Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨💻? Find out how to check here.
Forum Discussion
Roroboo
2 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Not seeing my backups on other devices, after updating the Backup feature
Dear All.
I have been using Dropbox for over a decade. It would always sync my desktop in such a way that I was able to access any file from my desktop on any of my other devices, including phones and tablets. I love this feature.
Recently the desktop app asked me if i want to put my desktop in backup which I accidentally said yes to. I instantly regretted it as I lost Desktop sync and now can no longer access my desktop files on other devices. I turned off backup feature and reinstalled Dropbox to no avail.
Please help! I loved desktop sync and have been using it over a decade. It is the FEATURE i use dropbox for.
How do I reenable desktop sync? It used to show up as an icon in my Dropbox folder under ‘Mac’
I use a MacBook Pro.
Thank you in advance.
28 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
- Ravip2 years agoHelpful | Level 6
I have this same exact issue. Messed up my entire work flow that I've been using for many years now. Made it simple and easy to use and sync across multiple devices. PLEASE PLEASE Nancy pass on the feedback there's many of us who are running into this issue and there's no way to revert back. This messed up the way we worked this entire time with Dropbox.
- Walter2 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi there Ravip - thanks for your feedback on this.
We've passed it on internally and please let us know if you have anything else to add.
- Roroboo2 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Nancy So I can access the backups page on my iPad via the URL you sent.
However there is no way to access that backup page via the native Dropbox app on iPhone or iPad or even Mac or PC. So then the only way is using a web browser which is not intuitive. As Ravip mentioned, it does mess up an established workflow we’ve had for years and even decades and there seems no way to revert back to the traditional Dropbox behavior.
Maybe if Dropbox can access the ‘backups’ natively on the mobile apps that could possibly work but even that is not possible right now (unless we use a web browser)
- Rich2 years ago
Super User II
The old backup feature wasn't really a backup. All it did was move your key folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads) into the Dropbox folder so they could sync. There was no true backup. It was just another folder syncing like any other. The new backup doesn't work that way and is closer to a real backup system.
It's easy enough to replicate the old method. Just move your Desktop (or other) folder into the Dropbox folder using whatever mechanism your operating system has to relocate such folders. For instance, in Windows, if you look at the Properties of the Desktop folder (or any other key folder) you'll see a Location tab. On that tab is a Move button that allows you to move the folder to a new location. Use that feature to move the folder into your Dropbox folder and it will sync just like it used to.
- danbett2 years agoHelpful | Level 7
Hi Rich
I have exactly the same problem, I clicked on the link and it completely changed my workflow, I now cannot easily share links from my desktop (as it has to upload every time). If I do as you say above will that still ensure that I have full offline access to my files and does this mean that I then have
i) A Backup Folder in one location
ii) My content/files in another location that I can use as before
ii) There are no conflicts between the two...
many thanks
Dan
- Spushor2 years agoHelpful | Level 6I got the same problem and the same runaround from Dropbox why they took away this wonderful thinking of the desktop to the iPhone or iPad apps. The new update has a back up of my Mac and I ask - Why is my new Mac Desktop files on DB file Backups/Mac/Desktop not visible on my iPhone Dropbox app? Dropbox, please provide access to this file on my mobile devices?
- Spushor2 years agoHelpful | Level 6Why is my new Mac Desktop files on DB file Backups/Mac/Desktop not visible on my iPhone Dropbox app?
- SkyBabyBlu2 years agoNew member | Level 2
Has there been any update on this, it's frankly ridiculous, it's almost the sole reason I pay for Dropbox to be able to access my files from anywhere.
- Spushor2 years agoHelpful | Level 6I have received correspondence and Dropbox grammar stating the functionality has been taken away that we all enjoyed and the message from Dropbox to Customer “DROP DEAD” - we don’t care about your functionality problems. We’re gonna issue the software the way we want it. Customer be damned. Now I am working on a bunch of workarounds to try to restore the functionality that I needed when I use my mobile device to look up dropbox data.
- ChristoC872 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Please revert back to the previous version where you can actually access all files via the app on a phone or other device. The functionality of dropbox is now totally ruined.
I honestly have no idea why anybody thought it should have been removed. The new update means I can no longer access my files easily without going into back up.
Please correct this massive failure by Dropbox or I and many others will be cancelling subscription.
About Create, upload, and share
Find help to solve issues with creating, uploading, and sharing files and folders in Dropbox. Get support and advice from the Dropbox Community.
The Dropbox Community team is active from Monday to Friday. We try to respond to you as soon as we can, usually within 2 hours.
If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X, Facebook or Instagram.
For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.
If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!