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Forum Discussion
Jay
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffUsing Dropbox as an online backup only
Note that this isn't the primary function of Dropbox. As you know, the Dropbox site and apps are for syncing files to users and your other devices.
However, there is a way using a workaround to...
JayDropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffLet's prep your account for this:
| Create two folders in your Dropbox folder, it doesn’t matter matter what you call them. For the sake of simplicity, I called them ‘_BACKUP’ and ‘BACKUP’ |
| Via Selective Sync in the desktop app ‘Sync’ tab, uncheck the BACKUP folder so it no longer appears on your computer. Keep _BACKUP ticked. |
| You should have this in the Dropbox folder on your computer now. |
Now we’ve setup the ‘backup’ system. Essentially, you use the _BACKUP folder as a temporary go-between to the offline folder, moving files physically off your computer but kept in the cloud.
JayDropbox Staff
Dropbox Staff| So now, any time you want to ‘back something up online and off-site’, drag it into the _BACKUP folder on the computer. This can even include entire folders! |
| Login to Dropbox.com, open that folder and select the files/folders |
| Move them to the new folder you created. |
Once the move is complete, those files will ‘disappear’ from your computer, but they’ll be visible online.
Just like any other selectively ‘unsynced’ folder, you can always opt to make it sync to your computer by checking it from the desktop settings.
Or, if you need specific files, just drag or move them via the site into the _BACKUP folder, wait for it to download automatically, and your files are back on the computer for recovering data you wanted (i.e. to reinstall those 10 Steam games for instance).
This can be done with any account, and can be used even if you use Dropbox to sync as normal, keeping one folder ‘online-only’ in order for a backup to be kept safe. Make sure to uncheck it from the selective sync window on all other devices!
Hopefully this should help for all you archivists out there!
