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Forum Discussion

britesc's avatar
britesc
Explorer | Level 4
3 years ago

Auto upload, but not download

Hi,
Is it possible to have files uploaded to a central folder, from various devices, but only automatically downloaded to a specific device?
Example:
Android Phone with folder download to only upload to online folder download. Not to receive uploads from other devices.
Android Tablet. Same as above.
Windows Laptop to both upload and download so it receives the content uploaded by the other devices.
Thanks

  • britesc wrote:
    Is it possible to have files uploaded to a central folder, from various devices, but only automatically downloaded to a specific device?

    Not likely in the way you're imaging it, no. Any device linked to your account can access any files within your account. You can use Selective Sync on your computers to limit the folders that are synced (and visible) on the computer, but there's nothing preventing them from changing the sync settings to download the other folders.

     

    Also, mobile devices don't actually sync files. They just show you a list of everything in your account. While you can see everything in the account, the only files downloaded to the device are the files you've opened or marked as available offline.

     

    Another option is to use a File Request to allow others to send files to you. Once uploaded, the sender would not be able to access the files uploaded, nor would they have access to anything else in your account.

  • Rich's avatar
    Rich
    Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

    britesc wrote:
    Is it possible to have files uploaded to a central folder, from various devices, but only automatically downloaded to a specific device?

    Not likely in the way you're imaging it, no. Any device linked to your account can access any files within your account. You can use Selective Sync on your computers to limit the folders that are synced (and visible) on the computer, but there's nothing preventing them from changing the sync settings to download the other folders.

     

    Also, mobile devices don't actually sync files. They just show you a list of everything in your account. While you can see everything in the account, the only files downloaded to the device are the files you've opened or marked as available offline.

     

    Another option is to use a File Request to allow others to send files to you. Once uploaded, the sender would not be able to access the files uploaded, nor would they have access to anything else in your account.

    • britesc's avatar
      britesc
      Explorer | Level 4
      Thanks for the reply.
      So by default if a file is in my Android Phone Download folder which is Dropbox aware it will get ported to the online folder and consequently.y Laptop download folder.
      So essentially it's doing what I want by luck?
      • Rich's avatar
        Rich
        Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

        britesc wrote:
        So by default if a file is in my Android Phone Download folder which is Dropbox aware it will get ported to the online folder and consequently.y Laptop download folder.

        If you have a folder in your Dropbox call Download and you add a file to it through the Dropbox app on your phone, that file will be uploaded to your account and synced to your other devices. On the laptop, the actual file will be synced to your local Dropbox folder. On other mobile devices, the file will be visible in the Download folder, but won't actually download to the device unless you open the file or mark it as available offline.

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