Dropbox is undoubtedly a widely used application for storing files of all kinds in the cloud and having them available from anywhere. However, sometimes errors may appear that prevent us from using it normally. In this article we are going to explain why it does not synchronize correctly and what steps we must take to make it work without problems and to be able to synchronize files.
Why won’t Dropbox sync?
Sync problems with Dropbox can appear for different reasons. It is usually something momentary, and is mainly due to a failure with the connection or with some program that is interfering, such as an antivirus or VPN that you have installed.
Sometimes the error is caused by a software level issue. It could be something wrong with the Dropbox app, a misconfiguration, or a cache miss. Even at the operating system level, with a conflict that has been generated or a problem with a pending update.
Another very simple error that can occur is that we have not logged in correctly or we are using another account. This would prevent the files from synchronizing properly and we would have problems for it to work normally. Here the only thing we would have to do is check that the access data is correct.
But there is a cause that is related to different files that cannot be synced with Dropbox. For example temporary files created by applications, such as Microsoft Word, as well as files containing symbolic links, shortcuts, etc. In these cases we could not do anything.
How to solve it
We are going to show some essential steps that we need to take to try to fix the Dropbox sync error . Depending on the reason why it is not working well for you, you can solve it with one of these simple methods that we explain. No need to install anything additional.
Check internet connection
The first thing you should do is see if there is a problem with your Internet connection . Especially if you are connected by Wi-Fi, it is likely that the coverage does not arrive well or some error has appeared that prevents the signal from being optimal and can cause continuous cuts or slow browsing.
If you see that it does not sync Dropbox because the signal is not good, you can always try to connect by cable. In this way it will work better, more stable and you will also be able to have more speed to upload or download files without so many problems.
However, you can always also use a repeater, Mesh system or PLC devices to improve the wireless signal. This way you will be able to receive the signal from other locations in the house and correct the dead zones where the coverage does not reach or is so weak that it causes errors of this type.
Reboot the system
Another very easy step if you find that Dropbox isn’t syncing properly is to simply restart your system. It doesn’t matter if you are using Windows or any other operating system. Sometimes there may be a software conflict, a process that hangs or similar and that does not allow it to work as it should.
For example, with the reboot you can reset the processes of the Dropbox application. Perhaps the problem really is due to some process that is not working well or has been caught. With something as simple as restarting the computer we can solve it correctly.
You can also restart the router, especially if you see that it is a problem with the connection, rather than the operating system. In this case, yes, it is not enough to turn it off and on; You must keep the router off for at least half a minute and then turn it on for the reboot to be successful.
See if any program interferes
It may happen that there is some program, especially applications such as antivirus, firewall or VPN, that may be interfering with the connection. This could lead to failures when syncing files via Dropbox, but also when uploading or downloading content. They could be blocking the operation .
What you need to do is identify what could be the cause. For example, try to disconnect the VPN and see if this works correctly and does not cut. Also see if your antivirus might be blocking the Dropbox app. You can even try to disable the antivirus, although this is not the most advisable since your computer would be exposed at least momentarily.
If the problem is due to the antivirus, you can always try installing another one. It is important to have one that works well, such as Windows Defender or some other option such as Avast or Bitdefender, to name a few of the most popular.
Clear Dropbox cache
Dropbox temporary folder can store files even after they are deleted. Over time, the cache can get in the way of proper operation and cause those crashes and sync failures. For example, we could be synchronizing files that have the same name as another that is already in the cache and this generate failures.
What we are going to do is clear the Dropbox cache. In Windows you will have to go to the folder where the program is installed and access the cache folder. The file is exactly called dropbox.cache. There you will simply have to delete the content that is there and see if it is solved and you can synchronize files without problems again.
Reinstall the app
Another step you can take is to completely reinstall the Dropbox app . Sometimes there are files that cause conflicts or there is some problem of this type and it is solved by uninstalling and reinstalling the application completely. It’s the same thing you can do with any program that has bugs.
Now, what we recommend is that you completely uninstall Dropbox. This means that you do not leave any hanging files. It’s important to have a clean install so that you can really make sense of the reinstall and get sync working properly again.
In short, if you are experiencing problems synchronizing files with Dropbox, you can see that this happens for different reasons. But you also have different options that you can put into practice to solve it and that everything works normally again. It is not a strange error in this type of cloud storage applications.