Don't have an option to 'Make folders available offline'

[rduff]

Following a recent update, folders are now only available online and have lost the ability to select offline. This used to be possible by right clicking on the Dropbox folder on my PC or an individual folder within Dropbox itself...now the only options are Share/Send for signature/View on Dropbox.com/Send a copy/Copy Dropbox link/Version history. So how do I re-enable offline view which meant PDF thumbnails were visible?

[Jay]

Hi @rduff, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Are you on a Dropbox Basic plan, while using a Windows machine? The option to make files available offline or online-only should only be on paid plans for Windows.

Could you confirm what syncing icon you have on your files in the Dropbox folder?

This will help me to assist further!

[rduff]

Hi.

I'm on a basic plan....and always have been.

The syncing icon is a green circle with a green tick, compared to the solid green circle with a white tick I used to get previously, and of course cannot now view PDF thumbnails. This change happened after I received a pop up notification in the task bar advising Dropbox was updating, which I've never seen before as normally just updates in the background. I've used Dropbox for many years but is the first time I've encountered this issue!

[Hannah]

Hey @rduff, thanks for the additional info here.

Can you please hover over your Dropbox icon and let us know what the sync status and version of the app is at the moment?

[rduff]

Status is up to date and version is 186.3.6141

[Hannah]

Thanks for the update.

It's strange that you previously could make your files available offline/online-only and now you can't.

Have you restarted the Dropbox app or your computer since this started happening?

[rduff]

I have literally tried everything...deleting and reinstalling the software, logging out and signing back in and even installed a fresh version of Windows. So looks like I've had the benefit of paid for features for several years that shouldn't have been included with a basic plan. How can you explain that?

[Hannah]

Hmm, is it possible that you were previously using Dropbox for S Mode (currently Dropbox Lite) or that you were on a paid plan?

Can you send us some screenshots showing your sync icons and the options you see when you right-click on a file?

[rduff]

Hi again

No...I've never used Dropbox for S Mode or had a paid plan. 

Not sure how to take screenshots of system pages so have attached photos instead.

Three comments :

1. You will note that the main Dropbox folder in My Computer/Users is marked as sync pending...which may or may not be relevant.

2. The date refers to the last time I installed the desktop app software.

3. I don't know why files backed up online are also using 1.56GB of hard disc space ...in which case why can't they be accessed offline?

[Hannah]

Thanks for the screenshots, @rduff.

Just to check, when you right-click on a file in your Dropbox folder and then click on "show more options", no Dropbox options appear there, right?