How to sync Dropbox to your computer or phone

After you follow the steps above to get started, your files are synced to Dropbox, so you don’t need to move or transfer them manually between computers or devices anymore. You can access them from any device through dropbox.com or the Dropbox desktop and mobile apps. 

If you’d like your files saved on a computer’s hard drive (or multiple computers’ hard drives), as well as to your Dropbox account online, you can choose to do so when you download the Dropbox desktop app. When prompted, choose Available offline instead of Online-only.

Note: LAN sync is not currently supported on computers running Dropbox for macOS on File Provider. Learn more about how to enable LAN sync in Dropbox.

Files and folders that are available offline, the default setting, are accessible when not connected to the internet. They take up space both on your computer's hard drive and in your Dropbox account. If you set your files to online-only, they will still appear in the Dropbox folder on your computer. However, you can only open them when connected to the internet. 

Note: When you open files in the Dropbox folder from your computer, they will be downloaded to your computer automatically.

Backing up and syncing files are similar actions, but they’re intended for different purposes.
 

Backing up files from your computer or external drive to Dropbox creates a safe copy in case things go wrong. Backed-up files aren’t meant for sharing. Changes you make to files you have backed up in Dropbox won't update on your computer or hard drive.
 

Syncing files to Dropbox makes those files available for editing and sharing wherever and whenever you use Dropbox—using your mobile device on the go, in the office, or remotely on your personal laptop. Whenever you make a change to a file you have synced, those changes will be synced in Dropbox everywhere.