Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨‍💻? Find out how to check here.

Forum Discussion

msu69er's avatar
msu69er
New member | Level 2
2 years ago
Solved

I want to switch OS from Windows to Linux - will my Dropbox files be safe?

I have a very old desktop PC currently running Windows 10 with Dropbox.  It cannot be upgraded to Windows 11.  I am thinking of changing the operating system to Linux Mint. 

What happens to my Dropbox files if I do this? 

Is Dropbox compatible with Linux?   If so, what version?

Are all my files retained in the Dropbox cloud (since the old computer will be reformatted)?

 

I also have a laptop running Windows 10 with Dropbox.  If I change the desktop OS to Linux, what will happen to my Dropbox files on the laptop?

You can tell that I am a neophyte here so I am appreciative of all the help I can get.  Thanks!

  • Welcome aboard our forum, msu69er! Hope you’re well. 

     

    First off, I’d like to mention that your Dropbox files are safe on our servers and your online account, so you don’t need to worry about this. 

     

    Before switching OS on your computer(s), I’d suggest making sure all of your files have synced on www.dropbox.com and your Dropbox app is up to date. After that, you can log out/unlink your Dropbox app, and proceed with your OS update.

     

    As for installing Dropbox on Linux, feel free to check out this Help Center article for all the necessary info. Keep in mind though that there are specific system requirements that are currently supported on LInux (for more info, check out this page).

     

    In general, upon reinstalling the Dropbox app on a formatted device, it will re-sync everything you have saved on www.dropbox.com.

     

    Let me know, if you need more help though.

3 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion
  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    2 years ago

    Welcome aboard our forum, msu69er! Hope you’re well. 

     

    First off, I’d like to mention that your Dropbox files are safe on our servers and your online account, so you don’t need to worry about this. 

     

    Before switching OS on your computer(s), I’d suggest making sure all of your files have synced on www.dropbox.com and your Dropbox app is up to date. After that, you can log out/unlink your Dropbox app, and proceed with your OS update.

     

    As for installing Dropbox on Linux, feel free to check out this Help Center article for all the necessary info. Keep in mind though that there are specific system requirements that are currently supported on LInux (for more info, check out this page).

     

    In general, upon reinstalling the Dropbox app on a formatted device, it will re-sync everything you have saved on www.dropbox.com.

     

    Let me know, if you need more help though.

  • msu69er's avatar
    msu69er
    New member | Level 2
    2 years ago

    Thank you for the rapid response.  I will backup my diles and be sure that the app is up to date.   I feel more confident with this move following your response.  Have a great day!

  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    2 years ago

    Glad I could help! Don’t hesitate to ping me for anything else and have a wonderful day, as well!

About Apps and Installations

Have a question about a Dropbox app or installation? Reach out to the Dropbox Community and get solutions, help, and advice from members.

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!