How To Use Dropbox Smart Sync

This guide discusses a feature that is available to all Dropbox Professional customers.

If y'all're a Dropbox Professional customer, the feature is available by default. If you're a Dropbox Business squad admin, you can enable Smart Sync and become started.

Smart Sync is a Dropbox feature that helps you save space on your difficult bulldoze. Access every file and folder in your Dropbox account from your computer, using virtually no hard drive space. Smart Sync is available for Dropbox Professional customers, and members of Dropbox Business teams. With Smart Sync, you tin can:

Cull if individual files or folders are bachelor online-simply or locally on your calculator
Select a default sync setting for new files and folders that are shared with you

With Smart Sync, content on your computer is available as either online-only, local, or in mixed state folders.

Online-only content

Online-but content appears in the Dropbox folder on your calculator, only doesn't use the full corporeality of space that the file otherwise would. You tin can run across the file, but the content isn't fully downloaded until you need information technology. Simply data about the file, such as the file proper name, location, and date the file was updated, is downloaded.

Local content

Local content is downloaded and saved on the hard drive of your computer. You tin can directly edit these files from applications on your calculator. This content is yet backed upward to Dropbox equally well.

Mixed land folders

Mixed state folders comprise both local and online-only content.

Start with Smart Sync

When you lot showtime using Smart Sync:

There's no modify to files already in the Dropbox folder on your calculator
New content is automatically online-but unless you or your team admin chooses otherwise

Annotation: To use Smart Sync, you need to install the Dropbox desktop application on your calculator.

Why Smart Sync?

Smart Sync is a reliable mode of using cloud-based storage to maximize efficiency by minimizing the amount of storage used by projection data on private users' PCs and Laptops. As projects get larger, networks get faster, and hard drive space becomes more of a valuable commodity, Smart Sync allows users to choose which files are stored locally and which files are stored in the cloud.

Mac Instructions:

How do I brand content online-only?

Open up the Dropbox folder on your computer.
1. Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Choose Open folder.
Locate the content that you want to make online-simply.
Command-click or correct-click the file or binder.
Choose Smart sync.

Cull Online-only

How do I sync online-simply content to my computer?

You tin open up a file every bit usual through your application or Finder. Dropbox downloads the entire file to your computer.

To sync a file or binder without opening it immediately, you tin make it local:

Open up the Dropbox folder on your computer.
1. Click the Dropbox icon from the carte du jour bar.
2. Click the binder icon.
3. Choose Open folder.
Locate the content that y'all want to make online-only.
Control-click or right-click the file or folder.
Choose Smart sync.
Choose Local.

How can I choose a default setting for new content?

Click the Dropbox icon from the menu bar.
Click the gear icon and select .. from the bill of fare.
Click Sync.
Choose your piece of work Dropbox account.
Change the selection for Smart Sync Default:

Admin default: the default setting chosen by your team admin.
Local: all new content downloads to your computer.
Online-simply: manually download files to your calculator.

Windows Instructions:

How do I make content online-only?

Open the Dropbox folder on your figurer.
1. Click the Dropbox icon from the organisation tray.
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Cull Open binder.
Locate the content that you want to brand online-merely.
Right-click the file or binder.
Choose Smart sync.

Choose Online-but.

How practise I sync online-just content to my computer?

You tin can open up a file as usual through your application or Windows Explorer. Dropbox downloads the entire file to your computer.

To sync a file or folder without opening it immediately, you can make it local:

Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.
1. Click the Dropbox icon from the system tray.
2. Click the folder icon.
3. Choose Open up folder.
Locate the content that yous desire to make online-merely.
Right-click the file or folder.
Cull Smart sync.
Choose Local.

How can I choose a default setting for new content?

Click the Dropbox icon from the organization tray.
Click the gear icon and select .. from the menu.
Click Sync.
Choose your work Dropbox account.
Alter the option for Smart Sync Default:

Admin default: the default setting called by your team admin.
Local: all new content downloads to your computer.
Online–only: Manually download files to your computer when you need them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the system requirements for Smart Sync?

Smart Sync works on Microsoft Windows Vista and above, and on Mac OSX 10.ix and above.

I have folders selectively synced, how do I make my selective sync content online-only?

Follow the steps to modify the selective sync settings for your folders. Once your folders are no longer selectively synced, they automatically become online- but folders.

Does changing a file to online-just delete the file from my Dropbox?

No, making a file online-simply doesn't delete information technology from your Dropbox. When you lot make a file online-merely, the file content will be deleted from your computer, but the full file volition still be available in your account online and on your other devices.

Do online-only files utilize space on my local hard bulldoze?

Online-only files employ a small corporeality of space on your hard drive to store information most the file, such as its name and size. This uses less space than the total file.

Can I access online-only content when I'm not connected to the internet?

No, online-but content isn't stored locally on your computer. Connect to the internet to access online-merely content.

Can I move online-only files inside my Dropbox folder?

Yes, you can move online-only content within the Dropbox folder on your device, and changes sync to your other devices. If y'all move online-only content exterior of the local Dropbox folder, the content downloads to that location.

What happens if I delete an online-merely file or movement information technology to my trash?

Whatsoever actions taken on an online-only file sync to your Dropbox account and to anyone else who shares that file. Since the file isn't stored on your computer, the file content volition not exist available in your trash. You can restore deleted files from your Dropbox account online.

Tin can I use my desktop search to find online-simply files or their contents?

You lot can use your desktop search to locate online-simply files and folders past name. Even so, online-simply files don't contain the full contents of your file, so your desktop search can't search file contents.

Tin can I take di ﬀ erent Smart Sync settings on di ﬀ erent devices?

Yes, Smart Sync settings are unique to each device yous link to your Dropbox account.

Tin can I have local files in an online-only folder?

Yes, if a folder is online-only, you tin can download individual files inside the folder.

Tin can I remove content from my device completely without removing it from my Dropbox?

Yes, if you don't desire files to appear on your device, you tin can use selective sync. Selective sync helps you choose which files appear in your desktop awarding, and which are simply available online.

Tin I use Smart Sync on my personal business relationship?

Smart Sync is bachelor for all Dropbox Professional customers. It'southward also available as an early admission feature for Dropbox Business users. If you connected a personal account (Basic or Plus) to a Business concern business relationship, Smart Sync won't be available for that personal account

Note: All information in this guide from: https://www.dropbox.com/help/desktop-web/smart-sync .

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