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John64's avatar
John64
Helpful | Level 5
8 years ago
Solved

Preserving time-date stamps

When I download a file from my dropbox account, it gets a new time-date stamp. When I download a folder and extract the zipped folder, all the files get new time-date stamps. It's important for me to preserve the original time-date stamps. How can I retrieve my files and folders with the original time-date information they had when I uploaded them to Dropbox?  Using Windows 7.

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  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    8 years ago
    Hi John, when you’re downloading the files from the website, indeed with any site, the ‘date modified’ or ‘date created’ will be for that moment, since the file didn’t exist before that period.
     
    If you’re using the Dropbox desktop application, then when the files sync down to your machine the dates and times will remain as they were, though the date modified would be the last time someone has edited the files.
     
    Hope this helps to clarify matters!

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  • Jazzee's avatar
    Jazzee
    Helpful | Level 6
    6 years ago

    For the record, we use both Dropbox and Google Drive and we use the web interface.  Google preserves the original file date and time and displays it as such.  Also, any FTP program for file transfer to an FTP or Webserver preserves the date and time.  Dropbox is in the minority as far as it not reading the file date and time and preserving it when you upload to Dropbox.

     

  • mensa0505's avatar
    mensa0505
    New member | Level 2
    4 years ago
    How do I do this with my iphone? I am trying to download or "move" my dropbox pictures to my iphone but when I do, it gives it a new timestamp. I had downloaded 7 pictures and they did download with the original timestamp and now, it is not doing that. Why would it change?
  • robnyland's avatar
    robnyland
    New member | Level 2
    3 years ago

    This doesnt work for me—with folders, the date shown is the date it synced to the computer, not the date it was last used .   This messes up the whole "recently used" at top order that I rely on. It drives me insane. I get a new laptop and sync w deskptop app and all tjhe folders that sync to new computer have that day. Inside the contents ahev their last used date but th fodlers are all the same date. It's insane, everyone hates it and I dont know why they cant fix it. is there a workaround? I want my folders to stay with last used/opened date. Even on new Mac.

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