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Forum Discussion
View and edit files without syncing to hard drive
Hello,
I am using Dropbox on my laptop, I chose not to sync files to my laptop, because I don't want the files on my hard drive (kind of a main reason for using Dropbox personally).
Once I open the app on my laptop it shows no folders.
I just want the app to show me the folders and files inside them. I want to access these files through the Dropbox app and work on them through an internet connection.
This is how it works on my android phone. I can see and edit all my files on my phone app and they are not saved on my phones storage.
How can I achieve this with my laptop, and the desktop app?
Thank you for all your help!!
-Dominic
I am using Dropbox on my laptop, I chose not to sync files to my laptop, because I don't want the files on my hard drive (kind of a main reason for using Dropbox personally).
Once I open the app on my laptop it shows no folders.
I just want the app to show me the folders and files inside them. I want to access these files through the Dropbox app and work on them through an internet connection.
This is how it works on my android phone. I can see and edit all my files on my phone app and they are not saved on my phones storage.
How can I achieve this with my laptop, and the desktop app?
Thank you for all your help!!
-Dominic
Dallenwake wrote:
I want to access these files through the Dropbox app and work on them through an internet connection. This is how it works on my android phone.That's not how Dropbox works on a computer. In order to edit files on a computer, the file needs to be downloaded to your local drive before it can be opened. Dropbox doesn't work as network storage where you access files directly on their servers.
You may not see it, but your Android works the same way. When you open a file on the mobile app, it's downloaded to your phone's local storage. Any changes you make are saved and uploaded back to the Dropbox servers. The local file is kept in cache for a short time before it's deleted.
The only way to edit a file directly on the Dropbox servers (and only certain supported file types) is to open the file through the Dropbox website and edit it in the browser, again, if it's a supported file type.
Edited to add... If you want a more mobile-like experience on your laptop and you're on Windows, consider using the Dropbox app that's found in the Microsoft Store instead. It's meant for tablets and works more like the other mobile apps. Just remember that just like on your phone, the file will still be downloaded and stored locally when you open it, then deleted from cache sometime later.
- Rich
Super User II
Dallenwake wrote:
I want to access these files through the Dropbox app and work on them through an internet connection. This is how it works on my android phone.That's not how Dropbox works on a computer. In order to edit files on a computer, the file needs to be downloaded to your local drive before it can be opened. Dropbox doesn't work as network storage where you access files directly on their servers.
You may not see it, but your Android works the same way. When you open a file on the mobile app, it's downloaded to your phone's local storage. Any changes you make are saved and uploaded back to the Dropbox servers. The local file is kept in cache for a short time before it's deleted.
The only way to edit a file directly on the Dropbox servers (and only certain supported file types) is to open the file through the Dropbox website and edit it in the browser, again, if it's a supported file type.
Edited to add... If you want a more mobile-like experience on your laptop and you're on Windows, consider using the Dropbox app that's found in the Microsoft Store instead. It's meant for tablets and works more like the other mobile apps. Just remember that just like on your phone, the file will still be downloaded and stored locally when you open it, then deleted from cache sometime later.
- Thank you Rich.
Your response is very much appreciated.
