Child Item

Moving from an old Mac to a new Mac are there step-by-step instructions somewhere?

I'm about to get a new MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. My current MacBook Pro is a mid-2012 (old-school) so it's been forever since I've had to set up DropBox on a new computer. Are there step-by-step instructions somewhere on disabling DropBox on the new computer and installing on the new one? I want to make this as easy on myself as possible so I want to make sure I do everything in the right order. Thanks for any advice!

Find more posts tagged with

Setting Up the Apps

Desktop

Sync

Install

Mac

Spam

Insightful

Closed - Partially Delivered

Accepted answers

Walter

Hi @2HDD, thanks for using Dropbox and posting on our Community!

If you made sure that the app has finished syncing and it's up to date in your menu bar, you can simply quit the app and then uninstall it, if needed.

On the new computer, just download and install the desktop app and sign in with your Dropbox account.

Let me know if you have any questions.

All comments

Walter

ChuckS2

I have well over a TB stored on my MacBookPro. In moving Dropbox to my new MBP, is there any way to avoid downloading all that? (Xfinity will freak out.). Thanks.

Walter

Hey @ChuckS2, thanks for joining the discussion here.

When it comes to your concern, note that upon installing the desktop app on your new computer you'll get an option to choose which folders you'd like to be Online Only via our online only files feature and/or via the selective sync feature.

i hope this helps!

ChuckS2

Thanks, Walter. But what I would really like is to download only the app, and then populate it with data transferred directly from my old computer, thus avoiding the download of any data while retaining all my locally-saved data. I pictured using Apple’s Migration Assistant (or something similar) to do this. Any thoughts? Thanks again.

Walter

In that case, you need to choose the "Advanced" setup option during the installation process. Then you need to choose the parent folder of the existing Dropbox folder as the location for this new install.

Since you'll be connecting with the same Dropbox account as before, Dropbox will detect the existing folder and will then prompt you to merge the Dropbox folder. Upon merging the desktop version of Dropbox will check the existing files and the server versions and update accordingly.

Please do note that any changes made to the files in the Dropbox folder or on the web interface while the folder was "offline" will generate conflicted copies.

Let me know how you get on, Chuck!

ChuckS2

Thanks, Walter, that sounds good.

omac

I have a similar related. I already migrated peer-to-peer on the new Mac - and during migration it already copied all my dropbox files. But when I signin to Dropbox, it gives me the option to restore from backup or skip ... so I try to restore ... it gave me some errors saying some files were not where they were supposed to be, e.g. Desktop, Download, Documents ... so I try again, and then SKIP. Now when I click to open the Dropbox app, it seems to show me a duplicate set of files that are in the Dropbox "Cloud" - how do I point them to the already migrated files? The new machine is a Macbook Air M2 with MacOS Venture 13.2.1

Screenshot 2023-03-04 at 5.10.50 AM.png Screenshot 2023-03-04 at 5.11.19 AM.png

Hannah

Hey @omac, sorry to see you're having trouble here.

Can you send us a couple of screenshots, so we can have a visual of the issue, please?

If you click on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar and then on the folder icon next to your initials/profile pic, do you see your Dropbox files there as normal?

sgrab

Hi, they already shared screenshots. I'm having the exact same issue.

Jay

HI @sgrab, are the three folders in their default locations on your drive according to Finder? Usually this would be /Users/Username/Desktop, and so on.

sgrab

No. Here's what happened:

OLD MAC:

- I installed Dropbox and created a backup

- Dropbox moved around all my folders

NEW MAC:

- I bought a new Mac and set it up using the Apple migration tool (which copies all settings, file structure, etc. from the old computer INCLUDING the changes Dropbox has made)

- Dropbox asked me to backup my new system, but then is unable to because it has itself moved the files around on the old machine (the new machine being a copy of the old)

- Trying to fix this, I moved the folders out of Dropbox to their original location, which just duplicated the files and then dropbox created a SECOND backup of my new machine.

- Now I have the worst of both worlds... files are duplicated on two SEPARATE backups, and therefore there is no single source of truth to sync to all machines.

I'm going to try and do a factory reset on my new Mac, delete all online backed-up files, then re-do the migration from my old Mac. If this fails, I'm cancelling my Dropbox subscription and moving to iCloud.

Hannah

Hey @sgrab, can we send you an email, so we can look into this internally?

omac

try this, as I had a similar issue: https://help.dropbox.com/installs/advanced-reinstall

DomBlack

Hi Walter, Sorry this does not work for me. I have downloaded the app and installed, on the new Mac ( about 20 times now ) I then signed in as per your suggestion. Then - nothing happens. This is seriously holding me up. Avatar (on newly downloaded app)/Preferences/sync/select folders. Nothing in there? Any help would be gratefully received, I can't find anything on Dropbox Help, Google, Youtube etc. Many thanks. [removed per Community Guidelines] DomBlack

Nancy

Hi @DomBlack, hope it’s OK to jump in.

Can you send over a screenshot of the options you see, after signing in to the Dropbox app? If there’s any personal info showing, please don’t forget to hide it.

ahhyeah

I have this same issue on MULTIPLE machines. We use Apple Migration so it moves the entire computer. When dropbox opens, it's confused and ruins everything...

Walter

Hey @ahhyeah - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

When you say Dropbox is confused, are you getting any particular errors perhaps?

If so, I'd appreciate a screenshot so that we can have a look too.

Thanks!

robporter

I just finished doing this and have a problem. I used apple migration tool to move over data. So that tool moved my old dropbox folder (in iCloud folder) to the new computer. When I signed into dropbox app on my new MacBook it created a new dropbox folder (not in iCloud, just in my user folder). So I have 2 sets of everything and my programs like MS word can't use prior links to files. I tried using app to direct to the prior folder but the app says it can't create a folder there. I don't see a way to point to an existing one. Also, when I try to update the dropbox app it wants to create a new folder in iCloud folder where my old one is. I've opened a chat but the rep there stopped replying once I gave the details of my question. Please help. And if possible, please email me at removed

Megan

Hi @robporter, let's jump right into this!

As a first step, would you be able to share your ticket reference with me?

Also, if you open the app's preferences, and check under your Sync tab, where is your Dropbox folder currently pointing to?

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

robporter

Thanks Megan. Ticket #23657171: Dropbox Support Chat is the ticket where rep disconnected without answering. I started another chat Ticket #23657295: Dropbox Support Chat where rep and I decided to let the app move the new dropbox folder created last night to my iCloud folder since the new version of dropbox app requires that. The migrated dropbox folder had its name changed to Dropbox (4-24-24 9/05 PM) by the migration tool, I'm assuming. So app shouldn't see 2 dropbox folders. The app is synching now so I'll see how system seems to work after app is done. Or do you have any other suggestions?

Megan

Hi @robporter, thanks for the added info!

I've passed your comments to the agent working on your case, and all the necessary people too.

I also checked what Justin shared with you, and I'll agree. I suggest that we give the app some time to sync, and we'll check its behavior once it's done.

If you need anything else, I'll be one post away! 😊