I use Scrivener multiple times a day on typically two different projects, writing on both iOS and iPadOS (26) and occasionally (not daily) on macOS. I use DropBox sync, and no matter how much care I take, I inevitably get the Is DropBox Synced errors, even when the last use was on that device! This means I have to drag out the Mac to compare the Conflict document with the original.
What I need on iOS and iPadOS is an easy way to compare the “current” document to something else compatible in the binder. This would be my number one wish to make Scrivener a truly profession solution for authoring books. Please do this with the next update!
If you are seeing constant sync conflicts, you should examine your sync habits closely. The “normal” number of conflicts is zero.
In particular with mobile devices, it’s good practice to synchronize immediately when you pick the device up, and then again as your last task before putting it down.
If you are seeing constant sync conflicts, you should examine your sync habits closely.
I will take your advice as a simple reminder. I have fully read the dropbox sync doc and I am as careful as I can be.
To be clear, even when using one device (not the Mac), sometimes I close a project (and sync) and when I return to the project it gives me a sync error. This is with full connectivity and syncing claiming it finished. This weirdness started happening after I started using iOS and iPadOS 26 (or at least I noticed it then). This may be a change at the OS level connecting or communicating with DropBox itself.
To be clear, there is no activity on the other devices, simply switching between projects and back again. This is an intermittent issue, but it highlights the need to have a comparator between documents. Sync errors will happen, full stop. There should be a way on the iPad or iPhone to compare a document with a conflict document, or any other compatible document.
As a multi-decade developer, I know such things are NOT entirely trivial, but aren’t rocket science either, since the developer already has code in macOS. The comparator is a HUGE selling point.
When only working on one device? Something is wrong.
One thing to check would be to make sure that iCloud does not have access to the Dropbox folder on the Mac. If the Mac is powered up – even if Scrivener isn’t running – it’s possible that something there is changing the files behind your back, and the change is then propagating back to the iDevices. iCloud’s “helpful” disk management functions are one potential culprit.