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Can we have more folder options like custom folders or sub-folders to add to Computer Backup?

Can we have more folder options like custom folders or sub-folders to add to Computer Backup?

helenavelikaja
New member | Level 2

Right now, the automated backup option in Dropbox allows me to sync my Documents, Desktop and Downloads folders. By far the biggest - and most important - folder on my computer is the Music folder though. I can imagine for other people it's Pictures. Could we have a way to automatically backup those folders too?


To be really ambitious: would we be able to clone our computer on Dropbox? I used to have an Apple Time Machine that allowed you to do just that. If your computer broke down or was stolen, you could buy a new one, let it download the clone, including not just your documents but your applications and presets too, and you'd be good to go!

Please let Dropbox be the new Time Machine.

Latest Update
Emmet
Community Manager

This idea is currently being worked on by our internal team, and is already available for external drive backups. External Drive Backups are available to all of our users. You can find out more about computer backups in our Help Centre.

 

Screen Shot 2021-12-07 at 9.01.21 PM.png

 

Computer backup is currently being worked on by our teams. If you are interested in participating in beta testing new features to our backup solutions, you can find out how to opt in here

 
Status changed to: Accepted
148 Comments
Adalgeir
New member | Level 2

It would make the automatic back-up feature on your Dropbox Desktop app (I'm using mac) more convenient if you could provide more options for browsing folders.

 

Further explanation:

As an example of how difficult it is without browsing, I've been trying to back up an external drive, but because it contains my Dropbox folder, it's impossible to "introduce" this drive to the Dropbox.app using the method of ejecting and reconnecting it (the Dropbox.app can't be running at the same time).

Needless to say, I intended to select the other folders on the drive (not the Dropbox folder itself) for backing up.

I tried to migrate the Dropbox folder to another location (another drive) and could start the backup, but lost sight of what's happening in the Dropbox cloud and now my Dropbox.app doesn't show any response when I disconnect and reconnect.

It would solve everything if, in the Preferences - Backups window of Dropbox.app, the "Set up" button would offer browsing options.

Adalgeir
New member | Level 2

To the dropbox team:

Please reconsider the "Not for right now" Status. If you only knew how helpful it would be to have an option for custom folders to automatic backup. I'm thinking of external disk drives with important folders, like Mikeos2001 in the last comment. 

vumir
Collaborator | Level 9

Waiting for this basic feature!!

I can't use mklink for symbolic link and can't sync external directories or shared folder, my laptop only have 500 GB and phone 128 GB, Why do I pay for 2TB?

Varmint
New member | Level 2

Wow, after wasting probably 30 minutes only to discover I can only automatically backup default, pre-selected folders that I don't even use/care about, I've had to abandon the entire I idea. I guess Dropbox wants my business to go to something like Carbonite?

 

WHY ON EARTH would you not be able to backup ANY folder on your computer???? I have to choose between such favorites as pictures and videos folders, but I can't actually select the folder actual project folder I need to back up?

 

DUMB!

theviewer1985
Explorer | Level 3

WHAAAAAT. I've been excited to get on board with the Dropbox Backup feature since leaving Onedrive behind.

 

I had a PERFECT use for it, to back up a folder buried in my Mac > Audio folder which contains hundreds of presets for music production. Its the default place that Mac installs them which really annoys me when moving between computers.

 

This simple feature would have answered that problem. 

 

Low and behold, 30 seconds into the setup process I learn that Dropbox restricts what I can back up to a few silly folders that I don't care about.

 

Why on earth can we not select ANY folder on ANY drive.

 

So ridiculous.

 

Edit: My god this is a useless backup feature. I just tried to make use of it somehow by backing up my download folder, but it gives me an error saying that my Dropbox sync folder has to be in its default location (which it isn't because I want it on another bigger SSD drive)

 

That settles it... in this bin it goes.

ericsartor
New member | Level 2

As the others above, I just found out I can only backup a predetermined list of static folders on the C drive.  Ridiculous.  Just let us pick any arbitrary folder, PLEASE.  Part of the reason I upgraded was under the assumption that I could replace iDrive Backup with this, but I don't even USE the library folders that Dropbox restricts me to.

terryb1
New member | Level 2

Limiting file back ups toDesktop, Documents and Downloads is dumb and make the entire point of the back up feature useless. 

Butz
Explorer | Level 4

Just canceled my 30-day trial with the feeling that I was fooled by dropbox. In their description of features they make you believe that you can back up any file- just facetious? 

Ruoner
New member | Level 2

WHY ON EARTH would you limit file back ups to a set of predetermined folders? I really don't get you people. Your service is completely useless, going back to Google Drive.

takeatrip
Explorer | Level 3

I am also unsubscribing because of the lack of choosing a single folder besides the preselected few as a backup. I don't want to backup my Desktop, Downloads, or Documents. I just want one folder with all my work assets, it's kind of insane you can't do that. This thread has been alive for over 2 years and the Dropbox team still hasn't added such a simple feature.

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