Apple Confirms macOS 12.3 Deprecates Kernel Extensions Used by Dropbox and OneDrive

Apple today seeded the first beta of macOS 12.3 to developers for testing. In the release notes for the update, Apple confirms that it has deprecated kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive and notes that both cloud storage services have replacements for the functionality currently in beta.

General Dropbox Feature
Earlier this week, Dropbox announced that users who update to macOS 12.3 may temporarily encounter issues with opening online-only files in some third-party apps on their Mac. Dropbox did not provide a reason for this issue, but it is now clear that it relates to the kernel extensions that enabled this functionality being deprecated by Apple.

In a support document and an email to customers, Dropbox said it is actively working on full support for online-only files on macOS 12.3 and will begin rolling out an updated version of its Mac app to beta testers in March. In the meantime, Dropbox users who update to macOS 12.3 will still be able to open online-only files in Finder.

Microsoft is also working on a new online-only files experience for OneDrive that is "more integrated with macOS" and "will have long-term support from Apple."

Related Forum: macOS Monterey

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...
macbook air blue

Gurman: M4 MacBook Air Models to Launch by March 'At the Latest'

Monday February 17, 2025 2:30 am PST by
Apple will begin selling new MacBook Air models featuring its latest M4 chip by March "at the latest," mirroring the time frame of the M3 MacBook Air launch last year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple last updated the MacBook Air line in March 2024. Gurman's comments appeared in his latest Power On newsletter, suggesting the reporter is no further forward on learning the exact...
iPhone 17 Air Front Page Tech 2

'iPhone 17 Air' With Ultra-Thin Design Allegedly Revealed in New Video

Monday February 17, 2025 6:53 pm PST by
YouTube channel Front Page Tech today revealed the alleged design of Apple's widely-rumored "iPhone 17 Air" model, set to launch later this year. "iPhone 17 Air" render created by @zellzoi for Front Page Tech In a video uploaded today, Front Page Tech shared renders depicting what it believes is likely the final design of the "iPhone 17 Air." The device is expected to feature an ultra-thin...

Top Rated Comments

usagora Avatar
40 months ago

"Deprecates" just means they remove support and/or express disapproval.

I think "breaks" is the right word here, even though it doesn't sound as impressive. :)
No, deprecate is the correct word. Obviously both of the developers knew about it in advance and have made the necessary adjustments. "Break" would be if they didn't warn anyone, and you install the Beta and all of a sudden Dropbox or OneDrive doesn't work, and the developers have to scramble to fix it.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Think|Different Avatar
40 months ago
I moved on to other services (iCloud Drive works great!) and never looked back. Crazy how relevant DB was – and how hard they fell by bloating their offerings.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svenmany Avatar
40 months ago
Dropbox works great for me. My wife and I share a single Dropbox account (single login). Since we have separate Apple IDs, it would be less convenient simulating that with iCloud. Also, I access Dropbox a lot from Windows. I've never had any issues with Dropbox on all platforms over the many years I've used it. I've had a number of issues with iCloud file sync (e.g. files added elsewhere not showing up on my Mac).

I have no desire to use offline files, so I hope my Dropbox experiences is not impacted by this change. I see that OneDrive is going to default to off-line files with local files requiring extra effort; I hope Dropbox doesn't do that.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Digital Skunk Avatar
40 months ago
Dropbox is still far superior for filesharing outside of the Apple ecosystem and with large teams. I don't know how the basic versions compare, but for my team of 5 Dropbox is as close to perfect as we can get.

For personal use, and for my family, it's iCloud all the way. At that point we're in the Apple system, so there's no reason to store anything outside of it.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
soid.exe Avatar
40 months ago
If I’m reading it right, Dropbox should sue Apple.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
leicaman Avatar
40 months ago

If I’m reading it right, Dropbox should sue Apple.
You're not reading it right. Apple told them what they needed to do long ago, and they actually do have the fix in beta. Users just need to wait until the fix is installed before upgrading Monterey.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)