Dropbox sync icons in the desktop app for macOS

Updated Nov 11, 2025

Where can I see the icons?

Sync icons appear in two places:

In the Dropbox folder on your computer
In your menu bar

To check the sync status of a file or folder:

Open the Dropbox folder in Finder.
Find the file or folder you'd like to check.
- Note: Use the search bar in the top right to find it.
Check the sync icon next to the file or folder.

Note: If you can’t see a sync icon, close all non-Dropbox applications then quit and relaunch the Dropbox desktop app. If the issue persists, restart your computer.

Which icons appear on my computer?

Dropbox sync icons on macOS vary, depending on which of the following sync engine powers your desktop app:

File Provider
Dropbox legacy

How do I check if my macOS desktop app runs on File Provider or Dropbox legacy?

To check what sync engine powers your app:

Click ☑ (Dropbox) in the menu bar.
Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the bottom-left corner.
Click Preferences.
Click ☑ Sync.
If you’re using File Provider, it’ll show “You are using Dropbox on File Provider” under Dropbox folder updates.
If you’re using legacy, it’ll show a message suggesting you update to File Provider.

Dropbox sync icons in File Provider

Icon	Description	File icon meaning	Folder icon meaning
	A green circle with a white checkmark.	Your file is synced and available offline. Note: Dropbox keeps files with this icon offline, even when hard drive space is low.	All files in the folder are downloaded and available offline.
No icon	No icon.	Your file is synced and available offline. Notes: Your file has been opened (by double-clicking or through a third-party application) and is synced. When hard drive space is low, some files with no icon may be automatically set to online-only to save hard drive space. The icon will change to a white cloud with down arrow.	One of the following applies: Your folder contains at least one syncing file. All files are downloaded and available offline. There is at least one available file in the folder, but no online-only files.
	A white cloud with a black outline and down arrow.	Your file is synced and available online. Notes: Online-only files appear in the Dropbox folder but don’t take up hard drive space on your device. These files only download to your device when you open them.	There is at least one online-only file in the folder. Note: There may also be files that are downloaded and available offline in the folder.
	A white cloud with a black outline.	Your file is being uploaded.	This doesn’t apply to folders.
	A white cloud with a black outline and an exclamation point.	Your file can’t update or sync.	Your folder can’t update or sync.
	A white cloud with a black outline and back slash.	Your file is ignored and won’t sync.	Your folder is ignored and won’t sync. Note: When a folder is ignored, this icon only appears on the folder, not on its individual files.
	Dotted cloud.	There are issues or the file is waiting to be uploaded.	There are issues or the folder is waiting to be uploaded.
	A circle slice.	Your file is being downloaded.	Your folder is being downloaded.
	Green circle with a white check mark and a cloud with a down arrow in the middle.	This doesn’t apply to files.	Folders with both icons will contain at least one online-only file and may also contain files that are available offline. Notes: Any newly-added files in this folder will become available offline by default. If an entire folder is made available offline and you then make a file within that folder online-only, the folder will show both icons.

Dropbox sync icons in Dropbox legacy

Icon	Description	File icon meaning	Folder icon meaning
	A green circle with a white checkmark.	Your file is synced and available offline. Note: Explicitly marked by user as available offline.	All files in your folder are downloaded and available offline.
	A white cloud with a gray or blue outline.	Your file is synced and available online. Notes: Online-only files appear in the Dropbox folder but don’t take up hard drive space on your device. These files only download to your device when you open them.	All files in your folder are online-only.
	A white circle with a green border and a green checkmark.	This doesn’t apply to files.	Folder contains both online-only and available offline (downloaded) files.
	A pair of arrows going in a circle.	One of the following applies: Your file is uploading. Your file is downloading. There are issues or the file is waiting to be uploaded.	Folder contains at least one syncing file.
	A red circle with a white X.	Your file can’t update or sync.	Your folder can’t update or sync.
	A gray circle with a white minus sign.	Your file is ignored and won’t sync.	Your folder is ignored and won’t sync. Note: When a folder is ignored, this icon only appears on the folder, not on its individual files.
	A brown box.	OneDrive is causing a sync conflict.	OneDrive is causing a sync conflict.

Note: To manage which files are online only or offline, open the desktop app, click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the bottom left, click Sync & storage, then click Manage hard drive space.

Dropbox sync icons in the menu bar

You can also see the sync status of your Dropbox account on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar. This is visible when the Dropbox desktop app is running on your computer and it shows the status of your entire account, not just files and folders.

The icon colors may vary, but you’ll see the following icons:

Icon	Icon description	Status
	A solid black Dropbox icon with no other icon.	Fully synced The files and folders on your Dropbox desktop app are fully up to date. Any changes you made are reflected everywhere you access Dropbox.
	A solid black circle with two white arrows going in a circle.	Sync in progress The files and folders on your Dropbox desktop app are updating. Any changes you made are updating everywhere you access Dropbox.
	A solid black circle with a white pause icon.	Syncing paused Changes you make to files and folders on your Dropbox desktop app won’t update everywhere you access Dropbox until you resume syncing. Learn how to pause and resume file syncing in the Dropbox desktop app.
	A gray Dropbox icon.	Not connected to internet Changes you make to the files and folders on your Dropbox desktop app won’t update everywhere you access Dropbox until you’ve reconnected to the internet. Learn why Dropbox might not be connecting and how to solve it. Note: This icon can also mean that the Dropbox desktop app is starting up or closing down.
	A red circle with a white number.	Unread notifications You have new Dropbox notifications. Learn about how to manage Dropbox notifications.
	A camera icon.	Camera uploads in progress You’ve connected a camera or mobile device with a camera to your computer and your camera roll is being uploaded to Dropbox. Learn more about camera uploads.

Other ways to see your Dropbox sync status

You can also check the sync status of your entire Dropbox account in the bottom left of the app window. To open the app window, click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar. If your files are fully synced, this status will show Your files are up to date.

Learn more about other sync statuses.

Note: Dropbox Backup users will see slightly different wording on some sync statuses.

Learn more about icons, symbols, and colors that appear on Dropbox files and folders.

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