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Forum Discussion
How to move Files to a Folder Outside Dropbox on Mac
I would like to move some files out of Dropbox to another folder on my Mac, outside Dropbox, in order to archive them but also to have them no longer taking up Dropbox space. After searching the help...
You can definitely do it that way, Diane.
Meaning you can just download the files from the website and then delete them from the account. It will work the same.
Is your reply equally valid when attempting to download from DropBox mobile app as well as from DropBox desktop app?
Also, I notice that downloaded files (to my desktop) are copies of the originals on DropBox. That being the case, how does this type of download suppose to solve my DropBox storage quota violation - it doesn’t seem to physically remove the file from my DropBox storage?? And what would happen to the copy on my desktop if I deleted the original from my DropBox storage - will the copy get deleted too?
BTW, I only use Apple devices.
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey Phlurim, just to clarify, do you currently have the Dropbox desktop app installed on your computer?
If you have it, you should have a folder named "Dropbox" in your Finder, which should have all your Dropbox files.
This would allow you to simply move the files out of the Dropbox folder, to a location you prefer, to free up Dropbox space, since moving files out of the Dropbox folder, deletes them from your Dropbox account.
Let me know if you don't have this app, so we can find an alternative way to free up your space.
I do have DropBox app on my Mac (Intel, Sonoma). I did a drag&drop of one of the folders in DropBox to my Mac Finder. The folder and its contents appears in my Mac, but it also still appears in my DropBox app on the Mac. The same seems to happen if I try to drag&drop justva single file on DropBox. In other words, it seems the dragged&dropped folder/file now exists in the 2 locations simultaneously. One particular confusion is that it doesn’t say whether or not the Mac one is simply a link to the DropBox one - which one holds the physical item, and which holds the link?! I did a Get Info on both of them, and there’s also no indication that the one that’s still in DropBox has been deleted following the drag&drop to Mac. (It also appears that I can’t reverse the drag&drop and “put” the folder back into DropBox only.) What would happen if I tried deleting the folder from DropBox? Would it then also disappear from my Mac? For someone who “grew up” doing straight-forward drag&drop actions over several years, I’m totally in the weeds when trying to self-manage my DropBox files/folders in today’s new integrated cloud environment! The end results always seem to be counter-intuitive to my non-cloud days. Is there anything you could tell me that could help me better understand how to manually interact my Mac (and iPad) file management with my DropBox content. I appreciate this might be a big ask, but I have personal, private files on DropBox that I’m worried about losing if I make a mis-step! Thank you.
Further, would there possibly be real-life examples available that demonstrate the steps of what a successful DropBox-to-Mac download actually looks like?
- Hannah
Hi again, Phlurim.
From what you're describing, it seems that the drag & drop action on your computer is copying the file in question, instead of simply moving it.
This is an action that's controlled by your OS, not Dropbox.
Additionally, if you copied the file from Dropbox to the other location in your Finder, these two files are not linked to each other; they are considered two different files.
If you delete the one in the Dropbox folder, the one in your Finder will not be affected.
However, before you copy or delete anything, I would first suggest checking that the file in your Dropbox folder is locally available (or "available offline").
You can confirm this from the sync icon next to it; does it have a green check mark or maybe a gray cloud icon?
If it has a cloud icon, first right-click on it, choose "make available offline" and allow it to sync.
Once it's fully synced, you can move/copy it anywhere you want and are free to delete the original in the Dropbox folder.
If you have any questions about any Dropbox lingo used, feel free to ask as well!
Owing to an initial DropBox message that I was about to exceed a file storage limit in my free DropBox account, I have been trying to permanently move some of my DropBox files to my iPad and Mac. I subsequently deleted this particular set of files from my DropBox account. But some of these files on my Apple devices only seem to be links back to DropBox. Since I had deleted them from DropBox, I only get an error message - from DropBox I think - that the files couldn't be found. My main concern is that DropBox's procedures, for moving and transferring my files out of my DropBox account, is very confusing for casual, non-business DropBox users such as me. I need a detailed user manual specifically for casual users like me. Please advise?
I'll have to get back to you on that. I have to remember and re-try the steps I did in order to capture the problems, including specific error msg(s) and screenshots.
