How to use camera and mobile device uploads

Updated Mar 03, 2025
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This article describes a feature available to all Dropbox users, except:


You can upload photos and videos from your phone or other devices to Dropbox by connecting them to your computer and using the camera uploads feature. Uploading your photos and videos to Dropbox ensures your files are securely backed up, accessible from any device, while freeing space on your phone.


Dropbox team admins: Learn how to turn camera uploads on or off for your team.

Turn photo and video uploads on or off on the Dropbox mobile app

To turn photo uploads on or off on the Dropbox mobile app for Android:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap Account. 
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Under Features, tap Camera uploads.
  5. Tap Back up my photos.
  6. If prompted, tap Allow.

To turn photo uploads on or off on the Dropbox mobile app for iOS:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap the person icon.
  3. Tap Camera uploads.
  4. Tap Upload from, then Settings to give Dropbox access to your photos and videos.
  5. In the Dropbox app, choose what you’d like to back up and whether you’d like to use cell data.
  6. Tap Turn on camera uploads.

How to upload photos and videos overnight on the Dropbox mobile app

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Note: This feature is available on iOS devices only.

If you have to upload a large amount of photos or videos from your camera app, you can use the overnight uploads feature. Overnight uploads allows you to upload your photos and videos continuously through the night, keeping the Dropbox mobile app open and dimming your device’s brightness.

To turn overnight uploads on or off:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap the camera icon in the top right corner.
  3. Tap Start overnight uploads to start uploading content or tap Exit overnight uploads to stop uploading content.
    • The Dropbox app will dim your phone’s screen while your photos are uploading throughout the night.
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Notes: To successfully upload your photos and videos overnight, you must:

  1. Keep your Dropbox app open.
  2. Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi.
  3. Keep your phone plugged into a charger to prevent your phone from powering off. 

Turn photo and video uploads on or off in the Dropbox desktop app

When you plug a camera or mobile device into a computer with the Dropbox desktop app installed, you’ll see a prompt asking if you’d like to enable uploads for that device. Once you accept, that device will automatically upload your camera roll each time the device is plugged in to that computer.

To turn uploads on or off at any time:

  1. Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar. 
  2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the top-right corner.
  3. Click Preferences.
  4. Click Backups.
    • Note: Click the dropdown next to Enable camera uploads for to switch between Photos only or Photos and videos.
  5. Click Change AutoPlay Settings next to Import photos and videos to Dropbox.
  6. Click the dropdown under Removable drive.
    • To turn on camera uploads, select Import photos and videos (Dropbox).
    • To turn off camera uploads, select any other option.
  7. Repeat step 4 for Memory card.
  1. Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar in the top-right corner of your screen.
  2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Click Preferences.
  4. Click Backups.
  5. Toggle Camera Uploads on to upload photos and videos from your connected devices. 
  6. Choose Photos only or Photos and videos only from the dropdown menu.
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Note: If you’re using macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or higher, you’ll see a notification that says “Dropbox would like to access files on a removable volume.” Clicking OK will allow camera uploads to work.

You can change this preference any time:

  1. Open System Preferences.
  2. Click Security and Privacy.
  3. Click the Privacy tab. 
  4. Click Files and Folders.
  5. Check or uncheck the box next to Removable Volumes under Dropbox.

How to connect or forget mobile devices in the Dropbox desktop app

When you plug a camera, or mobile device into a computer with the Dropbox desktop app installed, you’ll be asked to turn on photo uploads for that device. 

If you accept, the device will be registered as a connected device under Preferences. 

 

To forget a connected device:

  1. Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows), or menu bar (Mac).
  2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the upper-right corner.
  3. Click Preferences.
  4. Click the Backups tab.
  5. Click Forget next to the device you’d like to disconnect.

FAQs about camera and device uploads

Can I choose which folder my photos upload to?

By default, your photos will be uploaded to a folder in your Dropbox account named Camera Uploads. You can’t change this; however, you can move your photos to a different folder in your Dropbox account after they’ve been uploaded.

Why did camera uploads use all of my battery power?

Camera uploads can use a large amount of battery power the first time your photos are uploaded. After the photos are uploaded, battery usage should return to normal. By default, the Dropbox app stops auto-uploading when your battery is low to save battery life.

Why did camera uploads use all of my cellular data?

By default, camera uploads use cellular data when WiFi isn’t available. You can change this setting by following the instructions for your device below.

Android:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap Account.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Camera uploads.
  5. Toggle Use data when offline to off.

iOS:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap the person icon.
  3. Tap Camera uploads.
  4. Toggle Use cell data to back up to off.

Can I upload iOS Live Photos?

You can upload Live Photos on the Dropbox app. Learn how to upload iOS Live photos.

Note: Live Photos uploaded to Dropbox from other apps will be saved as normal photos.

What should I do if camera uploads aren't working?

If camera uploads aren't working, follow the steps in our troubleshooting guide.

Why don’t I see the option to turn on camera uploads?

If you’re on a Dropbox team and you don’t see a camera uploads option, your admin may have turned the feature off for your team.

Can I use camera uploads on my personal and work account?

If you’ve linked two Dropbox accounts, you can only have camera uploads turned on for one account at a time.

Why do I see someone else’s photos in my Camera Uploads folder?

When you plug a camera or mobile device into a computer with the Dropbox desktop app installed, you’ll see a prompt asking if you’d like to enable camera uploads for that device. This means that if someone used your computer to charge their phone, they may have clicked OK to that pop-up without realizing it.

To find out who uploaded photos to your account:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the photo you don’t recognize, and click the “…” (ellipsis).
  3. Click Version history.
  4. Look for a name next to Added by.

If you don’t recognize the name, you can remotely sign out of any devices you’re currently signed in to.

Why aren’t my photos uploading in the background?

Sometimes the settings on your device prevent you from uploading photos in the background.

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