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Forum Discussion
Michael P.66
10 years agoNew member | Level 1
Download option no longer available
Suddenly, the "download" option has disappeared from the page and drop-down menus. I can do anything else to my files, but there is no longer an option to download. Any thoughts?
When you're viewing a file on Dropbox.com that's synced to your computer by the Dropbox desktop application, you'll see an Open option instead of Download. Clicking Open will open the file on your computer and automatically sync back any changes you make. When viewing a file that isn't synced on your computer, you'll continue to see the Download option.
More information is available on our Help Center: https://www.dropbox.com/help/8571
- Jill G.7New member | Level 1
Open is completely useless for me, it just opens in preview. If I open the image on its own and then save to downloaded it comes in as a peep squeak of a film completely useless. Faffing around with the 'open' function, randomly it seems to convert to download - and I've managed in 20 mins to download 1 image properly as a full resolution file. PLEASE BRING BACK THE DOWNLOAD FUNCTION, I'm with others on this, Ridiculous! A waste of our time.
- AdamZNew member | Level 2
I agree, please add the DOWNLOAD button. Absolutely ridiculous not having the option.
- Stanley T.1New member | Level 1
I'm having the same issue, and have been for days. Hopefully there will be some sort of response here
- Michael P.66New member | Level 1
Some of us still WANT the download option. Angry that it's been automatically removed. Can't DB just add the Open button for those that want it, and still leave the Download option there?
- JoshKDropbox Staff
Michael P.,
If you're seeing the Open option instead of Download then you already have the file on your computer. If you'd like a copy instead of the syncing file in your Dropbox folder, you can locate the file in your Dropbox folder and copy it to any other location on your computer.
Why would you like a non-syncing copy of the a file that you already have in the Dropbox folder on your computer?
- JoshKDropbox Staff
Michael P.,
Thanks for explaining your workflow a bit. In the past when you downloaded a copy of a file from the Dropbox website, what did you next do with it?
- Michael P.66New member | Level 1
In essence, the Links folder I create for each project is a time-capsule. I can't have the projects directly link to my desktop DB folders, because those automatically update when files are replaced with newer versions with the same name. I don't always want that. Sometimes, a particular project is better with previous versions of the art. And since I never know which pieces of art may or may not be updated at any given point in the future, I need to keep ALL the files on an island as it were--in their own Links folder that is NOT synced with the local DB folders. Does that make sense?
- JoshKDropbox Staff
Michael P.,
Thank you for the additional information.
Providing both a Download option and an Open option would mean everyone would have to understand the distinction between the two and choose accordingly in order to benefit from the functionality. Overall, Download is not as good of an option as Open. Dropbox strives to seamlessly sync people's files. When a file is downloaded from the Dropbox website, what is downloaded is a static copy which does not sync. No new changes made by another person or on another device will ever sync to it and for new changes to be reflected in Dropbox the file would have to be manually uploaded. The Open option uses the synced file on the person's computer which will be kept up to date as expected.
For your specific case, you could do one of:
- After clicking "Open" you can "Save As" the file from within application which opened into another folder.
- Find the file locally on your computer. If you start your search when you are inside of the Dropbox folder, by default the results you see will be limited to the Dropbox folder.- jco3740New member | Level 2
I have to agree with Michael here...this is extremely inconvenient for anyone who needs to maintain a file history.
[This thread is now closed by moderators due to inactivity. If you're experiencing a similar behavior, feel free to start a new discussion in the Ask a Question section here.]
- Dean S.14New member | Level 1
Yes, we definitely need the download option.
Thanks!
- Michele M.10New member | Level 1
I've noticed the button is available in Safari and not in Chrome, so... just use Safari ;-)
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