How to Open Dropbox Folder in Finder via Menubar Icon

August 19, 2019 7:09 AM

I've got the newfangled DropBox app for Mac desktop. I used to be able to open my DB folder in Finder as an option via the app's menubar icon, but that no longer seems possible (OTOH the issue doesn't google, which usually means I'm doing something dumb).
posted by Quisp Lover to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

OK, let's go through this step by step. I assume you see the menubar icon on your Mac, right? This is a really basic question but... are you logged in? Do you see your own little profile icon in the area indicated in red in this image? If so, if you click the little folder to the left of that, what happens?
posted by jessamyn at 7:25 AM on August 19, 2019

Other things to look at:

- Is your firewall or antivirus blocking Dropbox Web Helper?
- Do you have the latest version of Dropbox installed?
- Does this weird edge case issue apply to you?
posted by jessamyn at 7:29 AM on August 19, 2019

FWIW, when Dropbox updated to the new version this happened to me too. I was annoyed because it was part of my muscle memory to just click the icon and folder to open it in finder, but suddenly it was opening in their app. A reboot seemed to put it back to the way it was without any settings changes from me. Have you rebooted since it updated?
posted by bluecore at 7:55 AM on August 19, 2019

Response by poster: jessamyn: Right. Yes. Yes. In previous versions, it opened DB window in Finder. In the makeover new version, it launches an infuriating weird Windows-ported-looking monstrosity

I do have the latest version (79.4.143), but looks like maybe you don't :)
posted by Quisp Lover at 7:55 AM on August 19, 2019

Response by poster: bluecore, I have rebooted joylessly.
posted by Quisp Lover at 8:00 AM on August 19, 2019

Weird, mine says it's up to date but obviously isn't.
posted by jessamyn at 8:10 AM on August 19, 2019

Response by poster: The very latest is a major upgrade, so as of now it's pull, not push.
posted by Quisp Lover at 8:14 AM on August 19, 2019

I don't have any solutions, but I just downloaded the latest version to make sure I had the latest, and it works the same as it has been for me (I'm running OS 10.14.2). When I click on the dropbox icon in my menu bar, a dropdown window opens, and at the top is a folder icon, and clicking on that opens my dropbox folder in the finder.
posted by jonathanhughes at 8:55 AM on August 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Look for an "Open folders in" option in Preferences - > General.
posted by introcosm at 9:27 AM on August 19, 2019

Response by poster: Introcosm, My gratitude to you is only exceeded by my contempt at DB for toggling my pref without notice!
posted by Quisp Lover at 12:12 PM on August 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Note that upon upgrades, DropBox often toggles this pref back the other way and I need to reset it.
posted by Quisp Lover at 11:15 AM on October 27, 2019