Learn how the Dropbox desktop app can simplify and speed up your online file management. Although you can store your files on Dropbox’s website, it can be a slow and inconvenient process to work with them there. Fortunately, Dropbox provides a desktop app that streamlines the file management process. With this app, you can directly open, edit, move, copy, share, and print your Dropbox files within Windows Explorer or File Explorer. You have the option to synchronize your files both locally and online or solely work online to save hard drive space. The app supports both personal and business Dropbox accounts. You can download Dropbox’s app for Windows, Windows 10, iOS/iPadOS, and Android. However, we will focus on the Windows app for this purpose.

How to install the Dropbox app for Windows

  1. Download the app from the Dropbox installation page.
  2. Install the program from the downloaded DropboxInstaller.exe file.
  3. Log in with the Dropbox details in the Dropbox window.
  4. Click in the next window on the link for advanced settings. Here you can change the local folder where you want to save and synchronize your Dropbox files.
  5. To do this, click on the default Dropbox location folders and change them to a different folder.

To customize the Dropbox folders you wish to synchronize, simply access the Selective Synchronization option and disable any folders you don’t want to sync. Don’t forget to click Update to save your changes. Afterward, open My Dropbox by clicking the appropriate button. Follow through the Welcome to Dropbox window by tapping the Get Started button and proceeding through each screen. When you reach the final Getting Started screen, click Continue. You’ll then be presented with two options on how to use the app. Choose the one that best fits your needs.

  1. To create files locally: Choose whether you often have offline access to files. Local files are downloaded to your hard drive.
  2. Make files online only: Choose whether or not you want your Dropbox files to take up space on your hard drive. Only online files are visible on your computer but are stored in the cloud.

To access your files on Dropbox, you have a couple of options to choose from based on your subscription plan. If you’re subscribed to Dropbox Basic, you can access your files for free. On the other hand, if you’ve subscribed to Dropbox Plus, you’ll need to pay $9.99 per month, which is invoiced annually. If you have a business Dropbox account, you can only create your files online. When you’ve selected the best option for you, you can click on the corresponding button and Windows Explorer or File Explorer will open in your local Dropbox folder. All your files will be synced and available locally, which means that you can manage them like any other files stored on your computer. This includes deleting, cutting, copying, pasting, opening, editing, and printing files.

Moreover, there are various Dropbox-specific features that you can use. By right-clicking on a synced file, a pop-up menu will appear with several commands specific to Dropbox. One such command is the Share command which allows you to share files with others through email or link, specifying whether the recipient can only view or edit the file. Another command is the Send with Transfer command which lets you send large files or collections of files that cannot be sent through email. The Dropbox Link Copy command creates a shareable link to your file and copies it to the clipboard.

If you need to restore previous versions of your files, deleted work, or your entire account (with a Dropbox Professional subscription or higher), you can use the Rewind command. The View on Dropbox.com command will open your current folder on the Dropbox website. Lastly, the Open in Dropbox command will start Dropbox online with your current file selected for easy opening.

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