Specifically, making a file available offline:
- Adds the file to your Offline view for easy access (like a bookmark)
- Saves the file to your Android device for offline viewing within Dropbox
- Attempts to keep the file as up-to-date as possible and gives you the option to update the file manually
- Ensures that any changes you make to the file while offline will be synced to your Dropbox account once you have a connection again
Make files available for offline viewing from the Android app
- Browse to the file you'd like to make available for offline viewing.
- From the file list, tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the file’s name.
- Tap to make the file Available offline.
Once you've made a file available offline, and it has downloaded to your phone or tablet, you'll be able to access it any time by tapping Offline from the main menu, even if you aren't connected to the internet.
When on a cellular network (not Wi-Fi), Dropbox will try to spare your data plan. It won't update files unless you tap the Update all button from the Offline screen. If you're about to head off to an area without internet (such as a long plane trip), tap the Update all button to ensure you have the latest version of each file.
If you're not on WiFi, and changes were made to your folders, you will see a yellow "!" and you have the option to tap and update them manually.
To remove a file from your Offline files screen, go to the file and tap the downward arrow to the right of the file’s name. Toggle the button next to Available offline to turn the feature off.