Dropbox Selective Sync Couldn't Load folders | Fix with 5 Ways

Content at a Glance:

• Dropbox Selective Sync Couldn't Load Folders
• Why Dropbox Couldn’t Load Folders?
• How to Fix Dropbox Selective Sync Couldn’t Load Folders | 5 Ways
• Temporary Solution If Dropbox Selective Sync is Not Working
• Further Reading: How to Sync Dropbox Files to Another Cloud
• Final Thoughts

Dropbox Selective Sync Couldn't Load Folders

 

I can't use the selective sync feature due to an error

Hello

I am trying to conduct Selective Sync and unable to do so. It show me an error Couldn’t load folders.

I tried both methods:

(1) From the preferences > sync - it won't let me choose folders.

(2) When I right-click on my blue folders, it won't give me the smart/selective sync option.

Please help!

Thanks

- Question from dropboxforum.com

Dropbox Selective Sync is a feature that allows you to sync Dropbox folders to your computer or other devices. You can share, transfer a copy, make online only, etc, then you can manage Dropbox files on your computer easily.

But when it fails, you might see errors like "Dropbox Selective Sync couldn’t load folders" or "Why is Dropbox saying can’t load without file extension?". Don’t worry, we will find the main factors and solutions for you to troubleshoot it quickly.

Why Dropbox Couldn’t Load Folders?

There are some main reasons why Dropbox show “Couldn't load folders” while using Selective Sync, check them:

How to Fix Dropbox Selective Sync Couldn't Load Folders | 5 Ways

• Solution 1. Try A Different Internet Connection
• Solution 2. Check Firewall Settings
• Solution 3. Temporarily Disable Security Software
• Solution 4. Update to Latest Version for Computer and Dropbox
• Solution 5. Reformatted Hard Drive and Reinstalled Dropbox

Solution 1. Try A Different Internet Connection

Restart your router to try again, or switch to a stronger network. Alternatively, you could try to temporarily use a different Internet connection (such as the personal hotspot on your mobile phone) and see if you still get that error message.

Solution 2. Check Firewall Settings

The "Couldn't load folders" error can appear when trying to open Selective Sync settings while a firewall or Internet filtering service is in place. This can happen for instance while you're connected to your work or corporate network, where that type of filtering software is usually used by network administrators. Ask the network administrator for help.

Solution 3. Temporarily Disable Security Software

If Dropbox Selective sync is working on your other computers instead of your current computer, you have to check the problems on that computer. Sometimes third party software (like security software) can cause this problem.

Thus, to use Dropbox Selective Sync, check your computer to see if you have any Internet security software enabled, try temporarily disabling it and then see if the Selective Sync settings window loads correctly, or add Dropbox to whitelist to let Dropbox sync folders normally.

Here are the steps to check if a proxy is in place:

1. On your Mac, go to System Preferences then go to Network. The network settings window will appear.

2. Click the Advanced... option on the right after choosing Wi-Fi from the list on the left if you are using Wi-Fi to connect to your home network.

3. Select the Proxies tab from the upper portion of the window that displays.

4. Look for any protocols that have a checkbox next to them in the list of protocols that appears under the "Select a protocol to configure" header on the Proxies tab.

6. Try unchecking any protocols that are selected, then exit the Dropbox program from the menu icon, wait for it to stop, restart it, and check to see whether the error notice is still displayed in the selective sync options.

Solution 4. Update to Latest Version for Computer and Dropbox

Please ensure your computer has the latest update, which can fix bugs that might cause Dropbox sync conflicts. Then check if your Dropbox is outdated version, if so, update to the latest version and run Dropbox, try to sync folders using Dropbox Selective Sync, and check if the problem is solved.

Solution 5. Reformatted Hard Drive and Reinstalled Dropbox

Dropbox Selective Sync can't load folders if your Windows computer has problems. So please backup important files on your computer. Then reformat your hard drive to reinstall the needed operating system, then try to reinstall Dropbox, and check if the Dropbox selective sync couldn’t load folders problem is solved.

Temporary Solution If Dropbox Selective Sync is Not Working

If you need to use Dropbox Selective Sync to sync folders between Dropbox and your computer while it’s not working, you might need to try the following temporary solutions to make things right:

• Download Dropbox folders to your computer using the Dropbox web app.
• Upload folders to Dropbox using the Dropbox web app.

However, it's not easy for you to manage Dropbox folders between the computer and the Dropbox server using this method, as it's not done through the Dropbox server; instead, it requires manual operations, so you have to keep a close eye on this manual process.

Further Reading: How to Sync Dropbox Files to Another Cloud

If you would like to sync Dropbox files to another cloud, the powerful multiple cloud storage manager can help you, MultCloud. You can get the following benefits from MultCloud:

Direct Migration. It’s an exclusive cloud to cloud data migration tool, which allows you to move files from one cloud to another cloud directly without downloading.

Powerful Features. You can enjoy different functions to perform cloud data migration, like cloud to cloud sync, backup, or transfer, team transfer, share, copy to, and many more.

40+ Clouds. It supports almost all clouds in the market, including Dropbox, Dropbox for Business, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online, Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Workspace, pCloud, MEGA, MediaFire, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, etc.

Up to 10 Sync Modes. You can sync files from one cloud to another cloud in different sync modes, including real-time sync, two-way sync, one-way sync, cumulative sync, full backup sync, etc.

Useful Settings. You can configure email, filter, sync modes, transfer methods, schedule, and many more options to easily complete your tasks.

So, how to sync Dropbox files to Google Drive in real time with MultCloud, check the steps below for reference:

1. Hit Sign up Free to create a MultCloud account, then log in to the MultCloud Dashboard.

2. Click Add Cloud > Dropbox, then follow the on-screen guide to grant access to MultCloud. Repeat the process to add Google Drive.

3. Hit Cloud Sync > Real Time Sync, then choose Dropbox files as the source and a location in Google Drive as the destination.

4. Configure settings in Options, then hit Sync Now to start syncing Dropbox files to Google Drive directly.

• Smart Share: Share cloud files via public, private, or source mode.
• One-key Move: Quick data transfer, sync, and backup among clouds.
• Email Archive: Protect emails to other clouds or local disks.
• Remote upload: Effectively save web files to clouds via URL.
• Save Webpages as PDF/PNG: Keep them locally or online.
• Instagram Download: Archive Instagram materials locally or online.
• Easy: Access and manage all clouds in one place with one login.
• Extensive: 30+ clouds and on-premise services are supported.

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Final Thoughts

Dealing with "Dropbox Selective Sync couldn't load folders" can be a nuisance, but with the appropriate workarounds, you'll be back on track in no time. And if you're looking for an effortless way to protect files in Dropbox, MultCloud is your best bet.