How to bring online folders into my offline (computer) Dropbox?

[Peter Marigold]

When I first installed dropbox on a new computer I was able to choose which folders to have on my computer - a selection from my massive online dropbox. 

How do I add new folders from online to this folder?   All of the links seem to want to force me to do it the other way round! 

I don't want to 'DOWNLOAD' the files - as zipped content or single files. I want to carry out the same operation as when I installed  - select a folder and it appears in my computer dropbox. So I can interact with it as normal. 

Help! Thanks  

[ab2650]

Hi Peter,

If I'm understanding your question correctly (please excuse me if I'm not) you have files and folders on your Dropbox that you can see when logged in via the web interface, but they are not syncing with your local computer (and therefore available offline)?

Please look into "Selective Sync" under your Dropbox (local application) preferences. There will be an option to "Choose folders" which will sync (download, but also upload when changed) to your local comptuer. Selective Sync can be different per local client, that is, one computer you may select to sync all files, while another only what you select, thereby saving space on a local hard drive.

I hope this answered your question!

-AB

[petere1]

Hello I saw this and I have the same problem.  My dropbox folders are not acceible on my windows desktop.  I can see them if I go to the File Manager but when I try to download them to the PC I get the error code 0x80070780 which I see suggests that they are not synced.

But I don't know how to get them to sync

You say in a previous response "Please look into "Selective Sync" under your Dropbox (local application) preferences. There will be an option to "Choose folders" which will sync (download, but also upload when changed) to your local comptuer.".

However I don't know where to find my Dropbox (local application) preferences.

I can see the Dropbox name and symbol (is that an icon?) on the top left of my main list of folders (along with the C Drive and an external drive).  But if I click on Dropbox it shows me the folders within Dropbox and if I right click on it then it gives me a list of options from Collapse to Properties but nothing about preferences.

Please can tyou tell me where I can find these things so I can download my files.

Thanks.

[ab2650]

Hello Petere1,

Referring to this article on Selective Sync: https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/selective-sync-overview 

1. Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials).
3. Click Preferences
4. Click the Sync tab.
5. Under Selective Sync, click Choose folders (Mac) or Selective Sync… (Windows).
6. Check the folders you’d like saved on your hard drive. Uncheck the folders you’d like removed.
7. Click Update.

Hope that helps you get there,

-AB