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DropboxSmart Sync:tips and tricksMarch 2018This guide is filled with tips and tricks forgetting started with Dropbox Smart Sync.
Table ofcontentsBackgroundWhat is Smart Sync?34For membersGetting started with Dropbox Smart Sync5Save space on your computer by makingfiles online-onlyMake content local for offline access56Choose how new content should sync tousers’ computer: local or online-onlyLinking a new device78For adminsSmart Sync settingsUsing Smart Sync and selective syncFrequently Asked Questions2Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users111213
BackgroundDropbox Smart Sync lets you see and accessevery file in your account and every folder that’sever been shared with you, right from your desktop,without taking up all your hard drive space.Smart Sync has been in an early access programsince January 2017 to give you time to try out thefeature, prepare your team members, and giveus feedback.In the coming weeks, Smart Sync will be rolledout to all Dropbox Business teams in generalavailability. This guide is filled with tips and tricksto make it easy to roll out Smart Sync toyour teams.3Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
What isSmart Sync?Smart Sync was designed to make it easier foryou to view all of your stuff in Dropbox from yourdesktop, without taking up much space on yourcomputer. Smart Sync is a more intuitive wayfor you to access the content you need, withoutneeding to open Dropbox.com.With Smart Sync, files andfolders in your Dropbox foldercan either be:Online-only These files and folders are visible in your Dropboxfolder, but don’t take up space on your computer. When you open one of these files, Dropbox willinstantly download it for you After opening an online-only file, it will stay local sothat it’s always at your fingertips in the future.4Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business UsersLocal These files are visible and stored locally on yourcomputer. Any changes to your files will be syncedand saved to Dropbox.Some files are online-only These folders have both local and online-only files.
For members:Getting startedwith Smart SyncSave space on your computer bymaking files online-only1.2.3.Open your Dropbox folder.Right-click on any folder that you wantto make online-only.Under Smart Sync, select Online-only.You’re all set!Everything in this folder will now beonline-only. Once you open a file,we’ll download it and make it local.You can right-click files or foldersto make them local. If new files areadded to this folder, they will alsostart out online-only.5Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
Make contentlocal to access it offlineYou can continue working with online-only filesjust like regular files—simply open a file andDropbox will download it for you. Once opened,this file will stay Local.Make folders local1.2.3.Open your Dropbox folder.Right-click an online-only folder that you’dlike to have access to offline.Under Smart Sync, select Local.Quick Tip!If you’re working inside a particularfolder often, or you have frequenttravel, make the entire folder local.New files added to the folder willbe quickly accessible and availablewhen you’re on-the-go.Quick Tip!You can right-click your wholeDropbox folder and make everythingin it online-only.You’re all set!Everything in this folder willdownload to your computer. If newfiles are added to this folder, theywill also start out local.6Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
Choose how new contentshould sync to your computer:Local or online-only1.2.3.4.5.Click the Dropbox logo in your menu bar(Mac) or desktop tray (Windows).Click the gear icon ️.Click Preferences.Click the Sync tab and select your WorkDropbox tab, if necessaryIn the Smart Sync section, choose hownew files should start:LInk AccessOnline-only. Files will be visible, but won’t fill up your hard driveLocalFiles will be downloaded on your computer and available offlineLet my admin manage this settingYour admin has picked an option that they think is best for everyone onthe team. In the dropdown menu, you can see what your admin picked.You’re all set!New files and folders will start out as the setting you just chose. Keep in mind: This won’t change your existing files or folders. Folders and files you create on your computer will always start out local.7Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business UsersQuick Tip!Do you commonly work withlarge media files (.mp4, .ai, .psd)?If so, we recommend choosingonline-only as the way contentstarts. This setting allows you tostore large repositories of fileswithin Dropbox without filling upyour hard drive. And you canchoose which files you do want tobe local.
Linking a new deviceWhen linking a new computer to your Dropboxaccount, you’ll be able to choose whetheryou want all of your files to start out online-onlyor local. By default, files will start out accordingto your admin’s preference. If your adminchanges this default sync setting, your policy willchange for new files on your computer as well.8Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
Smart Sync andsystem extensionsDropbox Smart Sync uses lightweight integrationswith the Windows and macOS operatingsystems to function. These integrations arecalled minifilter drivers (on Windows) andsystem extensions (on macOS), and they allowDropbox to automatically download your filesas soon as you open them.These integrations work much like the driversyou install to use a printer, copier, or externalmouse. In this case, these integrations allowthe Dropbox Smart Sync feature to work.On macOS 10.13 (High Sierra), you may see aSystem Extension Blocked prompt when trying torun the Dropbox desktop application for the firsttime. If you don’t allow access for the systemextension, you won’t be able to use Smart Sync.9Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
To enable the Dropbox system extension, simplyfollow the steps that appear on your computeras you’re setting up Dropbox:1.2.3.4.Dropbox will show you an Enable Smart Syncwindow. Click Continue to get started.A System Extension Blocked window willappear. Click OK.Next on back on the Dropbox window,click Open Preferences. (If the preferencespanel doesn’t open on it’s own)On the Security & Privacy window thatappears, on the General tab, click Allow.Note: You might first need to click the lock icon10Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Usersto make changes.
For admins: SmartSync settingsAdmins can choose the default Smart Syncsettings for everyone on their Dropbox account.In the admin console, click on Settings Syncto view how content will be downloaded to yourteam’s computers once Smart Sync is enabled.Switching your Smart Sync default to start asonline-only is the best way to save space on yourusers’ computers, especially if you have a lot offiles, or frequently onboard new team members.Quick Tip!When you start using Smart Sync,you’re existing files aren’t touched.Setting files to start as online-onlyfor your team won’t impact anyexisting files, just new ones.11Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
Using Smart Syncand selective syncBoth Smart Sync and selective sync canhelp your team save space. Selective sync isa feature that allows you to choose filesand folders to sync with Dropbox. Everythingyou choose to unsync can’t be seen oropened on your computer.Make selective sync content online-onlyIf you’re using selective sync, you can make all ofthat content online-only and visible again:1.2.3.4.12Click the Dropbox iconfrom the menu bar (Mac) orsystem tray (Windows).Click on the gear icon ️andclick Preferences.Click the Sync tab, and ifyou’ve linked a personalaccount, select your team’sDropbox account.On the Selective Sync section,click Choose folders to sync.Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users5.6.Select any folder youremoved from your computer,and click Update.Now you can see the thefolders in Dropbox throughFinder or Windows Explorer.They should now have acloud iconshowing thatthey’re online-only.
FrequentlyAskedQuestionsCan I move online-only files?Yes! Go ahead and try it!If you move online-only files within Dropbox, they will stayonline-only (taking up no space). If you move online-onlyfiles out of Dropbox, they will download to that destinationlocation (just like dragging a file to outside Dropbox).What happens if I delete anonline-only file or move it my trash?How is Smart Sync different from selective sync?Both Smart Sync and selective sync function save spaceon your computer by choosing what downloads (and canfill up your hard drive) and what doesn’t.Using selective sync to remove something from yourcomputer will also remove your ability to view it in your filebrowser, so it works best for reducing clutter. With Dropbox Smart Sync, you’ll save hard drive space, but you canstill view, navigate, move, and rename the files.Deleting an online-only file from the file browser (Finderor Windows Explorer) or moving it to the trash will deletethe file from your computer, your Dropbox account online,and from anyone else who had access to this file. Eventhough the file isn’t stored locally on your computer, anyactions you take on the file (moving, deleting, renaming it,etc.) will sync to your account and to anyone else who thefile is shared with.No. Online-only files need to be downloaded, and so youneed to be online.If I make a folder local, will itWhat happens if the Dropbox app is not running?apply to all subfolders and files?Absolutely. Choosing to make a folder either online-only orlocal will apply to the folder and all of the folder’s contents.Will the settings I apply to my files & folders applyto my other devices? Will it control what is localor online-only for other people in my team foldersand shared folders?No. The Smart Sync settings on one computer don’t applyto any of your other computers.The choices you make on your computer will also notchange how files sync on other people’s computers—theycan make their own choices if they have Smart Sync.13Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business UsersCan I access online-only files whenI’m offline/not connected to the internet?Will I receive notifications for online-only files?No.If Dropbox isn’t running, you’ll still be able to see all ofthe online-only files on your computer. However, whenyou open these files, you’ll receive an error or the filemay simply appear empty. You’ll need to start Dropboxagain to be able to open the files.
Thank youWe hope you’ll enjoy Dropbox Smart Sync!If you have any questions or feedback,please drop us a line at partners@dropbox.com.14Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users
7 Smart Sync Tips & Tricks—A Product Guide for Dropbox Business Users Choose how new content should sync to your computer: Local or online-only 1. Click the Dropbox logo in your menu bar (Mac) or desktop tray (Windows). 2. Click the gear icon ️. 3. Click Preferences. 4. Click the Sync tab and select your Work Dropbox tab, if necessary 5.
