How to manage team selective sync settings

What is selective sync for Dropbox team accounts?

When a team member is added to a team folder or team space, all folders shared with them automatically sync to their computer’s hard drive. However, syncing a large number of files can take up significant local storage and impact the Dropbox desktop app performance.

To help manage hard drive space and improve performance, admins can use selective sync to prevent specific folders from automatically syncing to team members’ devices. Team members can still access all content from dropbox.com or other linked devices.

Learn more about how selective sync works.

How to copy or move a team folder

To copy or move a file or folder that lives in a team folder and paste it in your personal folder:

1. Log in to dropbox.com.
2. Go to the file or folder you want to copy.
3. Hover over the folder and click ☑ (more options).
4. Click Copy or Move.
5. Select the folder and click Copy/Move.

Selective sync versus online-only files

Admins can manage how Dropbox content appears on team member’s computers and how much hard drive space it uses by applying selective sync and online-only settings:

• Selective sync lets you choose which folders are visible in the file system. Deselecting a folder with selective sync removes it from being visible on the hard drive and only stores it on dropbox.com.
• Online-only files and folders stay visible in the Dropbox folder, but don’t take up hard drive space, unless they’re opened or made available offline. An internet connection is required to access them.

Online-only files and folders differ from selective sync in the following ways:

• You can’t remove individual files from your hard drive with selective sync—only entire folders (which includes all contents). However, you can make individual files online-only.
• When you make a file or folder online-only, it still appears in the Dropbox folder on your computer, marked with a cloud icon: 
  • On Windows: a solid gray circle with a white cloud.
  • On macOS (File Provider): a could icon with a down arrow.
• Folders you remove from your hard drive using selective sync won’t appear in your Dropbox folder on your computer.

Learn how to manage online-only settings for your team.

How to set specific folders not to sync with selective sync

To set specific folders not to sync:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Under Products, click the dropdown to the left of Dropbox.
4. Click Content.
5. Click ☑ (more options) next to any folder.
6. Click Change sync default.
   • Note: If you’ve disabled team selective sync, enable it to see this option.
7. Click the circle next to Don’t sync automatically to set the folder not to sync automatically to new team members’ computers. 
8. Click Save.

How to automatically sync folders

To set the folder to automatically sync, follow the instructions above, but click the circle next to Automatically sync to members’ computers instead.
 

How to exclude new folders from syncing automatically

To set a new team folder not to automatically sync to team member’s computers:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
   
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Under Products, click the dropdown to the left of Dropbox.
4. Click Content.
5. Click Create team folder on the right side.
6. Uncheck the box next to Sync to team’s desktop folder.
7. Click Create.

Learn more about creating team folders.

How to disable team selective sync

Team selective sync is enabled by default. It lets admins set specific folders not to sync automatically to team members’ computers. If team selective sync is disabled, all folders automatically sync to team members' computers, and the admin doesn’t have the option to set specific folders not to sync. 

To disable team selective sync:

1. Log in to dropbox.com with your admin credentials.
2. Click Admin console in the left sidebar.
3. Under Products, click the dropdown to the left of Dropbox.
4. Click Settings.
5. Under Content, click Sync.
6. Next to Team Selective Sync, toggle to Off.
7. Click Save.