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How to Restore Default Location of Your Personal Folders - ie. Downloads

Hi,

I've been trying to figure out how to relocate my Downloads folder to my MacOS and I just don't understand how. Even in order to see my Downloads folder in my Desktop Dropbox Folder location, I have to right click my Downloads folder and select "show in enclosing folder" and then it shows up in transparency.

I want my Downloads folder out of Dropbox without loosing its contents. I also want to be able to make sure I don't screw up anything concerning what makes everything save there by default when downloaded.

Thank you ahead of time,

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00aime

So I’m terrible because since I left@"Megan" hanging two years ago, I don’t remember the outcome of this rabbit hole.

I get the feeling that it came down to having turned on the Backup feature accidently once and it kind of acted like iCloud acts on MacOS.. it basically syncs everything and when you delete it from your computer, it deletes it everywhere. It’s a mysterious concept to me as it defies the concept of backups.

Anyway.. I now have my Downloads folder on my Mac and out of my Dropbox and as far as I can see/ remember, I think I blatantly dragged it into my Favorites sidebar and it's lived there ever since.

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Jay

Hi @00aime , thanks for bringing this to our attention.

It sounds like you've enabled the computer backup feature.

Could you try disabling the Backup feature by following these steps and choose the option to 'Keep content in folders on this Mac'?

Keep me updated with any progress!

00aime

Hi Jay,

I've actually checked that. And it is does not seem that the computer backup feature is enabled as in the "Backups" tab in the Preferences menu, when I click on the "Manage backups" button, everything is deselected and it doesn't look like it's even set up : Screenshot 2023-10-11 at 16.03.01.png

I'm not sure I understand the steps to take in the link you sent me as I do not want to delete A backup, I want to disable the feature. Is there something I'm missing? Furthermore, when I click the dropbox icon in my menu bar, I do not see a "Sync&Backups" Tab : Screenshot 2023-10-11 at 16.08.08.png

Kindly advise,

Thank you!

Jay

If the system Downloads folder is in the Dropbox folder, then it means the Backup feature was enabled at some point.

Do you have any backups visible on this page on your account?

00aime

Hi Jay,

OK that makes sense.

When I go over to that page, I see this :

Screenshot 2023-10-11 at 19.10.06.png

Jay

When you click the ellipsis, do you have the option to delete the backup? This would also free up your account of the 6 GB being used up by that old backup.

00aime

Hi Jay,

When I click on the ellipsis / select the backup, it does give me an option to delete it.

If I delete it, afterwards I should be able to take the Downloads folder out of Dropbox?

Thanks!

Megan

Hi @00aime, sorry to jump in here!

As a first step, can you clarify if you're able to locate your existing Downloads locally on the device?

Can you try to create a copy of the files inside your My Mac before you proceed with the deletion, just to be safe?

00aime

Hi Megan!

Yes, the Downloads folder is in my Favorites Menu Bar in my Finder Window.

I will definitely make a copy to my Desktop before deleting anything (haha).

Thank you,

Megan

Hi @00aime, you could then try to download the content from the web (or copy them from your Desktop) to a new location, and then move everything there.

Once you give it a go, let me know of the results!

00aime

Hi Megan,

I could indeed do that but what bothers me is that it wouldn't change the fact that my "My Mac" folder, containing my "Downloads" folder is inside my Dropbox folder on my computer. I want to restore its default location on my operating system.

Screenshot 2023-10-12 at 17.36.50.png

Megan

Gotcha @00aime!

Can you try following these steps then?

00aime

So, if I read through those steps.. see the red annotations throughout.

Thanks.

Screenshot 2023-10-12 at 17.56.56.png

Hannah

Hey @00aime, since the backup feature is now disabled and you still have the Dropbox application installed, try the following steps and let me know how it goes:

1) Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.

2) Click your profile picture or initials.

3) Click 'Preferences'.

4) Click the 'Accounts' tab.

5) Press the Option key and at the same time click the 'Reset OS folders locations' button.

00aime

Thanks Hannah,

Haha, I got really excited for a minute, but...I am only able to complete steps 1 through 4.

When I get to step 5 : when I press the Option key, I get three buttons : Fix permissions, Fix hard links, Reset File System Warning Options.

Maybe I need to "fix" something before the right button will show? 😛

Hannah

Hmm, can you hover your mouse over your Dropbox icon and let me know the sync status and the version of the app that you're running, please?

00aime

Screenshot 2023-10-13 at 17.26.28.png

Megan

One small clarification @00aime:

You mentioned that your "My Mac" folder inside your Dropbox folder, contains your "Downloads" folder.

Can you please clarify if you can access the Downloads folder it contains, make a copy of its contents, and then place it in the actual, original file-path in your Finder?

If you're getting an error, let me know!

NAustMal

I'm literally having THIS same problem. Somehow when deleting the dropbox app off my iMac, the DESKTOP and all downloads, plus everything on my computer, imovie, all photobooth files VANISHED. It's scary and frustrating and seems to not really have a great solution to resolve it.

Walter

Hey @NAustMal - sorry to hear about this.

Is it possible that you had enabled the Dropbox Backup feature at some point in the past perhaps? If so, did you disable it before deleting or uninstalling the Dropbox desktop app from your computer?

00aime

So I’m terrible because since I left@"Megan" hanging two years ago, I don’t remember the outcome of this rabbit hole.

Anyway.. I now have my Downloads folder on my Mac and out of my Dropbox and as far as I can see/ remember, I think I blatantly dragged it into my Favorites sidebar and it's lived there ever since.

NAustMal

Thanks for following up. I will definitely give that a try and see how it works out. Take care!