When you click on these linked files, Dropbox downloads the file (as quickly as it can) to your computer and opens it.

You still see your other folders and files on your computer, but they aren’t really there. Dropbox determines what files you frequently use and actively tracks those.

Your folders and files still exist on the Dropbox cloud server, but you can’t access them until you re-select them on your computer or use the web browser. You don’t see folders (and the files they contain) unless you select them. When you enable Selective Sync, you limit what Dropbox syncs to only the folders you select. The Selective Sync feature is pretty black-and-white. For those firms, there is what’s called a cloud capable file server. Both solutions work for many firms, but, for some, it’s not enough. Both are aimed at reducing the demands Dropbox places on your system. Over the years it’s rolled out the Selective Sync and Smart Sync features. What to do about itĭropbox knows about this problem. You may cause accidental deletion of files or file conflicts. Not the problem you have? Please reach out to us before uninstalling Dropbox or pausing Dropbox while it syncs. This process takes priority on your computer, because without it the whole system collapses. Dropbox run constantly, updating the index and uploading or downloading files as they change. As your firm and case load grow, that index gets larger and more active. If you work on a small team or with only a handful of files, your Dropbox index is small and changes infrequent. These events trigger Dropbox to upload or download files. Every time you open, close, or modify a file, Dropbox records this change on your computer, the Dropbox cloud server, and every other computer that has access to that file. What’s most important to understand is Dropbox keeps an index of all of your files. Let’s highlight why Dropbox slows down your computer. But where this proves intolerable is when you arrive at the office in the midst of a busy day and you need to get work done – now. You now spend a bit more time with staff on the way to and from coffee. Sure, your morning routine is a little different.

Maybe you’ve convinced yourself this isn’t so bad. Worse, it slows down your computer to the point where it’s almost unusable. You may notice that Dropbox is slow to start.

How to turn on dropbox smart sync