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It takes a long time for my files to become available offline, or the syncing fails completely.
Generally, I keep my Dropbox files off-line. In the past, if I marked a particular file "make available offline", the circle next to the file name would turn green fairly quickly, and the file would then be available on my driv drive immideately. Now, however, the "make available offline option seems to have no effect. If I try to access a file, the access is veery slow and sometimes fail completely. However, I can usually still access files if I wait long enough. Also, I can move files (very slowly) to a flash drive. why has this change occurred?
35 Replies
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi coonrodc, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Could you check the bandwidth in the app to see if this could be affecting the speed at which the files download to your machine?
This will help me to assist further!
The download bandwidth is "don't limit" and the upload is "limit automatically"
- Nancy
Thanks for checking, coonrodc!
Can you let me know what’s the current syncing status and app version of your desktop app?
When exactly did you start noticing this issue? Is this something that started happening after an update, for example?
Also, do you happen to have more than 300k Dropbox files currently synced locally to your computer? You can check this by going to your local Dropbox folder’s properties.
Unfortunately, it looks to me like this is the new Dropbox way. I've installed it on 5 new systems, using various accounts, free and paid, Windows and Mac..
The very first thing I do is "Default sync state" set to "Available offline" on all computers.
I never, ever, want to have a file inaccessible while working in an area without internet, so 100% of my files need to be synced at all times. However, countless times, I make an update and the file stays "in the cloud" on other machines until it's opened.
Multiple support tickets.
I am having exactly the same issue as D P describes. I am just moving to a new laptop, and no matter what I do, I cannot get my files to sync locally.
- Megan
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, jk33.
Can you let us know which version of the Dropbox app you're using?
You can see that, along with the sync status of the app, by hovering over the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
Also, what steps have you tried so far on your end, and what is the behavior you see?
Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!
I am on version 222.4.5042, installed just today on a new Mac laptop. I designated several folders to be synced to the computer using Selective Sync, and then selected "Available Offline" under Default Sync State for New Files. But Dropbox did not register these preferences and kept all files in Selectively Sync'd folders as cloud-based only, not downloaded to my machine. By "did not register these preferences" I mean that despite showing that these are my preferences, Dropbox is not heeding them in its behavior.
- Megan
Hey jk33, thanks for the info!
When using selective sync, the folders you choose to deselect will essentially not be visible locally on the device, only when you visit your account online.
If I understand this correctly, these folders got synced locally, but they appeared to be online-only, right? If you right click on them, can you select them to sync locally as available offline?
One more thing, is your Dropbox folder located under ~/Library/CloudStorage?
Hi Megan,
Did you write that correctly? I thought de-selecting folders in Selective Sync made them such that they are not visible locally, whereas having them checked in Selective Sync should have them visible locally?
But yes, you understood my issue correctly: folders got synced locally, but they appeared to be online-only. If you right click on them, yes I can select them to sync locally as available offline.
To answer your final question: No, my Dropbox folder got placed in my user directory:
/Users/jk33/Dropbox
Think that's part of the problem?
- Megan
Hey jk33!
Yes, my bad. I meant the folders you choose to de-select. I corrected my previous response for clarity.
I don't think that your Dropbox folder's location could be causing it, I just wanted to have an insight as to if your device is using the File Provider update.
If you can change them by right clicking on them, I think that's the best way to go about it. Could you also send me a couple of screenshots of the steps you followed on your end, and the settings you applied, if possible?
I'm experiencing the same issue. Despite selecting a default sync state for new files as 'Available Offline' in Preferences, my files aren't actually stored locally. They appear in Finder but show as 'Zero bytes' on disk.
I am not using Dropbox with File Provider, yet every new file behaves this way—visible but requiring a download when opened. This delay is frustrating, and worse, it defeats the purpose of offline access. If I lose internet connectivity, I need all my files accessible immediately.
Why is Dropbox ignoring my offline preference setting? Is there a fix for this, or is this a bug?
- Nancy
Hey cfrivera1! Let’s have a look together.
First off, can you send me a screenshot of your sync settings, as they show under the Sync tab of your desktop app preferences?
Other than that, how much hard drive space do you have available on your computer at the moment?
Dropbox files are stored on an external Samsung SSD which has 2.6 TB available out of 4 TB.
- Megan
Hey cfrivera1, let me also jump in here!
Does this happen with newly added files, or existing files?
I'm asking because this setting allows files to remain available-offline by default if they are added on the web or via another device.
If you select your content inside your Dropbox folder, right click on it, and choose to sync it as available offline, does that work?
Yes, this issue occurs with any newly added files. I’ve tested it with multiple files shared/added to Dropbox from my iPhone—including email attachments and photos received via text—and while they appear in the Dropbox folder on my Mac, they show as taking "Zero bytes" locally. To access the actual content, I have to manually double-click each file to download it.
"Dropbox 222.4.5042 Up to date" - Upon installing this version of Dropbox, I immediately noticed an issue with file synchronization. Many files—far more than expected—were showing as taking "Zero bytes" of local disk space. Notably, my local Dropbox folder was only occupying about half the expected disk space, suggesting incomplete offline storage. Dozens of files appeared in the local folder but remained online-only (indicated by "Zero bytes" locally). Opening these files took longer than usual, likely due to on-demand downloading. All files should be fully downloaded and available offline by default (Based on my Preferences selection), yet newly synced files remain online-only unless manually downloaded each time.
