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The desktop app UI on Linux looks old and there's no option to move the Dropbox folder.

I recently switched to Linux from Windows and was looking to have my Dropbox accessible on my desktop. I installed the app direct from the website, and the app looks like its from the early 2000's. I also like to keep a copy of my files offline, through an external desktop expansion, that is synced with the cloud. However, there is no ability (on Linux) to be able to select the sync destination on your computer to be on a different drive than your original one.

The Linux version of Dropbox desperately needs to be updated with modern and basic functionality

Dropbox interface on linux

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Jonein

Hi all,

I never recieved an email for further assistance, but learning and experiencing more with the Linux OS after switching and I have learned the issue with locating another drive on Linux. Turns out this was not a Dropbox issue, but rather a me/Linux ease of use issue. External drives in Linux are found via /media/(your username)/ and your additional drives will be listed there when trying to install/select target locations for applications.

It would however, be great to use this new found functionality with a nice new UI experience!

Cheers.

All comments

Nancy

Hi @Jonein, thanks for posting on our forum about this.

We really appreciate your feedback and I’ve made sure to pass your comments along to our team in the meantime.

As for the external desktop expansion you mention, do you mean that you’d like to have Dropbox be syncing both on your local hard drive and an external drive (as a an extra backup)? If yes, I’m afraid that’s not possible, as there can only be one Dropbox folder that syncs your files to our servers.

You should be able to move your one Dropbox folder though to another drive with these steps.

Let me know if I’ve misunderstood something, though.

Jonein

Hi @Nancy ,

For the sync question, I like to keep a 1:1 parity of the online version on my local, external drive. This is for both quick access files, and in the event I cannot access my Dropbox account (internet or servers being down, etc...).

As for moving the location of the (offline) files sync, there is currently not an option to move the Dropbox folder to another drive, besides the one the operating system is on. The software does not recognize other drives. I would not want to keep 500GB of my cloud data on my 2TB OS drive. Id rather put that on a multi TB external.

Nancy

Thanks for those screenshots, @Jonein! Can you also check this Help Center article and make sure the external drive you want to move your Dropbox folder to is supported?

Jonein

Hi @Nancy,

Yes I checked and my drive is indeed supported. All my drives are running the default ext4 formatting.

I see also that this says its only "officially supported" in Ubuntu. I am running the latest version of Linux Mint, and presumed it should work properly as this distro is based off Ubuntu. Surely downloading from the website doesn't provide me a different UI being on a different distro?

Megan

Hey @Jonein, let me also jump in here!

I'm wondering if this behavior is happening because you're using the app's beta version, instead of our stable one.

Want to try to change it, and see if you notice the same thing?

You'd first need to go into your account settings on the Dropbox website and turn Early releases off. After that, install one of the stable builds of the Dropbox application.

I'll be waiting for your updates!

Jonein

Hi @Megan

I have tried installing the stable version as well as toggling the option in my account you suggested, and it still is not providing an option for alternate drive other than my OS. I have an additional internal drive here that should also be showing but is not.

Hannah

Hey @Jonein, that's for that info.

Can we send you an email, so we can take a closer look into this?

Jonein

Hey @Hannah yes no problem.

Jonein

Hi all,

It would however, be great to use this new found functionality with a nice new UI experience!

Cheers.