We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Forum Discussion
Want to use Dropbox on Windows 11 without local files.
I have a small SSD on my new laptop, I don't want to carry around an external drive, and 95% on the time I am online with internet access. I just want to use dropbox like the mobile app lets me, rath...
I am looking for exactly the same functionality that OneDrive from Microsoft provides. Being able to use “save as”, and navigate to a Dropbox folder to save file, or after opening a file click save and have it saved back to the web.
Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community ModeratorHi Gord1, if you're on a paid plan, you can install the normal Dropbox desktop application, and mark files as online-only so that they don't take up any space on your computer.
I did try installing the full app, I didn’t see a step where you could do this, do you have documentation that outlines the install process without adding any files to my hard drive?
- Hannah
Hey Gord1, after the installation and during the sign-in process, the app should ask you if you want to sync your files as 'online-only' or 'available offline'.
You can choose the first and your files will sync as placeholders, with no physical space.
I hope this helps.
Very first question it asks is “Your personal Dropbox is too large to fit on this computer”
two options
1) choose folders to Sync
2) Sync everything
I selected 2) Sync everything (which is not intuitive for what I wanted!
Then I selected Advanced and made sure the check box indicating offline files.
It should not be as hard as it was for a user to find this process. Surely you have other users who have small local hard drives than want to use files offline.
Please write a support article that provides the required steps to install Dropbox and use it completely online only with no local storage.
