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Forum Discussion
Selective sync - Showing all folders marked for sync, even though I previously unselected many.
Hi, I am using the selective sync option on my PC (Win 10, DB v202.4.5551) and I already have many folders set to web only. So, if I remember correctly, when I open the preferences and go to selecti...
Vicker
Super User
Super UserHi, sekturina ,
In Dropbox, the "Selective Sync" and "Online Only" are 2 different features. In short, selective sync control whether the item is shown on your local machine or not, while online only control whether the file on your local machine is just an empty file or with the actual content. These 2 features could be combined to use together.
For more information regarding Selective Sync, please refer to the official documentation here.
https://help.dropbox.com/sync/selective-sync-overview
Further, here's a short extract that explains the difference.
What's the difference between selective sync and online-only?
What's the difference between selective sync and online-only?
Making your files and folders online-only also helps save hard drive space. These files and folders will still be visible from your computer, but are stored in your Dropbox account online.
Based on how you use certain files and folders, they can automatically be set to online-only.
Cheers
Hi Vicker,
Thank you for your reply.
But I don't think you understood the issue. You concentrated on difference between two features, one of which I didn't talk about, but I might have used the term that sounds like I was talking about it. I am only talking about the selective sync, in which, folders that are not marked will be stored only online and not on my hard drive. I used the term online-only which caused your confusion I assume.
With this clarified it should be easier to understand the issue.
Here's a screenshot of the menu. In reality, some of these folders are already set to *not sync, store only online* and when I open selective sync it shows them marked to sync and store locally. If I try to make any changes, it will change the settings for all folders and store locally folders I previously set not to store locally. Do you understand the issue? Everything is showing as marked to be seen locally, even though I already made many folders not visible on local drive months and years ago.
There are too many folders that I already made to be stored only on Dropbox and I don't remember them all. That should be shown in the menu, those folders shouldn't be marked. But all folders are, which doesn't correspond to reality. If I want to turn off sync to a folder now, and I click update, it will register to store locally everything.
- Walter
Dropbox Staff
Hey sekturina - did you reinstall the app or use a different OS profile on your computer since you had applied the changes on your selective sync settings?
If you're still having issues with this after rebooting your computer and quitting and relaunching the Dropbox desktop app, you might need to contact our support team for further assistance.
In any case, please keep us posted!
Can confirm I've had the same issues and the original poster since the latest app update (202.4.5551). When going to into the sync settings it will show everything being check marked as default even though it is not syncing everything.
People on my team experienced this too - randomly all folders were selected instead of only a select few
- Nancy
Garrett Diagonal, are you also experiencing this with the latest app version (202.4.5551)?
Are you seeing the same thing or is this not happening for everyone on your team?
