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Forum Discussion
How to view Backup folder on DropBox app?
Greetings community!
Previously, I used to be able to see my Mac represented on my Dropbox as a folder (I had enabled the backup option). This was super convenient because I could easily access my files on-the-go using my Dropbox iPhone app.
However, due to a computer issue, I needed to wipe my MacBook Pro clean and reinstall everything (including Dropbox). I enabled backup for my MacBook. However, now, it doesn't show me the MacBook folder like it used to. So I can't access my files on the go. It shows me that I have backed up my files and I am able to see them through a web browser. However, the folder representing my MacBook (backup) has stopped showing on Dropbox.
Is this due to some update in how backups work now for Dropbox on Mac? How do I get the backup folder to start showing up on Dropbox again.
Thanks!
26 Replies
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- Thank you, Hannah. Am I correct that were I to add my Documents folder to Dropbox and not have it in Backup that I would then no longer be able to see files I place in the Documents folder in Dropbox in my Documents folder on my computer? Currently I simply save a file in my Documents folder on my computer and it is automatically saved or backed up in my Documents folder in Backup. Thank you for clarifying whether I have an accurate understanding.
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Donald Newman, thanks for reaching out to us.
If you've updated your backup to the new experience, it's true that your backed up folders won't be accessible from the mobile app.
If you want to access files from the mobile app, you can add them to your Dropbox folder instead.
Otherwise, you can always access your backups from your backups page on dropbox.com.
I'm fairly illiterate about the inner workings of Dropbox. IF I'm not mistaken (and I may well be), using Backup was the only way I could prepare a document on my iMac, save it in an existing Documents (or Desktop) folder on my computer and have it simultaneously be included in that same folder on Dropbox Backup. Perhaps the sync function accomplished that but I was never sure! The sync function seemed to require me to put the document into a Dropbox folder/file rather than into one in my existing Documents folders on my Mac. In any case, the Backup Documents & Desktop folders were easily accessible on my iPhone and in my Dropbox app on my Mac desktop. But that no longer appears to be the case. Today I scanned a document using my Dropbox on my iPhone. I wanted to put it into a Documents folder BUT that was in Dropbox Backup and was NO LONGER available to me. Were I to move all my Documents folders currently in the new Dropbox Backup straight into Dropbox (as one respondent here suggested as a makeshift solution), I could move that scanned file into Documents in Dropbox BUT would it also show in my Documents folder on my Mac? I suspect not but beats me. HELP!! (And I apologize if what I've written above makes no sense to those of you who understand how things work!)
Sure hope so. If not, my Firm will be switching to any of the other myriad services that provide exactly what Dropbox now does. One of them is free for us, but we used Dropbox exactly for that real-time access advantage.
This is a major disadvantage for me and has disabled one of the best features of Dropbox.
I didn't really need another backup, I just found it incredibly useful to be able to view files stored on my Mac while on my phone. PLEASE REVERT!
Is there any chance this update will revert back because it's the main reason I use dropbox? I'm a musician and the ease of checking recording mixes in the car or blue toothed from my phone to my stereo was incredible with the phone app. Now that it is no longer accessible, check mixes will become more tedious and time consuming.
Our company uses Dropbox across all devices, precisely because our employees could see anything in their documents folder wherever they were, on any device.
We just got hit with this when we "updated" Dropbox Backup. Lost access to all Documents folders and files on anything other than the computer itself. BE WARNED: this will happen even if you tell Dropbox you DON'T want to remove the files.
This is beyond irritating. The main reason we used Dropbox was so we could access our documents anywhere, anytime, from any device. Moving things to the Dropbox folder is NOT a solution, since Dropbox sometimes lags and crashes. All we wanted was the ability to view Documents folders remotely.
Pretty please, either move the backup function back into the main Dropbox "files" folder, or find a way to make the "backup" files accessible on all Dropbox apps and linked devices. The service becomes almost useless (for us) without it.
- Hannah
Hey everyone, thanks for your feedback on this.
We've already passed your comments along to our team.
If you'd like to access your backup files from all your devices, a workaround could be to move them into the Dropbox folder.
I understand it's not a solution, but I hope it helps.
We really appreciate you taking the time to post your thoughts and rest assured that they've reached the appropriate people.
Hello Rich,
thanks for the quick answer, but i want use my Desktop files on other devices. This was the normal behavior in the past (4-5 month ago). Now Dropbox launch a "Backup" App and we can't use these files on other devices? Sorry this is stupid. I have enough real backups. I don't need another online backup for my desktop files. Why did Dropbox change it?
Since i join the Beta versions on my main mac, Dropbox is not anymore the tool i want to use.
Yes, I think the posters above understand this. It's just that the developers _took away_ a feature (access to backup files via iphone or ipad) that was very useful before to many people, without any appreciable benefit....
