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Forum Discussion
How can I keep my files local and not online only?
I have a new computer & I've been trying to download my DB files to my new computer. I've just discovered that YOU decided I need to save space on my hardrive & half my files are on some cloud rather than downloaded to my computer. I DON'T WANT THIS. I've tried everything to download everything on Dropbox to my new computer & I've spent way too much time trying to remedy this--- way more time than I needed or wanted to spend! I am not interested in Local or online whatever it's called. Just leave my Dropbox alone. So, how do get my Dropbox back to the way I had it? How do I get rid of this cloud crap? The so-called solutions I read so far do not work for me. And, please, in the future, LEAVE MY DROPBOX ALONE.
Hi!
Do you have a Dropbox Plus/Professional/Business subscription? If yes, it sounds like the new installation might have been completed with Smart Sync "make folders online-only" selected.
I found this help article on Smart Sync. More specifically you could try the following steps:
How to save hard drive space automatically
If you haven’t opened files and folders in a few months, they’ll become online-only. To change this setting:
- Click the Dropbox icon from the system tray or menu bar.
- Click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Preferences... from the menu.
- Click Sync.
- Choose your work Dropbox account.
- Toggle the On/Off setting under Save hard drive space automatically.
(In your case, you would want this setting to be Off)
How do I sync online-only content to my computer?
You can open a file as usual through your application or Finder. Dropbox downloads the entire file to your computer.
To sync a file or folder without opening it immediately, you can make it local:
- Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.
- Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
- Click the folder icon.
- Choose Open folder.
- Locate the content that you want to sync to your computer.
- Control-click or right-click the file or folder.
- Choose Smart sync.
- Choose Local.
(In your case, you would want all Dropbox content set to Local)
How can I choose a default setting for new content?
- Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
- Click your profile picture or initials and select Preferences... from the menu.
- Click Sync.
- Choose your work Dropbox account.
- Change the selection for Smart Sync Default:
- Admin default: the default setting chosen by your team admin.
- Local: all new content downloads to your computer.
- Online-only: manually download files to your computer when you need them.
(In your case, you would want all new Dropbox content to be set to Local)
Finally, you might want to consider disabling Smart Sync altogether, if you wish, by disabling system extensions on Dropbox website settings.
Hope this helps!
Joonas
Hi!
Do you have a Dropbox Plus/Professional/Business subscription? If yes, it sounds like the new installation might have been completed with Smart Sync "make folders online-only" selected.
I found this help article on Smart Sync. More specifically you could try the following steps:
How to save hard drive space automatically
If you haven’t opened files and folders in a few months, they’ll become online-only. To change this setting:
- Click the Dropbox icon from the system tray or menu bar.
- Click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Preferences... from the menu.
- Click Sync.
- Choose your work Dropbox account.
- Toggle the On/Off setting under Save hard drive space automatically.
(In your case, you would want this setting to be Off)
How do I sync online-only content to my computer?
You can open a file as usual through your application or Finder. Dropbox downloads the entire file to your computer.
To sync a file or folder without opening it immediately, you can make it local:
- Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.
- Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
- Click the folder icon.
- Choose Open folder.
- Locate the content that you want to sync to your computer.
- Control-click or right-click the file or folder.
- Choose Smart sync.
- Choose Local.
(In your case, you would want all Dropbox content set to Local)
How can I choose a default setting for new content?
- Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
- Click your profile picture or initials and select Preferences... from the menu.
- Click Sync.
- Choose your work Dropbox account.
- Change the selection for Smart Sync Default:
- Admin default: the default setting chosen by your team admin.
- Local: all new content downloads to your computer.
- Online-only: manually download files to your computer when you need them.
(In your case, you would want all new Dropbox content to be set to Local)
Finally, you might want to consider disabling Smart Sync altogether, if you wish, by disabling system extensions on Dropbox website settings.
Hope this helps!
Joonas
Thank you, what a bunch of smart (irony) people (nah) at that nice (irony again) company.
I'm not pissed at all about all this (irony once more).
Thank you Dropbox. I really am grateful for all this cr*p, I mean, for these amazing new features that I am so glad to pay more for.I hate them for have done that: probably I will leave Dropbox for Google Drive.
I agree with all the above!! Surprise! some of your files are online only and now you get to figure out how to fix that. Nice!
I know how my files are set up. I know how big my disk is. I like both exactly how they are. Please stay out of it.
BTW: this worked for me "disabling system extensions on Dropbox website settings."
Having the same problem. Never asked for the files to be removed from the hard drive. Save hard drive space automatically was set to OFF. Make new files LOCAL. Still dropbox decided to remove them from the local drive. Why?
- Daphne
Dropbox Staff
Hi randols, thanks for joining us here!
I'd be happy to assist you with this, can you just let me know if the files were already Smart Synced before you applied these settings? Or did the files become "online only" after you have set them to be "local"?
If they were already smart synced before applying this setting, you'll need to set these to local manually. You can do this easily by right clicking the Dropbox folder itself and choosing "Smart Sync - local".
Let me know - thanks!
I got so fed up with Dropbox's idiosyncracies and the terrible update mess they leave every time, that after 10 years, I am de-installing Dropbox. My files will go on a separate drive and I actually everyone to do that, it is just not worth the cost and aggravation.
i totally agree with you - hate this new online-only cloud thing!
- Daphne
Hey all, thanks for all your updates here!
I just wanted to clarify for you randols, if you disable the system extension, it would be for your account rather than per device. You'll be able to turn it back on again though if you want to try this out.
If you select all your top level folders within Dropbox you'll be able to change all content to local rather than doing this action for each folder.
baddy, did you have the chance to take a look at the accepted solution post here to check out the suggestions?
I hope this helps, keep me posted!
Hi there!
Unfortunately my reply keeps getting caught in the forum spam filter, hopefully it can be restored soon for some suggestions.
Regards,
Joonas
