Child Item

How can I keep my files and folders online-only?

I want all Dropbox files and folders to stay online and not on my MacBook which is full.

In 'Manage hard drive space' I have ticked them as online only but they later reappear on my MacBook as offline, crashing apps and closing down the MacBook.

How do I ensure they stay online only?

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Storage space

Sync

Insightful

Closed - Partially Delivered

Comments

Hannah

Hi there, @peterj62, and thanks for reaching out to the Dropbox Community.

Have you tried right-clicking on the Dropbox folder itself and choosing to make it online-only?

That should make all your files online-only at once and as long as there's no other app that looks at your files, like an antivirus, another backup service, a third party app that monitors files, etc., they should stay as online-only.

Let me know how it goes!

peterj62

Hi Hannah,

On my MacBook right-clicking the Dropbox folder in Finder doesn't give any options but on the pull-down menu there is the option to 'Manage hard drive space' and so I tick all folders (or all files) to 'move to online only'. This then immediately shows no offline files but within seconds the folders (and files) all reappear as online.

peterj62

..sorry, I meant they all reappear as offline - on the hard drive again.

Jay

Hi @peterj62, you should see context menus when right clicking files and folders in Finder, in order to get the online-only option.

Could you attach a screenshot showing what you're seeing when right clicking a folder in the Dropbox folder?

peterj62

Hi Jay,

Here is a screenshot of what I get when I right-click a dropbox folder. All I can see is 'manage hard drive space' as above.

Screenshot 2024-07-07 at 22.04.15.png

Hannah

Hey @peterj62, would you mind sending us a screenshot of what you see right after you click the "manage hard drive space" option as well?

peterj62

Hi Hannah, I get this:

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 12.09.02.png

peterj62

...then I check the box:

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 12.09.20.png

peterj62

..so all moves to online only for a brief moment:

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 12.09.29.png

peterj62

...but within seconds (presumably some automatic synch) the files and folders all move back offline:

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 12.11.27.png

Hannah

Thanks for the step-by-step update on this, Peter!

In this case, I'd like to go back to my first reply and ask you to check whether you have any:

- Backup services

- Antivirus

- Recently used file lists

- Third party applications that monitor files in general

If you do, I'd suggest you perform a test and temporarily quit or disable applications systematically, until you see that the issue is resolved.

The last application that you closed when the issue no longer occurred, may be the one performing this action.

Let us know what you find.

peterj62

Hi Hannah,

No, I'm not aware of having any of these services or applications.

I also don't believe that I have ever had online only working so this has always been an issue.

Peter

Megan

Hello from me too @peterj62!

If you access your General tab online, what do you see under "Dropbox system extension"?

Is the setting enabled?

peterj62

Hi Megan, yes it is enabled:

Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 20.58.23 (2).png

Megan

Hey @peterj62, would you mind hovering your mouse over the little Dropbox icon on your menu bar, next to your WiFi and checking the version you're using?

peterj62

Dropbox 202.4.5551

It says it's ' Screenshot 2024-07-09 at 22.22.06 (2).png Up to date'

Megan

Hey @peterj62, would you mind uninstalling and then re-installing the app please?

If this doesn't work, I'd be happy to send you an email, in order for us to have a closer look into this. Let me know!

peterj62

Hi Megan, I have uninstalled and then reinstalled the app but sadly the same thing happens - I move folders and files to online only but they are then immediately synched/copied onto my hard drive. My email address [removed per the Dropbox Community Guidelines]

Hannah

Thanks for trying, Peter.

I just emailed you, so we'll continue investigating internally.

Cheers!