We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
dropbox pretending my files are online only while copying
Hello all.
I do not have selective sync on/I have all folders checked to be held locally.
Save HD space automatically is off.
new files default is "local"
My computer says my drop box folder is the same number of gigs as drop box tells me when I logon online.
So can someone please tell my why my current attempt at copying all my drop box folders via USB to an external hardrive is going at a snails pace as dropbox pops up every second telling me it's downloading a file- the same file I see is being copied at that moment?????????? As if I can't copy my local dropbox files to other locations with out downloading every one?????????????
WOW
show me how dumb I am
- Thanks for the detailed response, Tom.
Since you recently downloaded Dropbox to this new computer and chose to sync your files as online-only, perhaps some of them have stayed that way.
Do they have the green check mark icon next to them, or the cloud icon?
If lots of them have the cloud icon, you can actually right click on the Dropbox folder itself, to make everything local at once.
After every file is local, can you try copying them again, to see if you get the same issue?
20 Replies
THANK YOU! I wish I didn't need to know that magic trick to make dropbox do what it is supposed to do.(settings have all boxes checked to sync and smart sync is off) (both my computers started having this problem just from switching selective sync back and forth)
But it appears to be making all files actualllllly local
- Explorer | Level 3Saturday
I have the exact same problem. You indicate to "right click on the Dropbox folder itself and make everything local," but there is no such option when I right click. I assume you are talking about the folder on my computer, but I also tried right-clicking on folders in the online (web browser) Dropbox, but there is no option there either.
Any ideas?
REPLY TO ABOVE MESSAGE
it is really cryptic but simple action. Not checking a box, not changing settings. Go to your dropbox folder(not the shortcut! right click the dropbox folder shortcut and click "open file location" to see the actual folder). Right click on the actual dropbox folder, move your mouse down the pop up list to "smart sync" and hover for the addition box to pop open, and you should see "local" and "online only" - click "local." That should "wake dropbox up" and make it actually download all the files that SHOULD BE THERE ANYWAYS DROPBOX DEVELOPERERRERRES when smart sync is OFF and all dropbox folders are checked to be synced in dropbox ap settings.
Here are all the screenshots:
- Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi James H.83, what version of Windows are you currently running on your device? Here are the screenshots you asked for and a few more.
I keep trying to send screenshots but POST doesn't seem to take them.
JWH
Windows 11, latest updates
- JayThanks for the info, James H.83. Just for clarification, did you select the Smart Sync > Local option as shown in your image when you right-clicked the Dropbox folder?
The green check mark was already there, but I clicked it twice to make sure.
- JayThanks for the info, I'd recommend getting in contact with the support team directly for further assistance.
Once you get a ticket ID from the automated response, please let me know the number here so I can locate it in our system.
About View, download, and export
Need support with viewing, downloading, and exporting files and folders from your Dropbox account? Find help from the Dropbox Community.
