where did my dropbox folder go on mac?
if your mac uses dropbox on file provider, your dropbox folder moved. dropbox's file provider changes page says that on dropbox on file provider, your dropbox folder will be moved to ~/library/cloudstorage, and that it now sits under locations in the finder instead of favorites. the latest version of dropbox on file provider needs macos 12.5 or later.
this guide follows dropbox's help center articles, last updated between march 14, 2025 and september 15, 2026, as we read them in november 2026. for other ways to find where a file lives, see how to find the path of a file on mac.
download the ReMynd desktop app to search text you saw in a focused window, by app and date.
why did dropbox move my folder?
dropbox says dropbox on file provider uses apple's updated file provider api to more deeply integrate with macos and fix issues related to opening online-only files in third-party applications. dropbox lists the folder move among the changes that are set requirements of the file provider api and controlled by macos.
| what changed | what dropbox says |
|---|---|
| folder location | your dropbox folder will be moved to the cloudstorage folder above |
| place in the finder sidebar | under locations instead of favorites |
| choosing your own folder location | not supported on dropbox on file provider |
| links in other apps | files that were previously linked in some third-party applications will need to be linked again |
| dropbox in the finder toolbar | not supported, because apple no longer allows you to add it |
| photos library and final cut pro libraries | apple no longer allows photos library to be synced over cloud storage services, and final cut pro libraries can't be saved or opened in the dropbox folder |
dropbox adds that it has begun rolling out support for moving the dropbox folder onto compatible external drives for some users.
how do you find your dropbox folder on a mac?
dropbox's folder location article gives these steps for mac, in this order:
- click the dropbox icon in your menu bar.
- click the round account menu, which may appear as your profile photo, your initials, or a person icon.
- click preferences.
- click sync in the left sidebar.
- scroll to the dropbox folder location section, and click the path displayed to copy it.
- open a new finder window, click go in the menu bar, then click go to folder.
- paste the path into the window that appears, and press return.
in our read, the quickest check is the finder sidebar: look under locations rather than favorites.
can you keep using the old dropbox folder location?
you can, by opting out of dropbox on file provider. dropbox's dropbox for macos article says the migration isn't required for you to continue using dropbox, though it recommends opting in. to switch back after you've updated, dropbox's steps are:
- click the dropbox icon in your menu bar, click your avatar, then click preferences.
- select accounts in the left sidebar and click sign out. if you have a linked dropbox account, log out of both accounts first.
- open the dropbox desktop app, log back in, and follow the setup prompts until you see advanced settings at the bottom.
- click advanced settings, check the box next to opt out under dropbox on file provider updates, then click done.
dropbox says your dropbox folder should then be found under favorites in the finder. it warns that if you opt out after you've already migrated, you'll need to re-download any offline files stored on your device.
why do some files show as online-only?
dropbox says files or folders not previously set to make available offline may be automatically set to online-only when your hard drive is low on disk space. it says marking files as available offline prevents that switch.
does google drive do the same on a mac?
yes, when it uses file provider. google's drive for desktop on macos help says that if you stream files on macos 12.1 and up, drive for desktop uses file provider. with file provider, google says you find your files in the finder sidebar under locations, and in ~/library/cloudstorage by default, a location you can't change. with google's legacy streaming method, google says they sit under favorites instead.
in our read, if a cloud folder moved under locations in the finder, file provider is the first thing to check.
where does ReMynd fit?
microsoft's work trend index asked workers about searching for information. it was published may 9, 2023, and surveyed 31,000 full-time employed or self-employed workers in 31 markets. 62% of respondents said they struggle with spending too much of their workday searching for information. the same survey found 86% were looking for ai to help find the information and answers they need.
ReMynd records your screen, runs ocr locally with apple vision on a mac, and keeps a searchable index on your computer. text comes from the focused window only, and video covers windows you have not excluded. in our view, it helps when you remember reading a file but not which folder it was in.
press control space to search in plain language, refine by app, date or source, and jump to an exact moment, provided ReMynd was running then and the window was not excluded. on a mac it needs macos 14 or later on an apple silicon mac. ReMynd also runs on windows 11 (x64 or arm64). for screen history, see find something you saw on your screen.
limits of this guide
- it follows dropbox's file provider changes, dropbox for macos and folder location articles; we did not migrate or opt out an account ourselves.
- dropbox says it will continue to update its list of changes, so check its page for the current list.
- it covers the dropbox desktop app on a mac only.
ReMynd is photographic memory for your computer. forgot where you saw something? just ReMynd it.
download the ReMynd desktop app and search what you saw in a focused window, by app and date.