Why Dropbox Not Syncing and How to Fix It?

Having millions of active users, Dropbox is one of the most popular cloud storage services in the world. By default, Dropbox syncs everything down from the cloud to your computer But at times, it can show unexpected errors. Lately, many users are complaining that their Dropbox not syncing files across devices. This issue is quite irritating especially when you need to download your important documents to another device. Luckily, every lock has a key and so does the solution to Dropbox sync issues. Stick to reading and find out your answers.

Part 1: Why My Dropbox is Not Syncing?

Before diving into solutions, it’s pertinent to understand the reasons why your Dropbox is not working properly. In most cases, the below reasons can be the main culprits:

1. Sign-in Issues: You have not signed in to your account on Dropbox. Without signing in, this tool doesn’t sync any of your data.

2. Internet Connectivity Issue: Dropbox needs an active internet connection to function. Make sure your internet is working properly.

3. You Haven’t Set Up Dropbox: Sometimes, users pause the app or sync it with the intended folders which can lead to these problems.

4. Any Firewall-Related Problem: It might occur that any third-party antivirus program or VPN is hindering the normal functioning of Dropbox. Similarly, using a spoofing tool to change your original location can also pop-up syncing issues in some cases.   

5. Your PC is Short of Storage: Make sure your computer has enough free space available to sync data from Dropbox.

Part 2: Ways to Fix Dropbox Not Syncing Windows 10

Here is a detailed guideline on the 5 most sought-after solutions to get rid of the Dropbox not connecting problem.

1. Check the Internet Connection

First things first, be sure your PC is connected to a viable Wi-Fi network. The sync function of Dropbox needs an active internet connection.

You can use a free internet speed test program like Ookla to check whether your Wi-Fi is working or not. Or simply, refresh the browser page and if it doesn’t load quickly, it means there’s an issue with your internet.

Restart your router or contact the internet service provider to fix this problem. If Dropbox is still not syncing even when your internet is fine, jump to the next part.

2. Restart Your Dropbox

Sometimes, a minor glitch in Dropbox can be the reason why Dropbox files not syncing on your PC. This can happen to any tool or app, so there’s nothing to worry about.

All you need to do is restart the Dropbox to make it run again. Here’s how to do that:

Step 1. Hit Ctrl + Shift + Esc simultaneously on your keyboard to open Task Manager.

Step 2. On the available list, select Dropbox and hit End Task.

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Step 3. Launch the app again and check if the issue exists or not.

3. Clear Cache and Data of Dropbox

Every app or program stores temporary data called cache that aims to enhance user experience. But at the same time, excessive accumulation of application cache may cause unexpected issues including Dropbox not syncing shared folders.

The way forward is to delete the cache files to try to get rid of this problem. Follow the below steps to do that:

Step 1. On your computer, go to “C:\Program Files\Dropbox” to locate the cache files.

Step 2. Select all the files and delete them. Now,

4. Disable the Antivirus Software

As mentioned earlier, any malware tool on your PC can interrupt the normal working of Dropbox. Such programs often limit or block certain apps due to security concerns – which can be the case here.

Thus, try to temporarily disable the Windows security option on your PC and then, sync files again. To do that:

Step 1. Press Win + I keys in Windows Settings on your computer.  

Step 2. Then, navigate to Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings.

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Step 3. Toggle off the Real-time Protection option as shown in the figure.

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Hopefully, the issue is resolved. If not, continue reading.

5. Confirm If Dropbox and Your PC Are Set Up to Sync

It may occur that you’ve using the Dropbox selective sync to sync specific folders from Dropbox to your computer. Without any further ado, be sure that your intended folder is already selected or synced to your computer.

Here’s how to do that:

Step 1. Open Dropbox and hit your profile picture.

Step 2. Now, head to Preferences and click on Sync > Selective Sync.

Step 3. Make sure that the folders you wish to sync from Dropbox to your PC are already present on the list. If not, update the list.

6. Make Extra Space on Your PC

One of the strengths of Dropbox is it automatically syncs data to your PC. Thus, if your PC has run out of free storage, the program won’t be able to sync any more files.

This happens rarely as Dropbox can carry 2GB of free data and almost all modern computers come with sufficient storage capacity. But users, who have bought larger Dropbox plans can face this issue. So, if Dropbox smart sync not working due to limited space available on your PC, you need to make room for new files.

The easiest way is to delete unnecessary documents and programs on your computer. Else, you can try using the Selective Sync feature as explained above. Here, you can add or remove the folders as needed. This will help you sync specific content that you need to save space on your PC.  

Part 3: Transfer Files to Different Platforms Without Cloud Storage – Use AirDroid Personal

While Dropbox is a handy service, it isn’t the most ideal choice to sync data due to limited free storage and many troublesome problems. That’s why we introduce you to AirDroid Personal – a one-stop solution to transfer all your data between any two devices conveniently.

It guarantees fast and secure transfer and lets you share files with both nearby and remote devices. With this program, you can transfer files from Android to Android, Android to iOS, or iOS to iOS. Similarly, the functionality extends to Android and iOS to Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. Not to mention its ability to send data to multiple devices in one go.

Aside from file transfer, this tool also offers tons of spectacular services including remote control, Android file management from a PC, screen mirror and screen recording, managing SMS, calls, and other mobile notifications from a PC, and more.  

Learning how to use AirDroid is as easy as it can get. We have divided the whole process of Android to PC file transfer into 4 steps. Check out:

Step 1. Run both AirDroid Personal Desktop Client and AirDroid mobile app on the respective devices. Log in with your AirDroid account on both devices.    

Step 2. Open the mobile app and tap your computer’s name under My Devices. Wait until the devices are connected remotely.

Step 3. Now, hit File Transfer at the bottom and select the attachment icon > Files. Browse the data you want to transfer and tap Send.   

To send data from PC to smartphone, use the desktop app to send data. For that, simply select the File Transfer icon and choose the data to send as shown in the figure.

Final Remarks

Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage but still, it often shows unexpected errors. If you ever face the Dropbox not syncing issue, try implementing the aforementioned workarounds to fix it. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get it resolved without any hassles.

You can also use a third-party service like AirDroid Personal to transfer files between different devices with great flexibility. Being compatible with all platforms, it offers a one-click procedure to send data across different platforms without using cloud storage.