Dropbox removed "Save hard drive space automatically"

[Pookeyblow]

I thought "smart sync" was so that Dropbox automatically makes files I haven't used in a while online only.

I don't see a smart sync option on my M1 Mac (macOS Monterey 12.1), but I have "Make online-only" and "Make available offline" when I right click on a file. But I don't seem to have a smart sync option enabled because old files I haven't touched in months are filling up my drive. Aren't they supposed to be changed to "online only" by themselves? They did this before, but now I have to do it manually and it takes forever.

Where is the "save hard drive space automatically" option? I can't find it anymore.

[Rich]

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@Pookeyblow wrote:

I don't see a smart sync option on my M1 Mac (macOS Monterey 12.1), but I have "Make online-only" and "Make available offline" when I right click on a file.

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Smart Sync no longer exists in name, but the functionality is still there, and as you've found, those the are Make Online-only and Make available offline options.

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But I don't seem to have a smart sync option enabled because old files I haven't touched in months are filling up my drive. Aren't they supposed to be changed to "online only" by themselves?

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I'm not a Mac user so the details may be a bit fuzzy, but I believe that happens based on the space available on your drive, and not over a period of time. Files can automatically switch to Online-only when disk space is low.

• https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-faqs
• https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

[Pookeyblow]

Thanks. In the past, they became online-only when they had been inactive for some time. I really liked this. Not for all files, but for most files. I know they changed it so that if you click "Make available offline", the file/folder won't be affected by the automatic online-only option.

My issue is that it doesn't work like it used to. I used to have this option, but I can't find it anymore. Is the functionality removed or is it a bug?

 

[Pookeyblow]

Talked with support. They have completely removed the feature. Totally crazy decision to do for such a beneficial feature.

I have almost all my files in Dropbox. I don't remember which files I haven't opened in a while or not.

I now have to manually find all my inactive files and click "Make online-only" on each individual file / folder.

[Pookeyblow]

Talked with support again and they said the option is removed, but the feature is still there. It's just always on.

My issue is that files I haven't touched in a year didn't go online-only automatically. It could be a third party app messing it up. I don't know.

[Visual Rhythm]

is there a way to turn it off? 

I must be wierd and absolutely HATE this feature as it keeps removing things that I want on my computer at all times.

[Megan]

Hi @Visual Rhythm, how are you today?

Do you use a Mac or a Windows device? Also, what do you see when you open your app's preferences, under the Sync tab? Is the option enabled there?

Let me know more, and we'll take it from there!

[Visual Rhythm]

16" MacBook Pro M1 Max

[Hannah]

Hey @Visual Rhythm, thanks for the screenshot here.

If you keep running low on hard drive space, this feature will take effect, as there's no way to disable it at this time.

I will, however, pass your feedback along to our devs team, so thanks for telling us your thoughts about it.

[Visual Rhythm]

1. I can handle my own storage. I don’t need Dropbox to do it for me.
2. I have 1.2TB available. It’s still doing it.