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Why can't I backup up any folder with Dropbox Backup?

We recently upgraded to Dropbox business and I am trying to give guidance to our team members for using dropbox backup to backup key folders from their computers.

I cannot seem to figure this out.

When I go thru the desktop app / preferences / backup the only folders that are available are shown here. Screenshot 2023-12-13 152808.jpg

How do I get an option to select any folder on my C drive?

Thanks

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Jay

The Backup beta is currently only available to personal accounts, and not for Dropbox Business teams, which is why you might not be seeing this option.

All comments

Jay

Hi @ar1zona1, thanks for posting today.

The Dropbox Backup feature doesn't allow you to backup any folder on your computer.

Only the folders listed on that page are allowed to be backed up and synced by the Dropbox service.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

ar1zona1

Is this different than dropbox backup app (backup beta)? Does that let you backup other folders?

Looking for a solution for a few computers and thought this might work with our business account.

Jay

The Backup beta is currently only available to personal accounts, and not for Dropbox Business teams, which is why you might not be seeing this option.

sblumenstyk

I have Dropbox Plus, am using Backup Beta and keep my critical data in a structure off my C: drive called c:\data. Will a future version of Dropbox Backup allow me to backup that critical data and if so when might it be released? If not, can you point me to instructions on how to do an incremental sync of my c:\data as the one time copy I made from PC is not being refreshed in my online Dropbox.

Nancy

Hey @sblumenstyk! Unfortunately, we can’t share more details about when, or if, this will be possible via computer backup.

If you wish to back up files/folders that aren’t located within your computer’s Home directory, or in Documents, Desktop, and Downloads, you’ll need to move them directly to your local Dropbox folder, so that any changes you make can sync to your Dropbox account online.

BigRev

Nancy

Im a new user to Backup Beta literally this week and really like the concept as a personal account user. It would be great to see access in the future to all the browser favorites folders in whatever internet browsers you have installed like chrome or Edge etc. Documents, Download, pictures, videos, music etc are all great and catch 95% of the likely data a personal user would have - BUT if you have your home PC stolen in my experience on top of all that data what you really miss is the all the website links you have amassed over the years when you start with a new PC or Laptop. Also a small message on the backup settings under where you setup daily, weekly etc saying "If your PC or Laptop is turned off at the allocated backup time then it will backup automatically if it has missed that time." or disclaimer that it wont...just be good to know on the settings page in small writing imo. thanks.

Megan

Hey @BigRev, happy Wednesday!

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

I'll forward your feedback to the appropriate areas so we can continue to improve.

Thanks a bunch!

lazyfrog

Hey Nancy and the Dropbox Team,

on your page about dropbox backup it says in german:

Hinweis: Wenn Sie die Betaversion von Dropbox Backup verwenden, können Sie auf „Ordnerauswahl ändern“ klicken, um Ordner von Ihrem Gerät hinzuzufügen, die noch nicht aufgeführt sind.

However, I cant find this option to " change folder selection", and I cant add a folder that is not yet listed. I can expand the slection which then shows me all the folders from my own windows user folder, yet just like many others on this forum I keep my main data and media in the C:\ folder and would be really happy if you had the feature to select those to be backed up.

Please let me know, what the hint actually refers to, just the folders in the user folder, or any folder on my PC. If its not the second please give this request to the development team .

Thanks

PS: https://help.dropbox.com/de-de/organize/how-to-use-dropbox-backup this is the link where the hint is on

Hannah

Hey @lazyfrog, thanks for chiming in!

While the Dropbox Backup Beta allows you to back more folders up to Dropbox, you still can only choose from folders in your home folder, so if the Dropbox application is installed on the C: drive, you can only back up folders from there.

I hope this clarifies things and I will of course pass your feedback along to our team about this.

Thanks!

GlasgowJill

Hello,

I have Dropbox Basic (personal) with Backup beta (unpaid, not sure how I came to have it but I do). I've been trying to rationalise my storage and backup, after a critical data fail last week which highlighted the difference between a true, one-way backup and file sync.

I keep my main working files on Dropbox. However, as I understand it, these are not included in the Dropbox beta backup, which limits folder selection to Documents, Music, etc. The Dropbox files are in another part of my c drive and are not covered.

How is it not possible to back up files in Dropbox using Dropbox backup? In searching through the forum for an answer, I see that many people have been asking the same question.

I understand that the backup feature is still being developed and has limitations, but the exclusion of Dropbox files is very strange.

-Jill

Jay

Hi @GlasgowJill, the Dropbox Backup feature is primarily for syncing certain folders one-way to the site. Those files could still be deleted from the site and backup if the original file is deleted from those folders on your computer, so the syncing of deletions is possible.

The normal Dropbox folder which has two-way syncing is the main service that Dropbox provides, since those files can be updated by other machines, devices and from the site, and has many more features available like sharing, unlike with the Backup feature.

Since the two services are separate, and provide different features, you could choose to save your files in one of the computer backup folders, if you wish for them to be separate from the main Dropbox folder.

jaycreates

New to Dropbox and I want to backup certain folders, just spent 2 hours troubleshooting this. looks like I can't do that with a business account. The last thing I want when signing up for a new service is to troubleshoot a simple feature. Good bye Dropbox 👋