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Forum Discussion
Available Offline Expiry
I am using Dropbox for Windows. I typically have all my files online-only, but when I am using some of them, I like to download the folder that they are in. I download it by using the 'Make Available Offline' feature. I don't want these files to stick around indefinitely. If I don't access these files for a while, will Dropbox make them online-only. Is there a way I can select the time frame in which to default them back to online-only? Do I have to manually set them back to online-only when I am done?
In Dropbox for Windows, the "Make Available Offline" feature allows you to download and access files and folders on your local computer, even if they are originally stored in the cloud. By default, Dropbox doesn't have a specific time frame to automatically switch files back to online-only. However, you can manually set files and folders back to online-only when you no longer need them offline. Here's how you can do it:
- Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.
- Locate the folder or file that you want to switch back to online-only.
- Right-click on the folder or file.
- In the context menu, select "Smart Sync" (formerly known as "Choose Smart Sync").
- In the Smart Sync submenu, choose the "Online-only" option.
This process will mark the folder or file as online-only, and it will be removed from your local computer, freeing up storage space. However, the files will still be accessible through your Dropbox account and will sync back to your computer if you access them again in the future.
It's important to note that the Smart Sync feature is available only to Dropbox Plus, Professional, and Business users. If you have a Dropbox Basic (free) account, you won't have access to Smart Sync, and files will be stored locally on your computer.
By manually setting files and folders back to online-only when you're done using them, you can control which files are stored locally and which remain online-only, helping you manage your storage space efficiently.
Thanks for the reply Emily.
Emily84 wrote:By default, Dropbox doesn't have a specific time frame to automatically switch files back to online-only.
This is ambiguous to me. Does this mean that Dropbox will not switch files back to online-only automatically? Or does it mean that Dropbox will switch files back to online-only, but the time frame in which it does this is not well defined?
