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Forum Discussion

Pookeyblow's avatar
Pookeyblow
Collaborator | Level 8
2 years ago

Dropbox removed "Save hard drive space automatically"

I thought "smart sync" was so that Dropbox automatically makes files I haven't used in a while online only. I don't see a smart sync option on my M1 Mac (macOS Monterey 12.1), but I have "Make onl...
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  • Megan's avatar
    Megan
    2 years ago

    Hey all! 

     

    Just wanted to jump in here, and let you know that the option should be back, and all should work like they used to.

     

    Thanks a bunch! 😎

Rich's avatar
Rich
Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
Pookeyblow wrote:

I don't see a smart sync option on my M1 Mac (macOS Monterey 12.1), but I have "Make online-only" and "Make available offline" when I right click on a file.

Smart Sync no longer exists in name, but the functionality is still there, and as you've found, those the are Make Online-only and Make available offline options.

 

But I don't seem to have a smart sync option enabled because old files I haven't touched in months are filling up my drive. Aren't they supposed to be changed to "online only" by themselves?

I'm not a Mac user so the details may be a bit fuzzy, but I believe that happens based on the space available on your drive, and not over a period of time. Files can automatically switch to Online-only when disk space is low.

 

Pookeyblow's avatar
Pookeyblow
Collaborator | Level 8
2 years ago

Thanks. In the past, they became online-only when they had been inactive for some time. I really liked this. Not for all files, but for most files. I know they changed it so that if you click "Make available offline", the file/folder won't be affected by the automatic online-only option.

My issue is that it doesn't work like it used to. I used to have this option, but I can't find it anymore. Is the functionality removed or is it a bug?

 

  • Pookeyblow's avatar
    Pookeyblow
    Collaborator | Level 8
    2 years ago

    Talked with support. They have completely removed the feature. Totally crazy decision to do for such a beneficial feature.

     

    I have almost all my files in Dropbox. I don't remember which files I haven't opened in a while or not.

     

    I now have to manually find all my inactive files and click "Make online-only" on each individual file / folder.

    • Pookeyblow's avatar
      Pookeyblow
      Collaborator | Level 8
      2 years ago

      Talked with support again and they said the option is removed, but the feature is still there. It's just always on.

      My issue is that files I haven't touched in a year didn't go online-only automatically. It could be a third party app messing it up. I don't know.

      • Visual Rhythm's avatar
        Visual Rhythm
        Helpful | Level 6
        2 years ago

        is there a way to turn it off? 

        I must be wierd and absolutely HATE this feature as it keeps removing things that I want on my computer at all times.

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