How to Prevent Dropbox from Storing Locally and Keep Files Online

To prevent Dropbox from storing files locally on your computer, you can simply disable the "Sync files to this computer" option in the Dropbox settings. This feature is enabled by default, but you can easily turn it off.

To access the Dropbox settings, click on the Dropbox icon in your system tray and select "Preferences" from the dropdown menu. From there, you can toggle off the "Sync files to this computer" option.

By disabling this feature, Dropbox will only store your files online, and you won't have to worry about taking up space on your computer. This is especially useful if you have limited storage space or prefer to keep your files online only.

Additional reading: How to Unsync Dropbox from Computer

Dropbox storage is made up of two main components: Local Storage and Cloud Storage. Local Storage refers to files physically stored on your computer's hard drive, with Dropbox creating a designated folder to store copies of your files.

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This designated folder is created when you install Dropbox, and it's where your files are initially stored. Your computer's hard drive is where your files are physically stored, not the cloud.

Dropbox's Cloud Storage is a vast online storage space provided by Dropbox servers. Your files are uploaded and securely stored in the cloud, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

To understand how Dropbox works, let's break down how these two components interact. Here's a simple explanation:

There are two main options to prevent files from storing locally on your device and keep them in the cloud only.

You can use Dropbox's Smart Sync and Selective Sync functions to achieve this. These functions allow you to decide which files are stored locally and which are kept online.

Dropbox also provides a way to cloud backup files, which can help you keep your files online only.

To remove locally stored copies of your files, you can use the Smart Sync option and click Local to save online-only files to the local hard drive again.

If this caught your attention, see: Are Onedrive Files Stored Locally

You can also use Selective Sync to choose which files are stored locally and which are kept online.

Here are the two main options in a nutshell:

By using these options, you can prevent files from storing locally on your device and keep them in the cloud only.

If you're looking to free up space on your computer, you can delete unnecessary files from the hard drive through Dropbox Selective Sync.

You can do this by going to the Sync tab, pressing the Selective Sync button, and clicking OK to confirm. Unselect all the folders you want to remove from your computer hard drive and click Update.

Now, the local Dropbox folder will be deleted, and all synced folders will be online only. This way, you can still access your files from the cloud without taking up space on your computer.

Alternatively, you can use CBackup, a cloud backup tool, to back up files on your computer's hard drive to Dropbox. This way, even if you delete files locally, they will still exist online.

Additional reading: How to Clear Dropbox Space

Selective Sync is a great feature in Dropbox that allows you to delete unnecessary files from your computer hard drive without deleting them from the cloud.

To use Selective Sync, you'll need to go to the Sync tab and press the Selective Sync... button. Click OK to confirm and you'll be taken to a list of folders.

From here, you can unselect all the folders you want to remove from your computer hard drive. Once you've made your selections, click Update and the local Dropbox folder will be deleted. All synced folders will now be online only.

If you want to save online-only files to the local hard drive again, you can simply click Local under the Smart Sync option.

Worth a look: Openshift Local

In Part 3, we'll explore how to back up files to the cloud, keeping them online only. This method allows you to delete local files, but the online versions will remain unaffected.

Dropbox offers a function to back up files from your computer's hard drive, not syncing them. We recommend using CBackup, a professional cloud backup tool that can automatically back up PC files to Dropbox and other clouds.

To back up files to Dropbox with CBackup, you'll need to download, install, and run the software, then sign up for a CBackup account and sign in. After that, you can follow the on-screen guide to allow CBackup to access your Dropbox account.

Specify the task name and choose the folders or files you want to back up to the cloud, selecting Dropbox as the target location. You can also set a backup schedule for automated backups by ticking the box next to Set a backup schedule.

Delete files from your local computer that you've backed up and no longer need, and Dropbox will make the folder online only.

Recommended read: Sync Cloud Drive Mapper with Onedrive

You can prevent Dropbox from storing files locally by using two main options: Smart Sync and Selective Sync. These features allow you to choose which folders are stored locally and which ones are only accessible online.

To use Selective Sync, you need to access Dropbox settings by right-clicking the Dropbox icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) and clicking on "Preferences".

Once you're in Preferences, navigate to the Sync tab and look for the "Selective Sync" or "Select folders to sync to this computer" option. Click on it to enable Selective Sync.

A list of your Dropbox folders will be displayed, and you can uncheck the boxes for folders you don't want to store locally. These folders will still be accessible online through the Dropbox website or app.

You can also use the "Make online-only" option to make individual files online-only directly from the Dropbox folder on your computer. To do this, right-click on the file and choose "Make online-only".

Broaden your view: Selective Sync in Dropbox

If you have a Dropbox Plus, Professional, or Business plan, you might see an option called "Smart Sync". This feature can automatically make files online-only if you haven't accessed them in a while, further saving space.

You can also use a cloud backup tool like CBackup to back up your files to Dropbox and make them online-only. This will ensure that even if you delete files locally, they will still exist in the cloud.

Here are some additional options to consider: