How to Sync (the same file) between the Dropbox App and the Desktop?

[HVS]

• I wish to place on my desktop screen a copy or a "duplicate" file of an Excel file that exists within my Dropbox Folder and be able to edit it from there, as opposed to edit it within the Dropbox App.
• This will save me a lot of mouse clicks by opening and editing that Excel file with only one click from my desktop, whereas if I must go to my Dropbox folder, I must click on the File Manager (or open it from the taskbar link), click to open the folder, click to open the subfolder and finally click on the file!
• If I just "Copy-Paste" the Excel file from my Dropbox App to my Desktop screen, no changes that are made on the desktop file will be reflected within Dropbox...
• Can someone suggest me a way of solving that question, please? - Thank you. 

[Rich]

---

@HVS wrote:

I wish to place on my desktop screen a copy or a "duplicate" file of an Excel file that exists within my Dropbox Folder and be able to edit it from there, as opposed to edit it within the Dropbox App.

---

Dropbox doesn't sync with files located outside of your Dropbox folder. If you truly want a duplicate of the file and want it to sync back to the original, you'd need to look at a third-party tool (such as SyncToy) to handle the syncing, separate from Dropbox.

---

This will save me a lot of mouse clicks by opening and editing that Excel file with only one click from my desktop, whereas if I must go to my Dropbox folder, I must click on the File Manager (or open it from the taskbar link), click to open the folder, click to open the subfolder and finally click on the file!

---

If your goal is to reduce the time to open the file, why not just create a shortcut to the file on your Desktop. You don't need a separate copy of the file on your Desktop. A shortcut is just a pointer that when clicked, opens the original file in its original location.

[HVS]

Thank you Rich, for your information.

You said that: "If your goal is to reduce the time to open the file, why not just create a shortcut to the file on your Desktop. You don't need a separate copy of the file on your Desktop. A shortcut is just a pointer that when clicked, opens the original file in its original location."

Yes, indeed, that's what I want: - I simply don't know how to do it...can you please help me on that and give me a short instruction for it?

With kind regards,

Henrique Silva

[Rich · Accepted solution]

---

@HVS wrote:

Yes, indeed, that's what I want: - I simply don't know how to do it...

---

Do a Google search for "[your OS] how to create a Desktop shortcut" and replace [your OS] with Windows, macOS, Linux, etc., based on whatever operating system you're using.

[HVS]

Right. It worked, thank you!