Folder and Files Moving to my Mac?

[Alan Jazak]

Me: iMac. Ventura 13.1. Networked NAS.

I use my Dropbox account to put things out there for clients when it is too big for attachments in email. Or when clients say things I'm sending are becoming "embedded" in email. The Dropbox link gives them a nice easy way to download. I do NOT Sync files, I do NOT store Dropbox on an external drive (that's stupid). I use it as a warehouse for me to share certain files with my clients. I do NOT want any of the Dropbox files on my computer. (I have a whole separate other online backup solution.) THE UPDATE notification message says: "As part of this update, your Dropbox folder and files will move to a new secure location on this Mac." Well this Mac wouldn't have the room for all my Dropbox files to live on my Mac - even temporarily. I DON'T want to hit "continue" because I fear it's going to start uploading my 2T of Dropbox to my not 2T of iMac. Is it a false fear? Is this what's going to happen? Is my computer going to suddenly fill up??

- finger poised over the Continue button.....

[Rich]

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@Alan Jazak wrote:

I DON'T want to hit "continue" because I fear it's going to start uploading my 2T of Dropbox to my not 2T of iMac. Is it a false fear? Is this what's going to happen? Is my computer going to suddenly fill up??

- finger poised over the Continue button.....

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If you're running the Dropbox application on your Mac, then yes, the Dropbox folder will be moved to the Library/CloudStorage folder on your system drive so that it's in compliance with Apple's File Provider API. The Dropbox folder can no longer be store on an external or networked drive, not that NAS drives were ever supported in the first place.

• https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-faqs
• https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

If, however, you're not running the Dropbox application on your Mac and instead are relying on a third-party sync client directly on your NAS, then no, nothing will be moved as this only relates to the official Dropbox application. If you're running a Dropbox client on your NAS, it's likely created by the NAS company; not Dropbox.

[Alan Jazak]

I exclusively access my Dropbox in this fashion. (screenshot) From my toolbar and going out to the web. Does that mean I'm running the Dropbox Application because it's in my toolbar? Dropbox is a totally separate world from my NAS and the online third-party that backs it up.

[Jay · Accepted solution]

Hi @Alan Jazak, having the Dropbox desktop application installed means that you have a local copy of your Dropbox folder somewhere on your device. 

You can determine where it is by viewing the preferences in the desktop app under the Sync tab. You can also click the folder icon next to the globe icon to be directed there.