Customize Your Dropbox Desktop App Settings for Optimal Performance

Is There a Dropbox Desktop App?

Is there a Dropbox desktop application? Yes, Dropbox provides desktop applications for Windows and Mac. The Desktop app allows users to store, view, share and access all files and folders stored in your Dropbox account on your computer desktop, which facilitates the entire work process. So, many users tend to download and install the Dropbox desktop application. After a successful installation, users can directly find the DropBox folder in the (Windows) File Explorer or (Mac) Finder or a Dripbox icon in the (Windows) Taskbar, or a menu bar (Mac).

How to Get Dropbox on Your Desktop?

Now, follow the steps to download and install Dropbox application on your computer.

Step 1: Go to Dropbox official site and access the download link to start downloading Dropbox desktop application.

Step 2.  Then you'll be prompted to launch the Dropbox installer.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions, install the Dropbox applications step by step.

Step 4. Afterwards, you’ll be prompted to either sign in or create a new account.

Notes for Mac users:  

For Apple macOS system users, Dropbox requires access to the Keychain (a password management system for Mac). That is used to help verify your account and to provide another layer of security over the Dropbox desktop app preferences.

To grant Keychain access to Dropbox, just click “Allow” or “Always Allow” when you are prompted before the installation process.

If you click on “Deny” rather than “Allow” or “Always Allow” , a "Couldn't start Dropbox" error message will pop out when you try to start up Dropbox app for Keychain for security reasons.

Advantages of Dropbox Desktop App

Smart Sync

"Smart Sync" aims to save hard drive spaceby storing files and folders in the cloud rather than locally. With Smart Sync, you can see them  in your Dropbox folder on your computer, but they are only downloaded and take up space on your hard drive when you need them.

In other words, these files are online-only without using up your hard drive space, making it ideal for computers with limited storage capacity. How to enable Smart Sync on Dropbox application?

Step 1. Find and open the DropBox folder in the (Windows) File Explorer or (Mac) Finder.

Step 2. Find the file you want to upload and right-click it.

Step 3.Click on the option ”Make online-only.” from the drop-down menu.

Once done, you will find there is a cloud icon surrounded by gray next to the selected file, which means the file is removed from your hard drive and only accessible online now.

Note:

Please keep in mind only users who installed Dropbox desktop applications with admin privilege will get access to Smart Sync. If you did not install with admin privileges, you can uninstall and re-install the app from scratch.

Dropbox Space

Folder?So far, they've provided us with good service, but they're just containers. When you coordinate a project between dozens of people, it makes no sense to store files in one place and useful information in another.H owever, Dropbox Spaces turns your folder into a collaborative work area where everyone can share project notes, assign to-dos, and fix important files for quick access. How to create one?Just select a folder, add a description, and... that's all. Everyone with access to this space can access it through our apps and dropbox.com.

Store All Files

Traditional files are rather simple like the Word documents, MP3s, and Photoshop files. They may be stored in some folders. However, what about the work you perform with cloud-based applications like Google Docs and others? They are saved in someplace, and it's probably not where your conventional files are kept. Thus far. You can now create, edit, and share Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files directly within Dropbox with our new app.

Web Content Shortcuts

When you need to share a bunch of articles with your team, you can create a shortcut to any website and have it stored in Dropbox. But it’s not just for simple articles. Got a link to an Airtable base, Trello board, or other web-based tool? Create a shortcut and store it in a Space to make sure everyone can find the necessary info without having to hunt it down.

Calender

If you’re bolting from meeting to meeting, you probably don’t have a ton of time to dig around for the files you need for very meeting.It will be much worse when the necessary files just get disappear. In the desktop app sidebar, you'll see a list of folders we think you’re likely to need. And when you connect your calendar, we’ll show you which files you’ll need for your next meeting from the Windows system tray and Mac menu bar—automatically.

Most Common Issue: Dropbox Desktop Not Syncing

Check your firewall, security, and antivirus settings

If your Dropbox desktop app is stuck syncing, waiting to sync, or not starting to sync, it may be due to your network settings or firewall.

Verify Internet Connection

Make sure your PC is online and that the network is operating properly.

File corruption

If Dropbox encounters sync errors while trying to read or write a file, there may be an issue with your desktop OS or hardware. You can use disk diagnostic (chkdsk) and repair utilities to identify and repair errors:

How to run the Check Disk (chkdsk) utility on Windows

Type “cmd” in the run dialogue after press Win+R togerther on your keywords.

Scan for problems by typing “chkdsk” and pressing Enter.

Repair problems by typing “chkdsk /r” and pressing Enter.

Outdated Dropbox

Verify that the Dropbox program is currently installed on your system. Install any updates that are available after checking for them.

Low disk space on your Dropbox

If your Dropbox storage is almost full, it is more likely to cause the sync issues. In this case, you may need to upgrade your storage plan or free up space. To release Dropbox storage space, you can delete unnecessary file, or move large file out of your Dropbox folder and into a local folder on your computer, or transfer them to another cloud drive using MultCloud.

Summary

This is all about Dropbox desktop app info. Hope it helps you a lot when you download, install and use the desktop application on your Windows or Mac computer.