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Dropbox Vault offline access

Hello,

Dropbox Vault sounds like a very nice new feature, and I was wondering how to access it while I'm not connected to the internet (i.e. offline).

On my Mac, when I click on the Vault icon it always opens up the dropbox website, and doesn't seem to be letting me access it locally.

Any way to access dropbox vault offline/locally?

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Mark

No there isnt. This is because the security for accessing it is set up on the website itself.

MikhailVb

Seems to me that offline access to files in Vault via conventional Dropbox sync could still be a valid approach.

In the cloud and through the Dropbox interface, the extra protection from Vault would be available. On a local storage device, it would be "business as usual". However, some users (like myself) might find the extra security more valuable specifically in the cloud and through the Dropbox interface.

As secure as Dropbox sync presumably is, perhaps Dropbox wished to eliminate recurring sync from Vaulted files to avoid the repeated exposure of such files to data transfer between cloud and local, just to be extra cautious. However, I'd still be interested in "business as usual" syncing of such files with the added security of Vault limited to the cloud storage / Dropbox UI side.

anirguha

I don't see the problem there in providign access to the Vault folder offline. There can be just an extra encyption for the folder which should solve the issue. Othe cloud storage and backup providers like pCloud which also I am using has got this feature available which is making the secret folders easy to access from desktops locally.

MarcoHandl

Another useless feature, as long as it is just stored the cloud.
*facepalm*

JoeyLloyd

I like the idea of backing up (and accessing) my data online in case my computer, say, gets run over by a bus. I also like the idea of backing up my online files on my computer in case I loose access to the internet. It is disappointing that my most important and sensitive files would be in a vault the violates this concept of Online backs up Hardware and Hardware backs up Online. Seems easy enough to sync an encrypted file that could be opened offline.

Bort

It really sucks that there is still no solution on this. I am looking for something like that already for years.

Users cannot control if dropboxe's serverfarm burns down to ashes. In this case there would not be any offline backup.

Also with 3rd parties there is no relyable solution...

For instance I tried Wise Folder Hider.

-The folder hiding function does not work out with dropbox and with its

-virtual drive function, dropbox does not recognize a change of it. As it is a predesigned encrypted mountable drive and the size and change are only determined once when you create it.

Really appreciate any ideas on how to secure my data, both on- and offline. 😞

Megan

Hi @Bort, thanks for taking the time to post here.

Your feedback regarding this has been very valuable and I will endeavor to make sure your voice is heard.

I will pass on your comments to the relevant departments, so we can continue to grow.

If you need anything else, let me know.

KateRobert

Now that Dropbox owns Boxcryptor, hopefully they will use the awesome technology that Boxcryptor had to update Dropbox Vault and provide access to vault files even when offline (like boxcryptor did)

Daniel E.12

This is a useful thread. For me offline access to the vault is critical. The whole point of using the vault for me is to store images of passport and other ids. However when traveling to a foreign country, the time when you need access to those images is the time when you probably can't get internet access. So the lack of offline access makes it a non-starter. I'm better off just keeping the images in the photos app on my phone; and I can eliminate the $$$ annual dropbox fee entirely.

Bort

Daniel E.12
I found my solution in the Microsoft Cloud OneDrive that works quite ok for me.
For you it still might not fit perfectly.

I can not make my data available offline but they are stored offline as well. In order to unlock vault on your computer you need one time access to the internet. But the data itself is stored in the vault of the cloud as well as offline and securely on your device(s).
Another useful feature is that you can set a time, how long your vault should be unlocked. What is not the case with Dropbox, what is a real disaster when you upload large files. Then you need to upload to the Dropbox first and then move it to Dropbox vault.

It is also 2TB for free included in my office license. Thus I am thinking of switching completely and saving €€€ annually as you already stated.

JohnnyDogman

Unfortunately, Vault is designed to be accessed through the Dropbox website, which requires an internet connection for security reasons. This means you can’t access Vault offline or locally on your Mac.

If you need offline access to important files, consider moving them to a regular Dropbox folder, which can be synced to your computer and accessed without an internet connection.

Bort

Thanks, we had this on page 1 already. It is a bit confusing how the threads here are arranged.

Microsoft is able to deliver this security and storing the data offline.

Bort

I need to excuse.

Dropbox is way better than OneDrive. We planned to move our 3 users to OD as we have 1 TB each in our office license, resulting in about 400€/year savings.

OD was not able to upload all our files (3 DB accounts to 3 separate OD accounts). We suffered data loss on one PC during migration to OD. I did not understand how that was possible. OD during the uploads/downloads killed all, the PCs as well as the networks they were in. It once killed itself so hard, it forgot that it was installed on my PC. WTF?!
And a bunch of more issues like randomly changing between file stati like "only online", making it even necessary to download the just uploaded files again, resulting in continous blockage of PC and Network.

One week work and a blockage of our office later, we restored our DBs.

2 features I stay with OD:
-The vault - maybe DB can develop it a similar way, with keeping the files available offline.

-Camera Uploads:
Camera Uploads in different folders: Whatsapp Images and Insta and etc, should not be mixed in one folder. Would really wish that for Dropbox.

Thanks!