nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

The Dropbox app is saving duplicate data in the User/Library/CloudStorage folder.

hovi

Hi!

I have a Dropbox folder a location of my choice on my M1 Mac Studio. I keep a lot of my files available offline using selective sync (I need direct local access to large files and simply cannot have them online only).

I've noticed that I sometimes run out of disk space and now found out that this is due to Dropbox saving files to user/Library/CloudStorage. The files in the CloudStorage folder use my disk space in addition to what I have in my actual Dropbox folder (which is NOT in the CloudStorage). The CloudStorage folder never exactly mirrors the content of my actual Dropbox folder has but it's still several hundred GBs - possibly stopping when I run out of space. The CloudStorage folder completely clears/empties sometimes for an unknown reason and I get my disk space back (the actual dropbox folder at it's original path stays the same throughout). This "cycle" happens now about once or twice every day. I cannot work on my computer while it runs out of disk space and can't even save the files I'm working on. I can't have this going on.

I read online that the CloudStorage folder is linked to updates with Apple, and the Dropbox's File Provider has something to do with this. The thing is: I'm not using File Provider. Dropbox preferences clearly state: "You are not eligible for Dropbox on File Provider at this time".

How can I stop Dropbox saving hundreds of gigabytes of duplicate data to CloudStorage folder?

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop

Sync

Mac

Accepted answers

All comments

Jay

Hi @hovi, thanks for messaging the Community.

What happens if you attempt to delete some files from the CloudStorage folder?

Does it also delete the files from your normal Dropbox folder in Finder?

Any other info or screenshots would be helpful!

hovi

Short version:
It seems any changes made to the CloudStorage folder structure don't have any effect on my Dropbox elsewhere (offline files or in the cloud).

Long version:
I tried the next setup:
1. Saving. I saved a test file to a folder in my actual Dropbox (locally, through finder on Mac) AND then saved a test file to a different folder (to avoid misunderstandings) but in the CloudStorage path.
2. Deleting. I deleted one random file I could live without in my actual Dropbox (locally, trough finder on Mac) AND then I deleted a different random file in a different path within the CloudStorage path. NOTE both times there was a popup (a slightly different one though) telling me that I'm deleting the file from all users in the same Dropbox (this is professional multiuser Dropbox).
3. Checking locally. When Dropbox confirmed my "files are up to date" I checked locally on my Mac and any changes made within my actual Dropbox folder didn't mirror in the CloudStorage folder and vice versa the changes in CloudStorage didn't mirror in my actual Dropbox folder.
4. Checking online. I checked Dropbox files in the browser and I can now confirm that the changes (Adding and deleting) made in my actual Dropbox folder were mirrored but any changes made within the CloudStorage had no change.

hovi

Small updates / additional information:

Whatever I do, the Activity page under my account in Dropbox.com only shows changes within the actual Dropbox folder.

I've tried signing out and back into my Dropbox on Mac and I also deleted the contents in the hidden [nameofmydropboxfolder]/.dropbox.cache. Funnily enough when Dropbox was back online and "files are up to date" the CloudStorage folder had now 2 dropbox folder. One with the dropbox icon instead of default folder icon and a another with the time and date appended into the folder name. I tried a file saving and deleting test within the one without a date and suddenly the whole folder disappeared. I concluded the one with the date must be a random copy/backup/whatever and deleted it (could not empty the bin without closing dropbox BTW).

Currently, I have my actual Dropbox folder synced and for the time being there is nothing in the CloudStorage folder filling my disk space. I'm not confident this is permanent though because the problem I originally came here with is that something like this happens over and over and at some point the CloudStorage folder starts filling up again.

Nancy

Hey @hovi! Can you send me a screenshot of the Sync tab under your desktop app preferences?

I’d also like a full screenshot of your CloudStorage folder, once any new files/folders appear within.

hovi

I will update the situation as soon as the files start piling up in the CloudStorage folder again.

Jay

Thanks for the message, keep us posted with any updates!

hovi

Hi!

It happened again. I was able to work several hours throughout the day without problems until I got a notification about running out of space. In the morning when I checked the CloudStorage folder was empty but now it's full of duplicate data. Here are the requested screenshots with personal information blurred out.

I also included an error message I got trying to delete a file in the CloudStorage folder. I couldn't delete anything inside he CloudStorage and probably can't work at all before the folder clears again. I had to do the screenshot editing with an online editor because Photoshop wouldn't even open up with the disk being full.

Nancy

Can you perhaps resend me the screenshot of your Sync tab without hiding the current location of your Dropbox folder, so that I can double check it? You can hide your username, though.

Also, can you confirm if the error says "syncing has been interrupted due to an error"? The letters are too small unfortunately, so I'm not sure I read it right.

Finally, I'd like to know the current syncing status of your Dropbox app.

hovi

The current location says "/Users/[myusername]/HOVI dropbox"

I can confirm the screenshot said "syncing has been interrupted due to an error". I must note that it SAID but does not right now. That message only showed in the Finder if I was navigating inside the CloudStorage folder (and perhaps needed and attempted action to trigger, don't know). After the screenshots I have signed out of Dropbox (the app) and signed back in. This time the CloudStorage folder seemed to clear after signing out but it has now started to pile up again. The message does not show.

I will also confirm that the app's sync status (clicking the dropbox icon in the menu bar) is saying "Your files are up to date" and was saying that even when the error message in the CloudStorage finder path was showing. The app very clearly shows when anything is happening with the files in my actual Dropbox folder and I can see these changes (and even my posting here) in my Activity tab on browser. Anything to do with the CloudStorage doesn't show up anywhere on the other hand (except on my hard drive, hogging my disk space).

hovi

As a small update I'll let you know the CloudStorage folder emptied (meaning there are not a single file or folder inside the folder called CloudStorage) again while I was posting my last reply minutes ago and that doesn't seem to be linked with any action I would have been doing with Dropbox at this time.

hovi

Another small update: At the Sync tab it now suddenly says "You are eligible for Dropbox on File Proviser" which is a change. I do not know what would have prompted this change and I even don't really understand what "being eligible" for the File Provider actually means.

Jay

Thanks for the info, I've sent you an email, please could you reply to it when you get a chance?

Featured Links

Child Item