How do I find and change my desktop application preferences?

General

Show Dropbox notifications

Check this option if you want recent events, such as when files are added and removed to shared folders, to appear as a system notification on your desktop computer.

• Useful resources: What is Growl? How does Dropbox use it?

Start Dropbox on system startup

You can have Dropbox launch automatically whenever you start your computer. This option is recommended in order to keep your Dropbox folder synced online and to other computers at all times.

Language

To specify a different language from the default operating system settings, select it from this menu.

Version

This is the current version of your Dropbox installation. Reference this number in support cases or to see if you have the latest version of Dropbox.

• Other resources: How do I update to the latest version of Dropbox?

Dropbox badge

Dropbox for Business users will have the option to see the Dropbox badge each time they open a Microsoft Office file, to see it only when others are viewing a file, or to never see the badge.

• What is the Dropbox badge?
• How do I turn off the Dropbox badge?

Account

Account

The name and email address associated with your Dropbox account is shown here. Your Dropbox account settings can be viewed and customized on the Dropbox website.

Dropbox for Business users: If you've connected your personal and work Dropboxes, then both account settings will be listed on this tab. You can toggle back and forth between the two Dropboxes using the buttons at the top of the tab.

Dropbox location

This option changes the location of your Dropbox folder. Typically your Dropbox folder is installed in your user folder (the folder named after your login). However, you can choose any location on your hard drive with this option.

Please note: While you can choose the location of your Dropbox folder, you currently can't change the name of your Dropbox folder. No matter where you put it, it will be named Dropbox.

• Other resources: How do I change the location of my Dropbox folder?

Selective Sync

This option allows you to select which folders sync to your computer. Deselect a folder, and that folder will not sync, or download, to your hard drive. The folder will still continue to sync to other devices linked to your Dropbox account.

Click Advanced to drill down further into your Dropbox folders. You'll be given the option to select or deselect any folder in your Dropbox account

• Other resources: What is Selective Sync?

Unlink this computer

You can unlink your computer from your Dropbox account using this option. Your Dropbox will stop syncing to your online account. An unlinked computer can be linked or relinked to any Dropbox account using the same button.

• Other resources: How do I unlink or relink a computer, phone, or tablet from my account?

Import

Enable Camera Upload

Camera Upload will automatically upload the photos and videos from your phone, camera, SD card, or many other media devices whenever you connect it to your computer. Toggle Enable Dropbox Camera import to turn on or off Camera Upload.

Dropbox for Business users: If you've connected your personal and work Dropboxes, the Camera Upload function will only be enabled and applied to your personal Dropbox.

• Other resources:
• How do I use Camera Upload?
• How do photos work with Dropbox for Business?

Import photos from iPhoto

If you've used iPhoto to store photos, you can copy them to your Dropbox for safekeeping.

Dropbox for Business users: As with the Camera Upload feature, this feature will only apply to your personal Dropbox if you've connected your personal and work Dropboxes.

• Other resources: How do I copy my photos from iPhoto to Dropbox?

Share screenshots using Dropbox

Whenever you take a screenshot, Dropbox will automatically save it to your Dropbox and copy a link to your clipboard so you can share it instantly.

Dropbox for Business users: If you've connected your personal and work Dropboxes, you can choose the Dropbox to which screenshots will be saved.

• Other resources: How do I save and share screenshots with Dropbox?

Network

The Network tab contains controls that affect the rate of upload and download as well as controls that allow you to use Dropbox within complex network environments.

Bandwidth

Pressing Bandwidth will pop up a menu that contains the options that control the rates in which you allow Dropbox to sync. For instance, you can throttle your upload/download speed in order to save bandwidth or increase upload speeds to save time. Dropbox tries to be smart when deciding on how much bandwidth to use. By default, upload and download speeds are set to 100% and 70% of available bandwidth respectively.

Download

• Don't limit download rate: Select this radio button if you want Dropbox to download files from the Dropbox server at the fastest available speed.
• Limit download rate to: Limit the rate of download by entering your own download rate in kilobytes per second. Entering "0" will tell Dropbox to download at the fastest speed available.

Upload

• Limit upload rate automatically: Select this radio button if you want Dropbox to determine the speed at which to upload your files when it is syncing.
• Limit upload rate to: Choose your own upload rate here in kilobytes per second.

• Other resources:
• How much longer until Dropbox is finished uploading/syncing?
• How do I know when Dropbox is syncing?
• How much bandwidth does Dropbox use to sync files?

Proxies

Pressing the Proxies button allows you to configure your internet connection through a proxy server.

Proxy settings

• No proxy: Choose no proxy server to tell Dropbox if you don't use a proxy server. Choosing this option may bypass some issues that occur when Dropbox attempts to find a proxy server and fails
• Auto-detect: This option will let Dropbox auto-detect your proxy settings. Select this option if you are unsure if your internet connection requires a proxy server
• Manual: Select this radio button to allow you to enter your proxy settings manually. This option is typically for advanced users or administrators who have a non-standard proxy server configuration

When Manually enter proxy settings is selected, the following settings will be available for editing:

Proxy type

This pulldown will let you select your proxy server's protocol. Dropbox supports HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5.

Server

Enter the URL and port of your proxy server here.

Proxy server requires password

Select this checkbox if your proxy server requires a login. Once you do, the Username and Password fields will be editable.

Enable LAN sync

LAN sync is a networking feature that allows you to save time and bandwidth by downloading files directly from other computers on your local network. Deselecting this option will force Dropbox to sync from Dropbox servers every time it detects a change in your Dropbox folder.

• Other resources: What is LAN sync?