Open desktop app preferences on a Mac computer Make sure your Dropbox desktop app is open. If it’s not, double-click it from your applications list in Finder or use any of these other options to open the app. Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.
- How to upload to Dropbox using the desktop app Step 1: Assuming you already have a Dropbox account, head over to the Dropbox website and click the blue Sign in link before entering your login.
- Learn more about how Adam, a member of the Dropbox Community, uses Dropbox to teach music here! Dropbox installs & integrations Connect your tools and content together with help from the Dropbox Community.
Depending on your operating system (Linux, macOS, or Windows), you may see some or all of the options below in the preferences menu. On Linux, you can change some of these settings using commands.
Settings in the general tab
Start Dropbox on system startup
You can have Dropbox launch automatically whenever you start your computer. This option is recommended in order to keep your Dropbox folder synced online and to other computers at all times.
Language
To specify a different language from the default operating system settings, select it from this menu.
Dropbox Badge
Choose if Dropbox badge appears each time you open a Microsoft Office file, to see it only when others are viewing a file, or to never see the badge.
Open folders in
You can choose to open folders automatically in the Dropbox folder in Finder/File Explorer or the desktop app. Learn how to change that preference.
About Dropbox
This is the current version of your Dropbox installation. Reference this number in support cases or to see if you have the latest version of Dropbox.
Settings in the account tab
In the account tab you can sign in and out of your Dropbox accounts, view which plan you’re on, and view your storage space. If you have two linked accounts, you can sign in and out of them in this tab. If you sign into both your linked accounts, you can easily switch between them in the desktop app.
Settings in the backups tab
Devices
Devices configured for importing photos will show up here.
Photos
Choose if you want to enable camera uploads to automatically upload photos and videos from your phone, camera, SD card, or other devices whenever you connect to your computer.
Screenshots
Whenever you take a screenshot, Dropbox will automatically save it to your Dropbox and copy a link to your clipboard so you can share it instantly.
Settings in the bandwidth or network tab
To change bandwidth settings on a Mac computer, click Network, then click Change Settings... next to Bandwidth.
Download rate
- Don't limit: Select this radio button if you want Dropbox to download files from the Dropbox server at the fastest available speed.
- Limit to: Limit the rate of download by entering your own download rate in kilobytes per second. Entering '0' will tell Dropbox to download at the fastest speed available.
Upload rate
- Don't limit: Select this radio button if you want Dropbox to upload files to Dropbox at the fastest available speed.
- Limit automatically: Select this radio button if you want Dropbox to determine the speed at which to upload your files when it is syncing.
- Limit to: Choose your own upload rate here in kilobytes per second
LAN sync
LAN sync is a networking feature that allows you to save time and bandwidth by downloading files directly from other computers on your local network. Deselecting this option will force Dropbox to sync from Dropbox servers every time it detects a change in your Dropbox folder.
Settings in the proxies or network tab
To change proxies settings on a Mac computer, click Network, then click Change Settings... next to Proxies.
Proxy settings
- No proxy: Choose no proxy server to tell Dropbox if you don't use a proxy server. Choosing this option may bypass some issues that occur when Dropbox attempts to find a proxy server and fails
- Auto-detect: This option will let Dropbox auto-detect your proxy settings. Select this option if you are unsure if your internet connection requires a proxy server
- Manual: Select this radio button to allow you to enter your proxy settings manually. This option is typically for users or administrators who have a non-standard proxy server configuration
When Manual is selected, the following settings will be available for editing:
- Proxy type: This pulldown will let you select your proxy server's protocol. Dropbox supports HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5.
- Server: Enter the URL and port of your proxy server here.
- Proxy server requires password: Select this checkbox if your proxy server requires a login. Once you do, the Username and Password fields will be editable.
Settings in the notifications tab
Notify me about
You can set your notification preferences to choose what notifications to receive.
Do not disturb
On Mac computers, you can turn off notifications for a limited time. Choose how long notifications are turned off for.
Settings in the sync tab
Desktop Dropbox Download
Selective sync
Selective sync lets you choose which folders from your Dropbox online account sync to the Dropbox folder on your computer. If you deselect a folder, it won't appear in your Dropbox folder, but it's still in your account on dropbox.com. We recommend you use selective sync for files you don't use very often.
Smart Sync
Smart Sync is only available to Dropbox Business, Plus, Family, and Professional users.
If you choose the Local setting, new files and folders that you add to your account on dropbox.com download to your computer's hard drive in the Dropbox folder.
If you choose the Online-only setting, new files and folders added to your account on dropbox.com display in your Dropbox folder on your computer, but are online-only.
Note: Smart Sync settings only apply to the top-level of folders inside your main Dropbox folder. All lower-level files and folders follow the setting of their parent folder, unless you change them individually.
Select Let my admin manage this setting to use your team's default setting.
Sync setting FAQs
Why are my files downloading to my computer when my Smart Sync is set to online-only?
There are two reasons a file may download to your computer’s Dropbox folder even though your Smart Sync is set to online-only:
Dropbox For Mac App
- The file or folder was already on your computer when you added it to your Dropbox folder
- In this case, the file or folder will continue to take up hard drive space unless you make it online-only
- Note: You can also unsync it from your computer using selective sync
- You’re using an application that needed to download files to function properly, including:
- Backup services
- Antivirus software
- Recently used file lists
- Third party applications that monitor files
Why, after using selective sync, are my folders online-only when my Smart Sync is set to local?
If you’re using Smart Sync (which is only available to Dropbox Business, Plus, Family and Professional users), you can still use selective sync to sync folders from dropbox.com to your computer’s Dropbox folder. Those folders sync to your computer as online-only regardless of your Smart Sync setting, but you can change them to local at anytime.
To change a folder from online-only to local:
- Right-click the folder.
- Hover over Smart Sync.
- Click Local.
Dropbox folder location
This option changes the location of your Dropbox folder. Typically your Dropbox folder is installed in your user folder (the folder named after your login). However, you can choose any location on your hard drive with this option.
Note: While you can choose the location of your Dropbox folder, you currently can't change the name of your Dropbox folder. No matter where you put it, it will be named Dropbox or Dropbox (Team name) for Business accounts and Dropbox (Personal) for connected personal accounts.
Dropbox has released an all-new Mac app today and updated its web and iOS apps to unify and enhance the user experience across all platforms. The update also brings new integrations with third-party software like Slack and improved collaboration features like pinning files, to-dos in folders, and much more.
Dropbox announced the news in a blog post and press release today calling the new Mac and Windows app and updated workspace across its iOS and web experience “the biggest user-facing change in the company’s history”:
With updates to the Dropbox desktop experience, dropbox.com, and the mobile app, users get a single workspace designed to bring files, fragmented work tools, and teams together. The update includes early access to a new desktop app designed to provide a convenient new access point to the workspace.
The latest changes focus on bringing content, tools, and teams together for a seamless experience. Dropbox CEO, Drew Houston, said “The new Dropbox helps you quiet the noise and find focus at work.”
Highlights of the new Dropbox:
Bring content together
The new Dropbox brings cloud-based content into the Dropbox file system to provide one central location for all content, including:
- Cloud-based content like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which users can now create, access, and share within Dropbox. Users can also open Microsoft Office files in Office Online or Google Docs.
- Shortcuts to web content with links to productivity tools like Trello boards, wiki pages, and news articles. Users can now create and store web shortcuts alongside traditional content in Dropbox.
The changes also include new integrations with Slack and Zoom and a new partnership with Atlassian.
Bring tools together
The new Dropbox brings together the tools people want to use the most so they can spend less time switching between apps and more time getting work done. Last year, the company announced Dropbox Extensions, a series of integrations that let users start and finish workflows—like signing contracts and annotating videos—in the Dropbox platform. Beginning today, users can also:
- Start Slack conversations and send files to Slack channels directly from Dropbox, and easily share Dropbox files within Slack conversations.
- Join or add Zoom Meetings directly from Dropbox, and present files directly from Dropbox in Zoom.
- See Slack and Zoom sharing activities right next to your files in Dropbox.
The company has also formed a strategic partnership with Atlassian. In the coming months, the companies will build deep integrations across Dropbox and Atlassian’s platforms to create a better way for teams to organize, coordinate and run projects.
Finally, new workspace offers new team-focused tools:
Bring teams together
Available via early access with the new desktop app, folders now have improved capabilities across desktop, mobile, and web, providing a rich workspace for teams. Users can:
- Pin files to the top of a folder to give anyone with access to the folder quick access to important content.
- Add folder descriptions to give everyone context on the files they see.
- Create to-dos at the top of a folder.
- @mention teammates to draw attention to folder descriptions or to-dos.
- Get updates on file activity, including content shared in Slack and Zoom from any device.
- See who’s viewed files with the viewer info feature now available on desktop.
- Comment on shared content across desktop, mobile, and web.
Dropbox notes that the new Mac app is opt-in through the early access program link here for all users and admins can do the same for their teams in the admin console. Other features are available now across the platform with some rolling out “over the next few weeks.”
Dropbox updated its iOS app today with the new features.
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