What's a view-only conflict?

Updated Jan 18, 2024

A view-only conflict is a file that Dropbox creates when you edit a file or folder in which you have view-only permissions, usually while the Dropbox desktop or mobile app is offline (if there’s no internet connection or if syncing is paused, for example). 

To ensure all changes are saved, the next time Dropbox starts, it will:

  • Create a new folder named "[filename] (view only conflicts)"
  • Move all edited files to that folder
  • Recreate the original file or folder that you tried to edit

Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes syncing files easy.

How to resolve a view-only conflict

The best way to resolve a view-only conflict is to request edit access to that file or folder, compare both versions, and merge them manually.

If you want edit access to a file or folder, you can request it directly from the file owner. If you’re on a Dropbox team and don’t know who the file owner is, you can reach out to your admin.

If you’re the owner of the shared file, you can change the file permissions to allow more people to edit.

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