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How to get started with Selective Sync

Welcome to the Dropbox Community forum! We're thrilled to have you on board, and we want to make sure you get the most out of your Dropbox experience right from the start. Today, we're going to talk about Selective Sync.

What is Selective Sync?

Well, selective sync is a feature in the Dropbox desktop app that allows you to remove specific Dropbox folders from your hard drive so you can save space on your computer. You can remove the Dropbox folders from your computer without deleting files; the folders you remove from your hard drive remain stored in your account on dropbox.com

How to use selective sync

Note: To use selective sync, you’ll need to have the Dropbox desktop app installed on your device.

To choose which Dropbox folders to store on or remove from your computer’s hard drive:

Open your Dropbox desktop app preferences.
Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar.
Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the top-right corner.
Click Preferences.
Click the Sync tab.
Under Selective Sync (Windows), click Modify or Select folders to sync to this Mac (Mac), click Modify.
Check the folders you’d like saved on your hard drive. Uncheck the folders you’d like removed.
Click Update.

What is the difference between selective sync and online-only?

Making your files and folders online-only also helps save hard drive space. These files and folders will still be visible from your computer, but are stored in your Dropbox account online.

Based on how you use certain files and folders, they can automatically be set to online-only.

That's it! Now you can save valuable space for things that matter most to you, and learn how other Dropbox features can improve your day too!

So, what do you want to see from us? Let us know!

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Comments

GTATech

why is this feature not available in 2024 for Linux users?

Здравко

@GTATech, That was (and is) always available for Linux too. There was only one exception several years ago - by mistake Selective sync was removed for Linux, but in that case the mistake was corrected fast after signaling (on the next release). I'm not aware of any other such case. The current one (192.4.4605) works with Selective sync too.

MH50

I simply do not get it. What is the difference in files that are marked with solid green "Available offline" and files marked with outline green "available" They are both available off line and are synchronised. If you right click on a file and select make available off line, then it becomes solid green, not outline green, why?

Walter

Hey @MH50 - sorry to hear about this.

I just wanted to mention that you can see more information about the syncing icons here.

Feel free to take a look and let us know if you have any follow up questions.

GG325

My desktop dropbox app is not as complex as the one shown in the video. It also does not appear to have as many options on other things that this video shows the app to have available. I have the Plus account. Do I need to update my dropbox app?

GG325

I watched a video about how to selective sync in the Dropbox for Beginners forum. My desktop dropbox app interface and visual elements are not as complex as the one shown in the video. It also does not appear to have as many options on other things that this video shows the app to have available. I have the Plus account. Do I need to update my dropbox app? I've had my dropbox account for a few years but did not use it much. I've just upgraded and am trying to learn how to use it. I am struggling.

Hannah

Hey there, @GG325, the Dropbox application is the same for all our users.

Can you perhaps send us some screenshots of how the app appears for you?

GG325

Yes, I can, but could you please let me know how to send screenshots. I saved 3 screenshots on my harddrive as png files (is this format OK? When I click on the camera (in the tools above, in this chat window) it brings up an "insert/edit image" menu with boxes to fill in. The boxes are asking for Source, Image description, Dimensions

All boxes are blank and have no dropdown menus to assist me in what to do. thanks so much. I'm so new at all of this.

Здравко

@Hannah wrote:
Hey there, @GG325, the Dropbox application is the same for all our users.
...

Hi @Hannah,

Hm..🤔 Really?

Have you ever tried to use Dropbox application on Linux? Is it the same like on Mac and Windows? 🧐 My impression is in different direction. Also, How you're doing with teams in Dropbox application on Linux? Probably you don't have any issue with navigating between team folders (and other namespaces) there. 😉 You might share how you do it.

@GG325, just drag and drop the picture on appropriate place in your post - might be easier.

GG325

Screenshot 2024-08-28 060033.png

Screenshot 2024-08-28 060237.png

Screenshot 2024-08-28 055834.png

GG325

Thanks so much. I appreciate your help. How easy that was😊

Здравко

@GG325 wrote:
...
...

What does happen if you click on "Select folders" button? 🤔 Does it match to the video? 🙂

GG325

Screenshot 2024-08-28 191348.png

Here's what I get when I click on "Select folders". There are no folders to select though. I guess that I need to add folders to my dropbox folder to sync them.

Здравко

Yes, of course. Since your account is new one and there is no even one folder yet, that's why that panel is empty - there only folders appear.

By the way everything syncs by default (including folders - they will appear selected). If you want to remove some, you can deselect them, so will be available only in you web browser and no any local space engaged (no even as placeholders only). Whenever/if needed, you may select them back.

GG325

@Hannah , Here are the screenshots.

1 (1).png

1 (2).png

1 (3).png

1 (4).png

Hannah

Thanks for the screenshots, @GG325.

The app looks good to me, but as noted, it seems like you don't have any folders in your Dropbox folder to unsync through selective sync.

Other than that, everything looks normal to me and you're on the most recent version as well, so no need to worry at all!

GG325

@Hannah Thanks so much for your help and for your patience with me as a newbie. I really do appreciate it bunches.

Hannah

Happy to help, @GG325!

Give us a shout, if you need anything else.