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Mac -> New files with cloud icon. How to set-it up to sync files available offline?

Grifo98

Hello...

Is it possible to set Dropbox to sync all files directly? For some time now, I've been getting a cloud icon next to a file I put in Dropbox on another device. I always have to open the file manually first so that it is downloaded. Previously, the entire content was synchronized with each system start.

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Jay

Hi @Grifo98, as my colleague mentioned, if you're running the new version of the Dropbox app for Mac OS, then theses changes are expected, and files will default to online-only.

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Megan

Hi @Grifo98, welcome to our Community!

Keep in mind, that the way you sync files, especially the settings that you apply on the files, and folders on each device, is unique.

With that being said, when you make the file available offline, doesn't it stay that way? Can you check your app's preferences, under the Sync tab, and let me know what you find there?

Let me know more!

Grifo98

The correct path to the Dropbox folder is set under the SYNC options. In the selective selection, all subfolders are selected.

I uploaded four files via the browser at work today. When I turned on the computer at home, these four files were marked with a cloud icon. To open them, they are first downloaded and then opened. In the past, everything was automatically retrieved with the system start. I would like to have it like that again.

Hannah

Hey @Grifo98, which version of macOS are you running and which Dropbox app version?

If you've updated to the new Dropbox for macOS version, this is expected behavior.

Files added to your Dropbox account from another device or that are shared by another user will default to online-only.

You can see more about the expected changes here.

Grifo98

I have the latest version of macOS and the Dropbox client.

Jay

Hi @Grifo98, as my colleague mentioned, if you're running the new version of the Dropbox app for Mac OS, then theses changes are expected, and files will default to online-only.

sk27

Hi,

What version of dropbox would I have to use to have it so the default setting is not online only? I am setting up dropbox on a new Mac laptop and I have too many files to download individually at this point.

thank you,

Srikanth

Hannah

Hey @sk27, you can't really install a previous version of the Dropbox app to your new Mac and even if you could, it will automatically get updated to the newest version eventually.

But you don't have to make the files available offline individually, you can do this to your entire Dropbox folder, by right-clicking it and choosing "make available offline".

Chris_Mellor

First of all, the default to online access and not local copies of my Dropbox MacBook Air folder content is unhelpful and unwanted, It doe not permit me to have offline access to the files without manually copying them to a local folder on my MacBook. This is a retrograde move in your service and not something I wanted at all. Now I have found the right-click set to offline access function I have at least regained the functionality I had prior to your software upgrade - or downgrade as far as I am concerned,

Secondly, you should have provided a simple way to resume the prior default action of making all files and folders available offline without me having to search through a community help forum, find this post, and then manually set all my flies and folders to default to offline access. Shame on you for this poor approach to customer service, customer experience and facilities. As a paying customer I am disappointed. You have caused me inconvenience and extra work.

mariangpongiangela

Same Problem here, still not solved

Cambridge UK

Thanks for being clear about this. However I think this is a really poor, and slightly high handed, decision. I want, and always wanted, all my dropbox files alway on all the connected machines. I am trying to archive my dropbox folder and it is taking many hours to recover files that I thought and intended to be on my ****** drive.

I have tried your suggestion that I mark the whole folder as offline, I assume the archive process will force a full download of all my missing files.

Please do not make a change like this again! I do not want to find I need hours to download files I need now because dropbox has, without my agreement, removed them from my ****** drive.

c-a-e

1. Agreed this is TERRIBLE service by DROPBOX. If DROPBOX cannot be reset to automatically synchronise all files to be available offline on both synced computers then it will no longer we worth paying for - for many users including me.

2. The statement that this can eb resolved (on Mac) by right-clicking on the folder or the sub-folder or the file and selecting 'available offline' is incorrect. This works for some files but not others (uploaded by other people). The only way to make these files marked with a cloud available offline is by clicking on the cloud for each file individually, which then causes it to download and be available offline.

Again, this automatic compulsory downgrade to DROPBOX makes it useless and not worth paying for for some users, including me. Will DROPBOX fix this?

c-a-e

Bizarrely, i've found by chance (since there is no useful help in the incorrect online information about this) that by clicking on the cloud symbol for each folder (in my case, for each of the 8 main folders i have in Dropbox) then this causes Dropbox to download and make available offline all the files in those folders and their sub-folders. This is a useful temporary fix in advance to allow working with DROPBOX files when you know that you will not have internet access. However, it is taking hours and should not be necessary - setting a folder in DROPBOX to be available offline should achieve just that, without having to then also click on symbols for each folder. DROPBOX is not a useful product if it cannot be relied upon to make files available offline.

Will DROPBOX fix this?

studiojon

My observation (Mac OS 13.3.1 / DB 172.3.7467:

Right-click menu to "make available offline" doesn't seem to work.

Clicking on the Mac OS Cloud icon - that DOES seem to trigger the "make available offline" process.

Is it possible that the right click menu is just not functioning well? I have a bunch of green checkmarks with still offline mac indicators. However I am able to manually make them sync using the OS cloud icon click.

Thoughts?

rsa85

I am shocked that DropBox will allow this. Some users have capped data, or no WiFi at times and need to access their files. This change to online-only files with the new DropBox update for Mac users was done without our consent.

Over 700 GB of files were removed from my Macbook laptop. It will take days for this to be fixed and to download them again. I have lost hours of productivity because of this DropBox update, and being unable to access my files.

DropBox needs to apologise to users. Already, I am contemplating moving to another competitor like OneDrive or Google Drive. The change to online-only as a default is unacceptable.

studiojon

This change is being forced by Apple. Not Dropbox. And this is currently beta. So you opted in……..

And kinda obviously no cloud storage is really appropriate with large amounts of files and capped data??

I have 140 TB in Dropbox. Obviously only syncing what’s necessary at any given time. But the ability to reliably choose what’s available offline is essential. And was the point of this thread.

Z-Studio

Exactly the same problem - very annoying and unwanted. I am glad I found this thread, it was not easy to find and wasted a lot of time, still haven't solved the issue of how to make the previously seamless service to work without hassle of having to retrieve the files each time I am switching to my laptop at home. Who has time for this? Thank you Dropbox! Are we supposed to look for the alternatives?