Child Item

My dropbox won't sync files if my IPhone screen is locked

Hi there,

I spend most of the day taking pictues with my IPhone and sending this photos to my drop box account, so I can access this photos from my computer for editing and posting on social media.

However, If my IPhone screen looks (is set to lock after 1 minute of inactivity), dropbox stop uploading the pictues. Or, if I send the files and change to another the app, it also stop synching.

So I have to keep unlocking my phone all the time and can't change app in order to get all the photos uploaded to my desktop folder.

Is there a option i can change and dropbox on my phone will keep synching even if the screen is locked or keep synching in background?

It's really annoying and seem like a easy thing to fix.

Thanks 😉

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Accepted answers

Walter

Yes, that's expected since you're manually uploading your photos @dbwontsync - read on for more context:

Currently, photos and videos can upload while the Dropbox app is active and for a short time after it is dismissed, as you have noticed as well. After that time iOS applications' policy restricts us from continuing to access files to upload, unless you enable the background uploading option (available when using our automatic camera uploads feature).

As mentioned, you can enable background uploading within the Camera Upload settings, at which point our app will ask for permission to access your device's location services while it does not collect your location's information.

Moreover, you should be able to change this behavior following these steps (they might be slightly different depending on your mobile device's OS and version):

1. Launch the “Settings” app.

2. You will see some of your apps listed at the bottom of the list of settings. Tap the Dropbox app in this list.

3. Enable “Background App Refresh”, and then tap the “Privacy” option

4. Turn on “Photos” so that Dropbox can access your Photos, then tap “Location Services”.

5. Choose “Always”.

I hope this helps improve the progress on this matter while for more information, you can check out our Help Center article here: https://www.dropbox.com/help/mobile/location-data

Let me know if you need anything else!

All comments

Walter

Hey there @dbwontsync - how are you today?

As a frist step to fix this issue, could you please turn on Background Uploading following these steps?

1. Open the Dropbox app.
2. Tap the "Home" tab.
3. Tap the gear icon :gear:
4. Select “Camera Uploads.”
5. Toggle "Background Uploading" to "on." (Or, if it's already set to "on," toggle the setting off and then on again.)

I hope this helps!

dbwontsync

Hey Walter,

Thank you for you reply.

Unfortunately I am only able to select "background uploading" option when the option auto upload photos if enabled.

In my case, I dont want all the pictures to be synced.

I usually select the one's I want, create a new folder and upload the selected one's.

Is that because I am using the free account?

Thanks

Walter

Yes, that's expected since you're manually uploading your photos @dbwontsync - read on for more context:

Moreover, you should be able to change this behavior following these steps (they might be slightly different depending on your mobile device's OS and version):

1. Launch the “Settings” app.

2. You will see some of your apps listed at the bottom of the list of settings. Tap the Dropbox app in this list.

3. Enable “Background App Refresh”, and then tap the “Privacy” option

4. Turn on “Photos” so that Dropbox can access your Photos, then tap “Location Services”.

5. Choose “Always”.

I hope this helps improve the progress on this matter while for more information, you can check out our Help Center article here: https://www.dropbox.com/help/mobile/location-data

Let me know if you need anything else!

Helmutsg

Hey, I have uswd DB for years now and for approx a year it doesnt upload in the background anymore even though I have changed my phone (now a new iphone 11pro max) and always location on etc etc. It doesnt do anything as soon as I open a different app or lock my screen. This is going on for a year now so I have no clue what the issue is as I have done hundreds of steps from all over the internet but nothing seems to fix it. Horrible. I have to keep my phone screen on all day long with the app open after ever vacation....

Walter

I'm sorry to hear you're having issues with this @Helmutsg. Let's have a look into this now.

Just to make sure we're troubleshooting the right thing here can you include a screenshot of the Camera Uploads settings in the Dropbox app in your next reply here?

If you could also send a screenshot of the Dropbox permissions settings (you can find these by opening the “Settings” app on your iPhone or iPad, and then tapping “Dropbox.”), that'd be awesome!

Thanks a bunch!

Helmutsg

Sure. Attached both Screenshots.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1r01N9gYBrzMUnBee7k0TVYGHx_jRpv53

Walter

Thanks for following up on this so quickly Helmut; I appreciate it.

May I reach out to your Dropbox associated email address to have a further look into this with all of our tools at my disposal?

If needed, I'll send this to an expert for additional investigation but I'll need to check your device's logs internally first so the best way to continue with this would be through email.

Helmutsg

Yes please!

Walter

I'm sorry for the late reply Helmut. I just sent you an email so we can work on this together.

At your earliest convenience, please take a look at your inbox and we'll take it from there.

Talk to you soon @Helmutsg :envelope:

lyukaskez

Hi Walter,

I'm Peter from Hungary, and have the same issue like Helmut.

Iphone 11 pro, everything switched on, and today I spent my whole day with dropbox app be always on screen, otherwise nothing uploaded.

If you figureised out what was the problem with Helmut, could you please also share it with me?

This problem was live with my Iphone 6S also...

Thanks in advance!

Peter

Walter

Hi Peter; sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

If you've made sure that Background Uploading is turned on but camera uploads still stops, changing locations should restart the upload.

If this doesn't improve the app's behavior, please let me know if you'd like me to reach out to your Dropbox associated email address to work on this together with account and device specific info.

Thanks so much @lyukaskez!

timothyjonking

I'm having the same issue. All setting are as directed. Photo not uploading unless I keep the app up and the phone awake. Please post a solutiuon so everyone can fix their iPhones.

Helmutsg

Hey all, it seems to me, that the fix has been found.
By turning off the iphone option to delete images from your phone that have been uploaded to icloud solved it.
The issue was, that dropbox needed to request Icloud to download those again and etc.

Once I turned it off (and I have enough space on my phone) it works smooth in the background and actually uploaded pictures 1,5 years old as well - seems those never upload as they were deep in the cloud from apple.
I will continue to monitor this but it seems like all is cool now

StuartGarrett

Can Dropbox support please issue instructions on how to implement this fix?

I have also had this problem for 12 months and the standard Dropbox instructions do not fix the issue.

GabrielRoe

I have tried to follw the steps described in the approved solution. But it doesn't work in iOS13.6 Any ideas? All help appreciated.

lyukaskez

Hello Walter,

I still have issues with sync, especially photos upload. As I find out, it is not working if the phone is in battery saving mode. If the battery saving switches on when the battery is under 20 %, and I start charging it, the battery saving mode is still on till it reaches 80%. So, despite I changing position, and the battery is at 75%, it still doesn't upload anything. I'm not sure if it is the problem but it seems to be. But I don't know how to solve it, because if I arrived at home and realized that it is not uploading and switching OFF the battery saving mode and it is in normal, 75%, still not start upload.

Jlaverde

Hi, can I know what wa stew solution given, I’m also struggling to upload a few photos from my mobile manually, I request to have open the app, I cannot use my mobile to any other thing not allow to lock because it stop uploading, you can public the solution to all users or write to [email address removed as per the Community's Guidelines]. One more reason aside Dropbox eliminated the option to see photos on presentation mode that is make me thinking to migrate to a better service solution.