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Forum Discussion
Is there an automatic date change to current date when uploading?
Why this automatic change of date to current date when upload files to Dropbox -- no other cloud type storage system does this date change? I use both Safari & Windows (depending which laptop I use at time) to do these file uploads. Its a pain in butt that it changes date so I have to upload then go in and modify to date I want. -- I've read about some synching option but not relevant.
I see others have raised this issue but no real ownership by DropBox to fix it seems? Has anyone found a way to turn off this auto date change function?
We appreciate the feedback on this matter. We take all comments into consideration when improving the Dropbox site and services.
Today 9 May 2024 I used iphone Dropbox app to upload 95 photos from Mar 2024 , 43 photos out of the 95 photos Dropbox changed the date of the photo (file name) to today's date. What is going on ? I'm getting tired of all the changes made to Dropbox that don't work as they previously did.
Hi Hanna,
1. I was uploading photos from my iphone so I don't know the actual filename Apple assigns
I created an iphone album with 400 photos as this the new limit for an upload to Dropbox and these photos were all created during March 20242. 95 of the 400 (nearly 25%) ended up in dropbox with the wrong file name and I could easily identify them because they ended up as < Photo 9-5-2024, 12 43 03 (2).jpg>
prefixed with 1,2,3 ,...... because it was the upload date not the photo creation date3. I could easily identify the wrong file names as the affected file names appeared in Dropbox with the date of the upload and not the original creation date of the photo.
expected Dropbox file name 17-3-2024, 12 43 03.jpg
result Dropbox file name 9-5-2024, 12 43 03 (2).jpgI have been using Dropbox for a very long time and this is the first time I noticed that using the Dopbox Apple App didn't creation a file in Dropbox using the photos creation date
To simplify the issue, if today I was to upload all my photos from my iphone using the Dropbox app , 10,000 photos put into albums that had 400 photos then in Dropbox every photos file name potentially could have the same date as the filename.
To simplify my issue , if I took a photo of my child in Jan 2015 then when I upload the photo to Dropbox
I want the file name to appear as 1-01-2015, 12 30 00.jpg
NOT 9-5-2024, 12 43 03 (259).jpgPlease don't go and change any of my dropbox file names.
bella33
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi gcn2234 , thanks for contacting us!
It sounds like you're referring to the modification date of new files when they're uploaded to the site. Since the file is technically created as new on the site, the current date and time is used.
If the Dropbox desktop application is installed, files synced from the local Dropbox folder will have their original modification dates.
If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.
Yes this is exactly what I am talking about - and I note you do not supply any solution 😞
This annoyance does NOT happen when uploading files to other cloud storage (eg Sync or Google Drive and other similar) ONLY Dropbox - there is no need for Dropbox to modify date as far as user is concerned, Many people have complained yet Dropbox does nothing to rectify - very disappointing.
- Jay
We appreciate the feedback on this matter. We take all comments into consideration when improving the Dropbox site and services.
I don't have a solution for stopping this when "uploading photos" but I found that Dropbox doesn't rename my pictures if I say to upload file instead. What I mean is that on my Android app when I click on the "Add to Dropbox" icon it gives me a menu of options.
Two of those options are:
* Upload photos or videos* Create or upload file
If I choose "upload photos or videos" then Dropbox messes with the filenames, _however_, if I choose "create or upload file" I can just go to my Camera folder and select the photos I want to upload and it _does not_ change the filenames.
