Dropbox has been syncing for days

Dropbox is one of the most popular cloud storage services, and it works fine in most cases. But occasionally it can have problems such as Dropbox sync stuck, Dropbox upload failed, Dropbox not showing in File Explorer, etc.

If you are struggling with Dropbox sync stuck for days or weeks issue, take it easy! We will offer 10 useful solutions for you here.

Why is Dropbox stuck on syncing?

Commonly, there may be more than one reason for Dropbox stuck at syncing. We have summarized some frequent ones:

• Computer hard drive space or Dropbox cloud storage is not enough to store the synced files.
• The computer network or proxy is not running correctly.
• The synced file or folder name contains incompatible characters.
• The Dropbox selective sync feature causes some files to fail to sync.
• Your Dropbox desktop application is not the latest version.
• Synced files are occupied by other applications.

How to solve Dropbox stuck syncing for days in 10 ways

Please make sure that your internet connection is working well when syncing files, and then you can follow different fixes for the “Dropbox desktop app stuck on syncing” problem below. Hopefully, after going through this guide, you are able to sync files to Dropbox correctly.

Way 1. Unlink and re-link to Dropbox

Sometimes, an incorrect Dropbox account connection can cause files to not sync or sync stuck. Usually, you can simply unlink and re-link your Dropbox account to fix this issue.

Step 1. Click on the Dropbox icon on your taskbar, click the avatar in the top right corner, and select Preferences.

Step 2. Select the Account column and tap on Sign out to click OK.

Step 3. Then, restart the Dropbox desktop application, and enter your account and password to log in.

Step 4. Now check if the sync stuck issue is resolved. If not, see other solutions.

Way 2. Check for file name

If the file or folder name has /, \, <, >, :, |, ?, *, and other characters, it may not be able to synchronize to Dropbox. You could rename them and upload them later. Additionally, if a file is open on your computer, it cannot be uploaded to the cloud from your computer.

Way 3. Check your Dropbox storage

Insufficient storage space is one of the possible reasons why Dropbox is stuck on syncing. So, please check if you have reached the Dropbox storage limit. To do that:

Step 1. Open the Dropbox website and sign in.

Step 2. Click the avatar at the top and select Settings.

Step 3. Tap on the Plan tab to see the remaining space on your Dropbox cloud.

If there is not enough storage, you can click Invite a friend to invite your friends and families to join Dropbox and get Dropbox bonus storage for free.

Way 4. Remove Dropbox cache files

Caching data may also result in Dropbox stuck syncing files remaining. You could clear the cache to resolve this problem.

Step 1. Hold the Win + R keys to launch the Run box.

Step 2. Type “%HOMEPATH%\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache” in the edit box to open the Dropbox cache folder.

Step 3. Select and delete the cached files and folders.

Way 5. Correct your date and time on computer

If your Dropbox date and time is incorrect on computer, it can be a barrier between your system and the Dropbox server, causing Dropbox stuck syncing for days or longer.

Step 1. Click Windows Start > Settings > Time & Language > Date & time.

Step 2. Turn on Set time automatically. And click Sync now to allow your computer to sync with your current time zone automatically.

Way 6. Update Dropbox

Another thing to check is to make sure you are using the latest version of the Dropbox desktop app. Issues like Dropbox stuck on starting and Dropbox not syncing are sometimes caused by using a beta version of this program. You can download and install it from the Dropbox webpage and sync data again.

Way 7. Use selective sync

If there is a particular file that Dropbox does not sync, it is possible that this particular file is not selected to set your Dropbox up. You can use the Dropbox selective sync to choose which files can be synchronized from the Dropbox cloud to the Dropbox folder on your computer. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Go to the Dropbox Preferences.

Step 2. Click on Select folders under Selective sync on the Sync screen.

Step 3. Select folders to sync to your PC according to your needs and click Update.

Way 8. Change Dropbox settings

Modifying the Dropbox configuration is also an effective way to fix the Dropbox stuck syncing files problem. It should be noted that this method requires some professional knowledge because it involves Dos command symbols.

Step 1. Click on the Dropbox icon and click Quit from the Dropbox menu.

Step 2. Enter “CMD” in the Windows search box and select Run as administrator.

Step 3. Copy and paste the following commands one by one into the pop-up window, and press Enter after each command is pasted to execute. It is necessary to execute one command, then copy another command and execute it again.

icacls “%HOMEPATH%\Dropbox” /grant “%USERNAME%” :(F) /T

icacls “%APPDATA%\Dropbox” /grant “%USERNAME%”:(F) /T

icacls “%LOCALAPPDATA%\Dropbox” /grant “%USERNAME%”:F /T

icacls “%PROGRAMFILES%\Dropbox” /grant “%USERNAME%”:F /T

Step 4. After the commands are finished executing, restart Dropbox and check if the sync stuck issue is resolved.

Way 9. Disable antivirus

There are times when anti-virus software, such as Windows Defender and Norton, will mistake some Dropbox files as a security threat to the computer and not allow Dropbox to work properly. If you have one such anti-virus, you can turn it off while your files are being synced to Dropbox.

Way 10. Allow Dropbox to pass through the Firewall

In Windows, the Windows Firewall may block Dropbox, resulting in Dropbox stuck syncing for days. If this happens, you can add Dropbox to the trust list. To do this:

Step 1. Launch Windows Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection in turn.

Step 2. Click on Allow an app through firewall.

Step 3. Tap Change settings to reach Dropbox, tick it, and click OK. Then, reboot your computer and Dropbox to check if it starts syncing.

Bonus tip: Sync Files to Dropbox Quickly and Smoothly using CBackup

If unfortunately, none of the above solutions have successfully solved the Dropbox stuck syncing for days problem, you should try CBackup. This is a free cloud backup and sync service that allows you to upload files to Dropbox for free.

With its Schedule Sync feature, you can sync files daily, weekly, or monthly. Apart from Dropbox, it supports you to sync files and folders to Google Drive, Dropbox, and multiple cloud drives. Please download and install CBackup, and sync files to Dropbox quickly and error-free now!

Step 1. Create a CBackup account for free. Launch the CBackup desktop app and log in.

Step 2. Click Storage to choose Dropbox. Then, hit Authorize Now to grant CBackup access to the cloud files.

Step 3. Go to Sync and select Sync PC to Public Cloud.

Step 4. Edit the task name if needed. Choose the files or folders that you prefer to sync and pick a Dropbox folder to save local files or folders. Then, press Start Sync to sync files to Dropbox.

★Tips:

If you want to perform Dropbox auto sync, click Settings, and enable Scheduler to select a scheduled sync mode.

CBackup offers a Backup feature that can help you backup files to Dropbox and restore files when something unexpected happens.

Apart from public clouds, CBackup allows you to back up files to CBackup Cloud. It offers you 10GB of free backup space and 1TB/5TB storage plans for your subscription.

Conclusion

In this article, we talked about ten ways to fix the Dropbox stuck syncing for days issue. If none of them can help you, you can use CBackup to synchronize files to Dropbox without any obstacles.