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Smart Sync and removing local files
Hello,
I'm attempting to convert my dropbox folder on my desktop to smart sync, so that I'm not storing any local files on my harddrive in order to save space. Currently, my folder has some local folders.
I would like to
1. Convert local folders to smart sync. I've initiated this process and the files are currently displaying the blue sync logo and the other files are showing (i think) that they are already exclusively in cloud storage and not local. The ones that I've smart sync'd have had the sync logo for a while, and I can't tell if there is any progress with the sync'ing. How do I confirm that they are fully sync'd?
2. Once the smart sync is complete, I would like to get rid of the local storage of these files on my harddrive. My hesitation is that deleting the files directly would instruct dropbox to remove them from the smart sync'd ones in cloud storage. How do I proceed with removing local files while keeping them in cloud storage?
Hi Grant W.1
So first and foremost, Dropbox is a sync solution, not a backup. When sync is turned on, it sync the local file to the cloud. If you delete the local file, it will also destroy the cloud copy. You can directly upload your files for storage using the web client https://www.dropbox.com/home and then that will be stored independently of your local files.
As for the status, if you click on the little dropbox logo in the system tray, it should give you the current sync status of your files.
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Hi Hanna,
Thanks for your answer. I read the thread you mention, however my computer is a PC, not a mac. Does the solution work for a PC as well?
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thanks for the clarification rivaben!
Does this folder that you switched to online-only have the cloud icon on it, instead of a green check mark?
What is the syncing status on your Dropbox application? You can check that, by hovering your mouse over the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
Let me know what you find! Hi Hanna,
I'm on version 120.4.4598. The sync status is "up to date".
The folder and all its children shows the grey cloud icon instead of the green checkmark.
- Hannah
Thanks for updating me on this!
Since online-only files aren't supposed to take up space, can you check if this is related to the Dropbox cache folder? The files might not have been removed from it yet.
The cache folder is cleared out automatically every 3 days, but since the Dropbox application is "Up to date", you can manually clear it using the steps here.
Let me know if that helped!
Hi Hannah,
I followed the steps and cleared the cache but it didn't work. The folder is still occupying more tham 100 GB of my HD.
I don't know if it could be related but just to give you more info: the folder is shared with another person.
Do you have any idea on how can I free this space?
- HannahThanks for the additional info!
Would you mind sending me a couple of screenshots showing this situation, while hiding any personal info?
Like, a screenshot of the size of the folder from the folder's properties and a screenshot showing the cloud icon next to the folder in your Dropbox folder, would be really helpful.
Thanks! Well Hannah, Today I was going to take the screenshots, and suddenly I noticed now it is displaying the correct size (just a few MBs)... so something that I've done worked. I am going to add other folders to online only mode and see if I can notice this issue again...
- HannahThat's great! Let us know if you need anything else.
Have a great week ahead! https://help.dropbox.com/sync/make-files-online-only
When you choose Smart Sync, the files are deleted from your computer but Dropbox leaves the name of the file as a placeholder so it takes up very little space. You can still see the file in your computer. For example, File A which is 1 GB, which is toggled to "local", would occupy 1 GB on your computer and 1 GB in your Dropbox storage. But if you toggle Smartsync, it will occupy only kilobytes in your computer and 1 GB in your Dropbox storage. It's the next best thing to deleting the file altogether but retaining it in the cloud. At least, you get to see all your files in Dropbox if you Smartsync all your files. If you want to download a file to your computer again, you just click on the file.
You have the option of not syncing the file in which case, it will only be in the cloud storage and not in your computer at all. You will be able to see the file only when you log on to your Dropbox account and search for it online.
I'm using a laptop that previously had a coworker's Dropbox synced to it. Her folder is 5 TB, and it's currently taking up a phantom 5TB on the device, even though she has unsynced and any changes I have made to her folders thus far have not reflected her current Dropbox. Am I able to move her entire Dropbox folder -- which seems to only be phantom folders/files as I can't access anything when I try to open -- to the trash?
