Be able to change Dropbox backup folders names on individual accounts

I don't seem to be able to vote on this idea. I click on the Vote for this idea -> button and nothing happens.

This is most unfortunate for this is a more than annoying problem. As a business customer I have clients each with several computers. They need to, for example, be able to copy a file from the Desktop folder of one of their computers to another of their computers. It is practically impossible at the moment as they do not know which of their computers is "Mac(1)" and which is "Mac(4)".

We have set the computer names so that each user knows which computer they're working on. But they have practically no way of knowing which computer's folder they are opening when they open Mac(2) or Mac(5). This makes the "backup" functionality practically useless.

All of our necessary files are already "backed up" as they are synchronised with Dropbox in real-time. It's almost easier for me to manually create a set of folders in the root of the Dropbox folder with the real name of the computer and manually create Downloads, Desktop and Documents folders in them and create aliases in the lefthand column in Finder. This works to a certain extent. But obviously not as intuitively, or as intrinsically, as when it's using the built-in system folders.

I can't vote for this feature, for some reason, but it really needs to be better prioritised as it's a lot more than a desired feature it's a practical necessity especially for business users with several computers.

It's time!

Here is a method (2 really) to enable a custom computer folder name...

I didn't detail it yet in this post(yet) but you can make you're own custom icon file too to note the "backup" folder as well.

https://brianlamb.notion.site/Methods-for-Custom-Backup-Folder-Name-f0426632c9044ab5bb3c52a0ec74ca50

helpful comments / improvements welcomed.

Not a supported method but I have used this kind of solution and have Apple Music for example referencing such a symlinked folder.

Hi there,

I know this is a feature requested by many of the public forms online and I have had the same frustration of not being able to change the name of the backup device to dropbox.

I am requesting that the device you set up to be backed up to dropbox can have its name changed (or that it follows the system's device name). It doesn't look the most professional having "PC (2)" as your device name, plus it makes it harder to remember which device is which and could lead to me deleted on moving a file from a device that is not the one I had intended to change.

I looked forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

The button to vote for this idea doesn't seem to work. It's hard to believe that I am stuck naming my backups PC, PC (2), PC (3), etc. This seems like a very basic feature and it needs to be added as soon as possible. It is not reasonable to expect customers to index their backups with PC (#) in their head--or Mac (#).

Thanks for the attention,

Matt

I don't know what the best way to emphasize the frustration that this causes.  

Hours of cumulative time wasted trying to figure out which files are stored locally on what machine I have based on the "Backup" folder name.

I will offer a polite request to consider this as a feature to implement.

Thank you.

its crazy that there are posts for years about this... I mean..  at least just use the PC name.

Sorry Did not realize that this went to the community. Thought just shared with the Developer, and the more suggestions they take precedence! 

would love to be able to rename the backup folders to differentiate the differences between computers. Especially frustrating when it is just PC_ PC(2) and so on. 

Daphne, 

How can you justify this needs a bit more support when it was a feature you offered and then removed. I expected my 2 new computers to follow the same naming convention as the 3 other Mac backups. Instead is just say Mac1 & Mac2 with no way to differentiate them. 

A short support discussion based on my "miraculous idea"

ME

so i'm not sure if you have already heard from customers on this but I would be surprised if this isn't on your roadmap
there seems to be no way to rename the machine backup folders
it's absurd

ERIC
Yeah I know that
It is auto generated

ME
it auto generated PC, PC(1) and PC(2)

ERIC
I am afraid

ME
thats garbage

ERIC
Yes that is what it does true

ME
i cant tell the difference between PC and PC(1) and PC(2)
why couldn't you just use the windows machine name????
thats bonkers
you guys have to add that

ERIC
Yeah to be honest I am not sure what is the design behind that but it is actually an idea to put forward
As many people and users now have more than one device

ME
can you please communicate that to the development team
i am a dev as well and I am not just making a frivolous request

So it could be a new feature that allows you to rename

ERIC
No I know that
And I have 2 machines and the names sometimes I have to look at the device to see what I am looking at

ME
i don't know how long the backup feature has been around but I just paid up for the year so it woud be nice

ERIC
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Share-an-idea/ct-p/101002000
Here is a link to add your Ideas

ME
well no one will read that
lol

ERIC
And many time they are considered were a user will send back saying ithas been added
No they do
Believe me
A user had some pointers on paper and after a few months he sent an email saying it is in the works and he was excited actually
So they do and if it is something needing their attention they do

ME
ok I'll try