How do folder paths work for linked Dropbox accounts?

Updated Jan 29, 2024
If you use the Dropbox desktop app and you’ve linked a personal Dropbox account to a team Dropbox account, we’ll use a folder path on your computer to separate the accounts. This means that you’ll have two Dropbox folders on your computer.
Click the operating system you’re using below for more information about folder paths.

The Dropbox client will support both personal and team Dropbox accounts at once. To support this, the desktop client needs to rename the multiple Dropbox folders locally to make it clear which is which. Dropbox users with only a personal account will have this entry in their home folder when they install Dropbox on their computer:

 

Dropbox

 

Dropbox users with only a team account will have this entry in their home folder when they install Dropbox on a computer:

 

Dropbox (<BUSINESS_NAME>)

 

Dropbox users who have linked their personal and team accounts will have multiple entries in their home folder:

 

Dropbox (Personal)

Dropbox (<BUSINESS_NAME>)

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Note: "Personal" may be translated.

For existing personal accounts, when the user links a team account, we will also create a hidden junction on Windows in the old Dropbox location that points to the first account that was linked, like this:

 

Dropbox -> C:\Users\<USERNAME>\Dropbox (Personal)

 

That is, the Dropbox folder was moved to Dropbox (<Personal>), and the junction at Dropbox points to this newly labeled folder.

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Note: If a user logs in to their team account first and then links their personal account afterwards, the hidden junction won't occur.

The Dropbox client will support both personal and team Dropbox accounts at once. To support this, the desktop client needs to rename the multiple Dropbox folders locally to make it clear which is which. Dropbox users with only a personal account will have this entry in their home folder when they install Dropbox on a computer:

 

Dropbox

 

Dropbox users with only a team account will have this entry in their home folder when they install Dropbox on their computer:

 

Dropbox (<BUSINESS_NAME>)

 

Dropbox users who have linked their personal and team accounts will have multiple entries in their home folder:

 

Dropbox (Personal)

Dropbox (<BUSINESS_NAME>)

highlighter icon

Note: "Personal" may be translated.

For existing personal accounts, when the user links a team account, we will also create a hidden symlink in the old Dropbox location that points to the first account that was linked, like this:

 

Dropbox -> /Users/<USERNAME>/Dropbox (Personal)

 

That is, the Dropbox folder was moved to Dropbox (Personal), and the symlink points to this newly labeled folder.

highlighter icon

Note: If a user logs in to their team account first and then links their personal account afterwards, the hidden symlink won’t occur. 

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Important: If you’re on the latest Dropbox for macOS on File Provider, your Dropbox folder has been moved to ~/Library/CloudStorage. Changing the location of your Dropbox folder is no longer supported. 

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