What Is Smart Sync On Dropbox?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Dropbox Smart Sync is

a new feature that allows you to store files online and browse through them with Windows

File Explorer or Mac Finder. … You have access to all of your files at all times, regardless of the size of the hard drive on your computer.

What is Dropbox Smart Sync Local vs online?

Dropbox Smart Sync

allows you to select files or folders to be stored locally on your device or in the cloud

(online-only). File and Folder names will appear in your local Dropbox folder. Online-only files take up minimal space on your hard drive: only saving the file name, location and last updated date.

Should I use Dropbox Smart Sync?

When should you use Smart Sync? Consider Smart Sync

when you have a large amount of files stored in your Dropbox

. Furthermore, Smart Sync is perfect for you if a lot of users share files with you. The convenience of being able to see and access these files without storing them on your hard drive is immense.

How do I turn off Dropbox Smart Sync?

  1. Click the Dropbox tray icon ( ) to open the Dropbox menu.
  2. Click the folder icon in the upper right:
  3. Find the folder that you would like to change. Right-click that folder and select Smart Sync > Local from the menu:

Is Dropbox Smart Sync free?

Plus, while many cloud storage services leave chunky files on your computer, Dropbox has a nifty option on both Windows and Mac called Smart Sync that lets you leave all those files online, helping you

free

up that much-needed hard drive space. It is a premium feature, though, available only for paid plans.

What is the difference between Smart Sync and selective sync in Dropbox?

Selective Sync is an

older

feature that allows you to choose files and folders to sync with Dropbox. Synced files take up hard drive space, and everything you don’t sync can’t be seen or opened on your computer. With Smart Sync, you can choose to make files online-only.

Why are smart sync files still taking up space?

If you’re using Smart Sync with macOS High Sierra 10.13 and up, you may notice that online-only files appear to take up space when you try to manage storage space in your Mac settings. The reason for this is that

file size is calculated based on something called “logical size” rather than “physical size”

.

Where is the Sync tab on Dropbox?

  1. Open your Dropbox desktop app preferences.
  2. Click the Sync tab.
  3. Under Selective Sync, click Choose folders (Mac) or Selective Sync… (Windows).
  4. Check the folders you’d like saved on your hard drive. …
  5. Click Update.

Are Dropbox files stored locally on my computer?

Save files to your phone

On your phone,

Dropbox doesn’t work the same way

as it does on your computer. The apps for Android and iOS don’t save and sync files to your device like the desktop apps for Windows and macOS do. … Tap the drop-down menu next to any file or folder, then hit the Make available offline option.

How long does Dropbox Smart Sync take?

As explained by Dropbox, “setting files to be online only will free up space on your hard drive

within minutes

(as long as your computer is online and able to sync to Dropbox).

Why is Dropbox syncing all my files?

This process is

just a precaution to ensure that a copy of your files are safe on your computer while your files are re-syncing

. … It’s recommended that you don’t touch the “Dropbox (Old)” folder while this process is happening.

Why is my Dropbox not syncing?

Another cause of issues on Dropbox for Android is app compatibility.

If an app doesn’t support Dropbox, it will not sync automatically

. You will have to replace the file manually to access it elsewhere. In order to conserve battery life, Dropbox will limit background activity when your device’s power is low.

What happens if I delete Dropbox folder on my computer?

When you delete a file from Dropbox,

it’s no longer visible in any of the folders you see in your account

. However, the file isn’t permanently deleted until after your recovery window: … Dropbox Professional and Business accounts can recover deleted files for 180 days.

Which is better Dropbox or Google Drive?

Winner. In the battle of Dropbox vs Google Drive, the

best cloud storage service is Dropbox

, by a nose. It just edges out Google Drive based on security, but its slightly easier file sharing and faster syncing also make it a better service, particularly for those who collaborate on a lot of documents.

How do I know if my Dropbox is syncing?

  1. Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
  2. At the bottom of the window that appears, there’s a bar with text that says Your files are up to date, Syncing [filename], Syncing [x] files, or Syncing paused until [x].

How much does Dropbox Smart Sync cost?

If you sign up for an annual plan the price drops $2 a month to

$9.99

. For Professional plan subscribers, the price is remaining the same at $19.99 a month or $16.58 if paid annually.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.