How to update to the latest version of the desktop app
If you want to manually update to the latest stable version of the Dropbox desktop app, you can get it from our download page or our install page (for Linux users).
![For Mac Dropbox For Mac Dropbox](/uploads/1/2/6/3/126346565/505255104.webp)
How to see which version of the Dropbox desktop app you're running
There are two ways to see which version of the Dropbox desktop app you’re currently running on your computer.
On macOS and Windows, you can simply hover your mouse pointer over the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar. Linux, macOS, and Windows users can also follow the instructions below:
- Click the Dropbox icon in the system tray or menu bar.
- Click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Preferences.
- Open the General tab.
1) On dropbox.com again, click “Download Dropbox” on the left side of the webpage. 2) Locate the downloaded file named “Dropbox.dmg” Note: If you’re using Safari, the downloaded file should appear in Safari’s download folder, which you can access by clicking the download icon in the top right hand corner of the browser window. The Dropbox desktop app runs on Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Apps are also available for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices. And you can transfer and download files from dropbox.com using most modern browsers. For more details, visit. Manage Mac and PC backup—automatically When you turn on computer backup, files on your PC or Mac are continuously backed up to the cloud. Any changes made in synced folders are automatically updated in your Dropbox account and on your hard drive. Access your files—whenever, wherever.
Can I disable auto-updates?
Like many programs and applications, Dropbox may automatically update to the latest version. These updates are rolled out gradually after a new update is available, and are necessary to keep the desktop app functioning.
You cannot disable or turn off auto-updates.
These updates ensure you’re running the most up-to-date version of Dropbox, which often has performance and security enhancements. And if Dropbox can't keep itself up-to-date, some features may stop working. For example, the app may stop syncing.
Notes about auto-updates:
- If Dropbox software is installed on your computer, it will update regardless of whether you installed it or the application came preloaded by the device manufacturer
- The proxy settings you add using these steps aren't used to update the Dropbox app
- Dropbox uses your operating system network settings to apply auto-updates
Computer backup lets you back up certain key folders on your computer, such as “Desktop”, “Documents”, and “Downloads”, to Dropbox.
After backup, those folders, and the files within them, are still accessible from the same place on your computer, while also backed up to Dropbox. Any changes or deletions you make to those folders from your computer, or in Dropbox, will be reflected in both places. You can access those folders, which are backed up under “My Mac [Your device name]” or “My PC [Your device name]”, from anywhere you use Dropbox, such as dropbox.com, the Dropbox mobile app, and the Dropbox desktop app on other computers.
Like any files stored in Dropbox, you can view version history on these files and restore previous versions.
How to set up computer backup
Before setting up computer backup, do the following:
- Close all open files and applications on your computer.
- Install the Dropbox desktop application, if you haven’t already.
- If you’ve paused syncing, resume it.
- Connect to internet.
- If any of the folders are already backed up to another cloud storage provider (like iCloud, OneDrive, or Google Backup and Sync), disable those backups. (If you’re not sure how, consult that company’s help center).
Gemini rue for mac. To set up computer backup:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
- Click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Preferences.
- Click the Backups tab.
- Click Manage backup.
- Check the folders you’d like to back up.
- If your work and personal accounts are connected, choose which Dropbox account you’d like to back up your folders to.
- Click Next or Set up (depending on your account), and follow the steps.
- Mac users: Click OK when prompted to give Dropbox permission to access your folders.
If any files fail to back up, a shortcut will be created in Dropbox called “Files on my computer” that will take you to their location on your computer.
Troubleshoot computer backup
If you experience errors during setup
If you get an error while setting up computer backup, try the following troubleshooting steps before attempting setup again:
- Close any files or applications that use data in the folders you’d like to back up.
- Disable any other cloud-storage-provider folders (like iCloud, OneDrive, or Google Backup and Sync) from the folders you’d like to back up.
- Allow edit permissions on all files and folders you’d like to back up.
- Learn how to allow permission on Windows.
- Learn how to allow permissions on Mac.
- If you’re using a Mac, make sure you allow access to files and folders in your security and privacy settings.
- Note: You must have admin permissions on your computer to change permissions.
- If the Dropbox folder is in one of the folders you’d like to back up, move it back to its original, default location.
- If the Dropbox folder and the folders you’d like to back up aren’t on the same hard drive, move them to the same hard drive. For example, if your folders are on an external hard drive, and the Dropbox folder is on your computer’s hard drive, move them to the same hard drive.
If you don’t see your files after turning on computer backup
Any files that failed to backup to Dropbox will be in a folder called “Files on my computer” instead.
Mac users: If you don’t see your files in Finder after backup, force quit Finder and relaunch it.
If you have issues with an application after turning on computer backup
Restart the application. In particular, we recommend restarting:
- Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Money
- Microsoft Outlook
- Safari
- If you’re on Windows and using Microsoft Edge, your Microsoft Edge downloads won’t sync to your “Downloads” folder in Dropbox with this feature. To sync your Microsoft Edge downloads to Dropbox anyway, manually change where your Microsoft Edge files download to Dropbox.
If your files aren’t syncing as expected
Make sure the Dropbox desktop application is installed on your computer.
Learn how to check syncing status, prioritize which files sync first, or prevent some files from syncing.
Dropbox Download Windows 10
You can’t move, delete, rename, or share your folders after backup
After backup, you can’t move, delete, or rename the top-level folders you’ve backed up (like “Desktop”, “Documents”, and “Downloads”, or “My Mac” and “My PC”). However, you can move, delete, and rename the files within them. You won’t be able to share those folders in Dropbox by inviting people to them via email, but you can still share those folders with a link and share any files or folders within them.
Turn off computer backup
Notes:
![File File](/uploads/1/2/6/3/126346565/260664483.jpg)
- You must have the Dropbox desktop application installed to turn off computer backup. If you already uninstalled the desktop application, reinstall the desktop application to turn off computer backup.
- Deleting the files or folders in “My PC”or “My Mac” will delete those files from both Dropbox and your computer.
- If you no longer have access to the device, you can turn off computer backup by unlinking the device from your Dropbox account.
To turn off computer backup:
For Mac Dropbox Software
- Click the Dropbox icon in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
- Click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Preferences.
- Click the Backups tab.
- Click Manage backup.
- Uncheck the folders you’d like to stop backing up to Dropbox or uncheck My Mac/My PC to turn off backup for all folders at once.
- Click Save.
- Choose Keep content in folders on this PC/Mac or Leave content in Dropbox.
- If you choose Keep content in folders on this PC/Mac, the files and folders you stopped backing up can be found in their original folders on your computer.
- If you choose Leave content in Dropbox, new files you add to those folders will save to their original folders on your computer, but the files and folders you previously backed up to Dropbox with computer backup will remain in your Dropbox account. On your computer, they’ll be accessible by shortcuts, in their original folders, called “My files in Dropbox”.
- Note: If you see Set Up instead, it means computer backup is already off.
- Click Stop backup.
- Click Close.
If you upgrade to Dropbox Business
If you upgrade your account to Dropbox Business after setting up computer backup, you can still use this feature, but back up is stopped. You can set it up again after you upgrade.