One month down in 2025: How are your resolutions coming along? Check out how to get back on track here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
How to speed up Dropbox uploads on iPhone
Dropbox sync only happens when I have the Dropbox iPhone app actively open, and even then it takes about 5 minutes to upload a single photo. This is for camera roll sync.
Hi there, I’m Antonio, a member of the Dropbox Mobile team. I wanted to talk about our upload process on iOS and address its current constraints:
If you are manually uploading files into your Dropbox using the plus (“+”) button, keep in mind that uploads will only run while the app is in the foreground. When the app is backgrounded, Dropbox can only run for a few minutes before the device will stop the process to save battery. To remedy this, we recommend keeping the app open while an upload is in progress.
If you are using the camera uploads feature to automatically upload photos from your Camera Roll to Dropbox, you can turn on “Background Uploading”. This will allow your photos and videos to continue uploading even if you don’t have the app open. Additionally, this feature uses location changes to trigger uploads as you move around throughout the day (this is why we ask you to enable “Location Services” when you enable this feature). Keep in mind that if there isn’t a significant location change after a few minutes, the device will stop the process, and photos or videos will no longer upload in the background.
Syncing can be slower if you have “iCloud Photo Library” enabled on your device, and have enabled “Optimize iPhone Storage” in your iCloud Photo settings. This feature stores high resolution versions of your files to the cloud, and keeps optimized versions of the files on your device. When Dropbox attempts to automatically upload these files, we have to first connect to iCloud’s servers to download the high resolution photo, and then sync that photo to your Dropbox. This can be a slow process that is dependent upon the strength of the server connection to iCloud. Additionally, this process is limited to WiFi-only (even if you have the camera uploads feature enabled over cellular data).
With these constraints in mind, here are some recommendations when uploading your files:
- If you have a desktop with the Dropbox desktop app installed, you can use the desktop camera uploads feature. This automatically transfers any new photos or videos to your Dropbox when you plug your device to your computer (read more about this feature here).
- If you don’t have a desktop, ensure that your Dropbox mobile app has “Background Uploading” enabled for your camera uploads. You can do this by going to the Recents tab, selecting the gear icon, selecting Camera Uploads and toggling the “Background Uploading” switch on.
- When uploading files using the plus (“+”) button, keep the Dropbox app open while the upload is in progress.
We’re always working on improving the background upload experience and greatly appreciate your feedback. We'll keep monitoring this thread and will do our best to reply to any other questions not addressed by this explanation.
I've found that if I plug my iPhone 5s into power source and open the Dropbox app, the app will at stay open whilst it uploads, I had 300+ pictures and short videos which It managed to clear in one night. Poor show to need such a workaround though, especially for the premium price.
Same here in the Netherlands with Iphone 6s and 4g or 20Mbps cable upload connection, it takes minutes before 1 photo is uploaded to Dropbox :-(
Things are finally working properly for me. Much better now uploading from my phone
Same as everyone else... For what seems like more than a year I can't upload anything but a few photos to Dropbox. I currently have 1300+ photos/videos waiting in que. Can't back anything up on my iPhone. What's up?
I'm using google photos and Dropbox. Google app uploaded 250 photos in less than an hour, Dropbox has uploaded 40 photos in 4 hours. Terrible speed
Hi everyone, this happened to me as well. Only mine is really slow only on Wi-Fi, the moment I turn off my Wi-Fi and change to LTE, it uploads reasonably fast. As my home Wi-Fi is at least 30Mbps, this does not makes sense.
Come on Dropbox, if Google Photos can do it - then you can do it! Heck, your Carousel app did it too - brilliantly!
upload seems to really start everytime only after actually opening the dropbox app. very very annoying
AntonioCDropbox Staff
Hi there, I’m Antonio, a member of the Dropbox Mobile team. I wanted to talk about our upload process on iOS and address its current constraints:
If you are manually uploading files into your Dropbox using the plus (“+”) button, keep in mind that uploads will only run while the app is in the foreground. When the app is backgrounded, Dropbox can only run for a few minutes before the device will stop the process to save battery. To remedy this, we recommend keeping the app open while an upload is in progress.
If you are using the camera uploads feature to automatically upload photos from your Camera Roll to Dropbox, you can turn on “Background Uploading”. This will allow your photos and videos to continue uploading even if you don’t have the app open. Additionally, this feature uses location changes to trigger uploads as you move around throughout the day (this is why we ask you to enable “Location Services” when you enable this feature). Keep in mind that if there isn’t a significant location change after a few minutes, the device will stop the process, and photos or videos will no longer upload in the background.
Syncing can be slower if you have “iCloud Photo Library” enabled on your device, and have enabled “Optimize iPhone Storage” in your iCloud Photo settings. This feature stores high resolution versions of your files to the cloud, and keeps optimized versions of the files on your device. When Dropbox attempts to automatically upload these files, we have to first connect to iCloud’s servers to download the high resolution photo, and then sync that photo to your Dropbox. This can be a slow process that is dependent upon the strength of the server connection to iCloud. Additionally, this process is limited to WiFi-only (even if you have the camera uploads feature enabled over cellular data).
With these constraints in mind, here are some recommendations when uploading your files:
- If you have a desktop with the Dropbox desktop app installed, you can use the desktop camera uploads feature. This automatically transfers any new photos or videos to your Dropbox when you plug your device to your computer (read more about this feature here).
- If you don’t have a desktop, ensure that your Dropbox mobile app has “Background Uploading” enabled for your camera uploads. You can do this by going to the Recents tab, selecting the gear icon, selecting Camera Uploads and toggling the “Background Uploading” switch on.
- When uploading files using the plus (“+”) button, keep the Dropbox app open while the upload is in progress.
We’re always working on improving the background upload experience and greatly appreciate your feedback. We'll keep monitoring this thread and will do our best to reply to any other questions not addressed by this explanation.
Hi, it doesnt help. I am using iphone 7+ and when syncing photos and videos its very very slowly. I try to connect my device directly to computer, app is open, but 30 second video is syncing about 12 minutes. I am using the newest iMac 5K, last firmware, original cable etc. Then please fix it cause this is impossible for normal use..
Same problem here :(
This is one of the longest thread I have ever seen where the moderators don't even bother replying... sadSame problem... have tried everything mentioned but it still remains painfully slow.
Even more frustrating is that Dropbox doesn't care to address this issue. Disappointing.
maybe the problem is that this is a closed thread. I will post the link on dropboxes facebook account so the world can read. maybe this could them going? At least a statement would be sth one could expect. The problem must be iphone related, Adroidphone linked with dropbox works fine
