Dropbox stops syncing for clear reasons: the app is paused, a file is stuck, storage is full, or Dropbox cannot accept one item. Start with the sync status before reinstalling anything, because Dropbox lists sync issues in the desktop app. The fixes below move from quick checks to deeper repairs.
Let Dropbox finish the current sync
The most common false alarm is a large file or unreliable connection that still needs time to sync.
Wait a few minutes before changing settings, especially after adding a large file or reconnecting to the internet.
Click the Dropbox icon in the Windows taskbar or Mac menu bar.
Read the sync status.
If the status changes, leave Dropbox open until it finishes. If it reports an issue or stalls, move to the next fix.
Check what Dropbox says is stuck
This fixes files Dropbox has already flagged and moves one urgent file or folder to the front of the queue.
Click the Dropbox icon in the Windows taskbar or Mac menu bar.
Read the sync-status text at the bottom of the Dropbox window.
When Dropbox says [x] files are unable to sync, click See issues.
Follow the troubleshooting option Dropbox shows for each file in the issue list.
Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer on Windows or Finder on Mac when one file or folder needs priority.
Right-click that file or folder.
Choose Sync next under Quick Actions.
Resume syncing if it was paused
Paused syncing looks like a broken sync because no files move until the desktop app resumes. On Windows, click the Dropbox icon in the notification center; on Mac, click the Dropbox icon in the menu bar.
Click the sync-status text at the bottom of the Dropbox window, then click Resume. Dropbox pause and resume controls are not available on dropbox.com or in the mobile app.
Refresh the app and connection
Run these fast checks before digging into account or file settings.
- 1.Confirm the device is connected to the internet.
- 2.Run a speed test, then switch from mobile data to Wi-Fi for stuck uploads or downloads.
- 3.Correct the device clock in the operating system's date and time settings.
- 4.Refresh or reload dropbox.com, or quit and relaunch the Dropbox desktop or mobile app.
- 5.Leave the Dropbox desktop app open while new files upload, and enable Preferences > General > Start Dropbox on system startup.
- 6.Update Dropbox from Dropbox's official desktop download page, the iOS App Store, or Google Play.
Confirm the file is in the right place
Use this when one file is missing, edits show on one device but not another, or a shared folder does not update inside your Dropbox account.
Search the computer from the Windows taskbar search field or from Spotlight on the Mac menu bar.
Confirm the file is inside the Dropbox folder or a connected app that saves to Dropbox.
If the file is outside Dropbox, manually add it to Dropbox.
On desktop, click Dropbox in the taskbar or menu bar, open your avatar, choose Preferences, and open the Account tab.
Next to a linked account, click Sign in when that account is disconnected.
On the web, go to dropbox.com and click Login.
On mobile, open Account > Settings or the account switcher and choose the correct linked account.
Join a shared folder before editing files you expect to sync into your account.
Edit the copy inside your Dropbox account.
For a file or folder that vanished from a shared area, log in to dropbox.com and check whether it was moved, renamed, or deleted.
Use Dropbox's missing-file recovery flow when the item is gone.
For a Dropbox folder missing warning, move the Dropbox folder back to its original location and restart Dropbox.
Or click Relink to restore it from the web version.
When Dropbox asks for an external drive, plug in the drive and click Done.
If that drive is no longer available, click Relink to download and restore the Dropbox folder from the web version.
Clear storage that stops syncing
The most common storage blocker is a Dropbox account that has reached its plan limit.
Messages such as Your files have exceeded the storage on this plan or Your account is full and has stopped syncing mean you need to check available Dropbox storage.
Get under quota by removing files from Dropbox, leaving shared folders that put you over quota, using referrals or promotions, or upgrading the account.
Sync resumes after the account is no longer full.
For low local disk space, open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer or Finder, right-click the file or folder, and choose Make online-only.
On mobile, open the file or folder's more options menu and turn Make available offline off. Any Dropbox plan can make individual files available offline, but only Plus, Family, Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise plans can make an entire folder available offline, so free accounts will only see this toggle on individual files.
For future desktop files, open Dropbox > avatar > Preferences > Sync.
Set New files default to Online-only.
That default applies to future files and folders added directly in the Dropbox root; it does not change existing files.
Adjust selective sync for folders
Selective sync controls which folders appear on this computer.
- 1.Click the Dropbox icon in the Windows taskbar, Mac menu bar, or Linux tray.
- 2.On Windows or Mac, click your avatar and open Preferences > Sync; on Linux, open Preferences > Selective sync....
- 3.Click Modify under Selective Sync on Windows or Select folders to sync to this Mac on Mac.
- 4.Check folders you want on this computer, or uncheck folders you want removed from local storage.
- 5.Click Update on Windows or Mac, or OK on Linux.
Rename files Dropbox cannot sync
A single bad file name can leave one item stuck while the rest of Dropbox works. Keep the full file or folder path under 260 characters, and rename files or folders to remove / and \.
On Windows, avoid <, >, :, quotation marks, |, ?, *, a period at the end of a name, and trailing spaces.
Save the file, close the app editing it, and reopen the file from Dropbox. If a crashed or background app still has the file open, restart the computer.
On Windows, clear read-only in file properties; on Mac, unlock the file from file info. Remove or replace unsupported items such as desktop.ini, thumbs.db, .ds_store, icon\r, .dropbox, .dropbox.attr, symbolic links, shortcuts, junction points, resource forks, networked folders, unsupported extended attributes, and temporary files that start with ~$ or .~.
Reinstall Dropbox only after deeper checks
Keep reinstalling for Dropbox problems that survive the status, connection, storage, account, and file checks.
On macOS 13 or later, open Apple menu > System Settings... > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access, turn Dropbox on, choose Later, then return to Privacy & Security > Accessibility and turn Dropbox on.
On macOS 12 or earlier, open Apple menu > System Preferences > Security & Privacy or Privacy & Security > Privacy, then enable Dropbox under Full Disk Access and Accessibility.
Enter your Mac username and password when prompted, then quit and relaunch Dropbox.
If Dropbox itself is damaged, quit Dropbox, uninstall it, reinstall from Dropbox's official download page, and sign in again. Full desktop functionality on Windows and Mac, including sync icons and right-click context menus, requires admin privileges.
For security software blocks, open the security app's exclusions, exceptions, whitelisting, or allow-list controls and add Dropbox. On managed networks, contact the administrator who controls firewall, antivirus, proxy, or network rules.
Skip old hidden Fix permissions or Fix hardlinks advice in Preferences. Dropbox does not offer a current official method for those controls.
When a basic reinstall still fails, quit Dropbox and clear the Dropbox cache. On Windows, open %HOMEPATH%\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache; on non-File Provider macOS, reveal hidden files with shift-command-. and open .dropbox.cache.
If clearing the cache and reinstalling fail, use Dropbox's advanced reinstall only when saved settings need to be removed or Dropbox Support recommends it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I resume Dropbox sync from my phone?
No. Dropbox pause and resume controls are in the desktop app, not dropbox.com or the mobile app.
Why do Dropbox mobile offline files show a yellow exclamation point?
The offline file needs updating. Tap the yellow ! next to the file, or tap the refresh icon to update all offline files. To allow cellular updates, enable Use data for offline files on Android or Use Cellular Data on iPhone or iPad.
Can LAN Sync speed up Dropbox between computers?
Yes. On Windows or Mac, open Dropbox > avatar > Preferences > Network and turn LAN Sync on. Dropbox on File Provider for macOS does not support LAN Sync.
What does selective sync conflict mean?
A folder ending in selective sync conflict means a local folder has the same name as a folder already in that Dropbox location. Rename the conflict folder or consolidate the files you need into one folder.
When should I use an advanced reinstall?
Use an advanced reinstall after simpler fixes fail, when saved Dropbox settings need to be removed, or when Dropbox Support recommends it.
