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Dropbox removing external disk support for Mac users
In case anyone's unaware... if you're a Mac user storing your Dropbox on an external drive, you'll shortly lose that ability.
https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes
Just confirmed this with DB support (see below). Gutted - been with Dropbox for years and our entire video team flow is based around it 😕
>Hi there, I read today that you are scrapping the ability to store the Dropbox folder on external disks, on OSX. I'd like to ask more about this please.
> Hello Jon, and thank you for contacting Dropbox Support. My name is Joseph, and I will be more than happy to look into your request, right away.
That is correct Jon, as part of the Dropbox for macOS update, the Dropbox folder must be located in ~/Library/CloudStorage.
>This is a showstopper for us, and will mean we have to move to another service. We have a large distributed team using DB for video work, no way it'll fit within internal drives.
Is there a workaround?
> I totally understand and I apologize for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, there is no workaround on this as changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS.
>This change doesn't seem to have hit us yet - we're running a variety of machines inc Ventura
What will trigger its enforcement? Can we stay on an earlier OS or Dropbox version?
>The updates happening automatically every time the Dropbox app is restarting, for example if your device never restarts it should maintain the older version but we can't guarantee full functionality on older versions of the application.
>So what will happen - if we have a Dropbox folder on an 8TB drive and a tiny internal drive - will it try to clone stuff across and eat up the space? What's the mechanism?
>That's right, it will try to move the content on your internal drive until it has no space and gives you an error.
>Is Smartsync still supported? I.e. will it move stuff to being online only if it won't fit?
>It is, however it is now known as online-only.
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Very helpful, thanks ArthurPix ArthurPix
Dropbox needs to get on implementing this feature ASAP.As of 2023, with newer versions of MacOS 12+, it's not longer possible to store dropbox mirrored files on a separate disk!
It's insane, on the web, there are sooooo many of us using external drives that can match the capacity of the DB account.
When will this implement?
I've been using DB for a long time, but I'm looking now elsewhere for a different could provider, as this is a deal-breaker functionality that needs to be there forrecent OSX Mac users. Scout the web, and there are a gazillion of frustrated and angry users.
I just got a new mac mini, and sadly found out that I cannot move the dropbox folder elsewhere.
And using the "sync" only feature ain't cutting it for me.Doesn't work. Only the alias file itself gets synced.
Same thing for a symlink.I am currently running Mac OS 13.2.1 and Dropbox version 163.4.5456 and it's working fine with my external drive. Which OS update has disabled moving the files to an external? I got asked to update my Dropbox app but I keep saying NO for now. Not sure how long before it just updates it automatically and tries to move all my files to my startup disk which has very little room left.
mymgraphics you can see the upcoming changes here: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes
But here's the main one everyone is moaning about:
- Changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS.
This we know is not true and is a "Dropbox is unable to support external drives". The reason we know it's not true is that there are other cloud based file sharing companies that do allow you to change the location of their folder in the new macOS 12.3+. I am looking at one right now (sync.com) and test bedding it.
dbox_ you could at last clarify the language below:
But here's the main one everyone is moaning about:
- Changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported by macOS.
This we know is not true and is a "Dropbox is unable to support external drives". The reason we know it's not true is that there are other cloud based file sharing companies that do allow you to change the location of their folder in the new macOS 12.3+. I am looking at one right now (sync.com) and test bedding it.
- But 12.3 is last years OS. I am running 13 Ventura
mymgraphics they changed it from 12.3 onwards so when the new update does finally arrive (apparently May I believe now) then you will be asked to update probably and then you will have your Dropbox folder moved.
The fact that this isn't clear and black & white just goes to show how poorly Dropbox have been communicating with their customers. I think in total there have 3 maybe 4 press releases about the new change and all except 1 say that it's delayed because they want to ensure they're giving their customers "the best experience" 🤢
- Thanks. I guess I’ll just buy a bigger SSD hard drive in May and use that as my StartUp disk.
I guess that depends on what Mac you have and how old. I have a Mabook Pro and it's not so easy to upgrade and if you're on a new M chip Mac I don't think you can swap out your hard drive. I might be wrong on that though so do your own research.
