How to update Dropbox Backup
Updated Apr 19, 2024
The features described in this article are currently available to customers on individual Dropbox plans.
Dropbox is continuing to update Dropbox Backup. The updated experience provides more control and flexibility when managing backups.
With the updated Dropbox Backup, you can:
- Back up more folders. Select any folder within your computer’s home folder to back up, including subfolders. You’re no longer limited to folders like "Documents", "Desktop", and "Downloads".
- Schedule your backups. Get flexibility to schedule when your device backups occur.
- View progress of your backups. Check the percentage of your backup progress to get more insight into your backup completion.
- Quickly get back up and running. Get more options to kick off your backup restoration—from either the web or your computer.
- Name your backups. Customize the name of your device backup so you can distinguish between multiple backups.
- View backups for multiple devices in one place. If you have multiple devices backed up through Dropbox Backup, you can go to https://www.dropbox.com/backup/all to keep track of them.
Notes:
- With the updated Dropbox Backup, your backed up folders will no longer move from their default location to the Dropbox folder on your computer. You can access your backups at https://www.dropbox.com/backup/all.
- Unchecked folders in selective sync won’t be backed up. Before updating Dropbox Backup, check all folders in selective sync that you’d like to back up.
- Online-only files and folders aren’t available in the updated Dropbox Backup. When you update Dropbox Backup, your files and folders that are set to online-only will be downloaded to your computer’s hard drive in order to back them up.
- With the updated Dropbox Backup, backups from other devices will only be accessible from the web.
If you haven’t been prompted to update and would like to be on the updated Dropbox Backup, you can do so by disabling Dropbox Backup, restarting the Dropbox app, and then re-enabling Dropbox Backup.
To restart the Dropbox desktop app:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), and then click your profile picture or initials.
- Click Quit Dropbox.
- Open your applications menu, re-launch Dropbox, and then log in again (if necessary).
To delete Dropbox Backup:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
- Click your initials or avatar.
- Click Preferences.
- Click Backups.
- Click Manage backups.
- If you see Set Up instead of Delete, it means Dropbox Backup is already off.
- Click Delete.
To re-enable Dropbox Backup:
- Click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar (Mac).
- Click your initials or avatar.
- Click Preferences.
- Click the Backups tab.
- Click Manage backup.
- Under Add a backup, select the computer you’d like to back up.
- Click Let’s get started.
- Check the boxes next to the folders you’d like to back up.
- Click Set up or Back up.
- Click OK when prompted to give Dropbox permission to access your folders.
Notes:
- You can’t roll back to the previous version once you update.
- If you have more than one device you want to backup, you will have to follow the steps to delete and re-enable Backup for all your devices in order to migrate to the updated Dropbox Backup.
