropbox can't sync or that create sync issues. These include:
Make sure Dropbox supports your device and operating system
Check our system requirements article to make sure the device and operating arrangement you're using are supported by Dropbox. If information technology's not, update your operating system or use a different device.
Make sure y'all've saved whatever changes back to Dropbox
If a file isn't updating, and yous fabricated a change to it in a unlike non-Dropbox application, double cheque that your changes saved dorsum to Dropbox. Some applications automatically relieve your changes back to Dropbox, while others need to be saved dorsum manually. Yous may also have saved it somewhere else on your computer. Search your computer for the file with the search bar in your taskbar (Windows) or Spotlight in your menu bar (Mac).
Make sure your devices'south date and time settings are authentic
- Update date and time on Windows
- Update date and time on Mac
- Update appointment and time on Android
- Update date and fourth dimension on iPhone
Check and update your device'south date and fourth dimension settings:
Make certain the file isn't read-only (Windows) or locked (Mac)
Dropbox can't sync files that are read-simply or locked by a non-Dropbox application. If you're using Windows, see if your document is read-only in your file properties and uncheck that option. If y'all're using Mac, bank check if your document is locked in your file info and unlock it. If the file has a lock icon on it instead, that means that it was locked using Dropbox. Visit this article to learn how to unlock it.
See if you're out of disk infinite on your computer and complimentary up space
If a file or folder should be syncing to your computer and it's not, you may exist out of hard bulldoze (or "disk") infinite on your computer. If this is the case, yous should meet an error message from Dropbox that notifies y'all. Learn how to check if you're out of deejay space and free upwards infinite on your computer.
Update or reinstall whatsoever non-Dropbox applications yous're using
If y'all're making changes to files in Dropbox with a non-Dropbox awarding, make sure those applications are upwardly to date or uninstall and reinstall them.
Source: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/files-not-syncing