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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
Giosmile
Explorer | Level 4

Desidero condividere l'idea, in quanto ritengo sia assolutamente utilissima. Anche io ho cartelle diverse che NON posso copiare in Documenti, Desktop o Download di cui avrei necessità di farne backup!  Attendo speranzoso tale possibile funzione.

Giosmile
Explorer | Level 4

I ask the Dropbox team to consider allowing users to backup other folders other than documents, downloads and desktops as well. It would be really useful to have copies of work or personal folders that CANNOT be moved to predefinited folders. Even those that can be moved to the default folders, if they change continuously, for example for work, would become inconvenient because they would have to be copied manually anyway.

edwin76
Explorer | Level 4

Maybe this has been mentioned before, but I really need to be able to define my backup folder locations as they are not in the default c:\ but in D:\. 

 

At the very least, allow users to define their own folder locations for backup please.

nataschaspeichertbilder
Helpful | Level 5

Hello!

How about using the Dropbox app and adding that folder to the app and storing your files there? You may then remain saved in the Dropbox. I tried that half a yera ago, it should have worked.

V8Fettler1980
New member | Level 2

As others have said, the ability to select any local folder is the missing link in Dropbox being the 'Goto' online backup facility for Private and SME companies. We have a Folder on a network drive (thats on a Mirror server), which holds all our working documents. We have to manually back this up and then place it in a Dropbox folder at the moment. This would save a huge amount of risk and aggro if this could happen automaticaly by allowing us to choose a folder rather than being limited to those three defaults.

Serge Paulus
Explorer | Level 3
Hi there,
As it is possible to specifically make an automatic backup of some folders on Mac (Documents, downloads, desktop, videos), I was surprised not to find in this list the images ! For any person concerned by the pictures (not to speak of photographers) it could be way more useful than the desktop or the downloads.
Hope to see this soon.
Regards, Serge
kpdis
New member | Level 2

This....Just let us pick any folder on the system or external drive we would like to include in sync. Would let us take full advantage of space we have too. For example, I have a 2TB account, but my dropbox folder is only a few hundred gigabytes. I have an external hard drive with more files on it, but I'm unable to use that with dropbox...and it would be so convenient to have that drive automatically backed up to the cloud, not only for backup, but just if I'm traveling and don't have it with me, to quickly retrieve a couple files.

scottlundberg
New member | Level 2

Five folders is better than three. But, not enough. Why can't we have whichever folders we want? It would be a lot more useful. With only the five folders (documents, desktop, downloads, music, video), it is not really a viable backup tool. Glaringly absent is a pictures folder.

Alex Attia
Explorer | Level 4

When are we going to see some actions for this idea?

It has been suggested a long time ago with many votes already. 

xabriel
New member | Level 2

Glad to see other folks have the same frustration with the Backup feature. Copy pasting my thread with Dropbox support here:

 

In a Mac, the 'Pictures' folder is clearly a key folder. Whoever designed this feature does not own a Mac. I specifically upgraded to Dropbox Family because of the promise to have a single service (Dropbox) to take care of my file sharing, yes, but also my backup needs.

 
I would like to request that the 'Pictures' folders be added to the list of 'key' folders. Further, I would like to request that the way backup works be rethought. Most any other cloud backup solution ( Backblaze, SpiderOak One, etc.) allows you to choose the folders that you want to backup, rather than force you from a short allow-list. Why not just backup everything under "/Users/{username}" ?
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234 votes received