New Dropbox Backup update will download all 'Online Only' folders/files – not enough room on MacBook

[JaneGDesign]

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to post...

I have just been prompted to do the new Dropbox Backup Update. I currently have a Dropbox Essentials plan, using 1TB of 3TB storage. Some backup files are 'offline' but most are 'online only'. I have 300GB space on my MacBook hard drive. I have read through all the details of the update and one part says:

• Online-only files and folders aren’t available in the updated Dropbox Backup. When you update Dropbox Backup, your files and folders that are set to online-only will be downloaded to your computer’s hard drive in order to back them up.

My issue is – my online-only files are bigger than my available hard drive space (300GB) so they won't be able to download there during the update. What will happen if I update? What prompts/options will I be given? Or will it try to download then stall the update?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Jay]

Hi @JaneGDesign, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

When you update to the new Dropbox Backup, all files in those folders will attempt to download to your machine, regardless of their previous online-only setting. 

It will stop once your machine runs out of space, and you'll experience issues regarding your local hard drive space, and you won't be able to mark them as online-only.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

[JaneGDesign]

So once the files are 'part' downloaded and my hard drive is full I won't then be able to set them back to online-only to free up space so the rest can download? 

[Jay]

That's correct, the option isn't available on the new version of the Dropbox Backup feature.

[JaneGDesign]

Thanks for the replies Jay.

So just to double, triple check – are you saying that after completing the Dropbox update (once I've somehow fixed the file space issue) I won't be able to then make files/folders 'online-only'? Surely Dropbox isn't taking away that function? This page currently says it's still possible (but could be out of date info?): https://help.dropbox.com/sync/make-files-online-only

[Hannah]

Hey @JaneGDesign, since the update of the Backup feature is currently still being rolled out, the info in the article you linked, refers to the older version of backup that's still available for some users.

But yes, with the update, you won't be able to make your backups online-only.

You can see more info on the update here.