How to Set Up Dropbox to Sync Only Selected Folders

Dropbox syncs everything by default, and on a laptop with a small drive that quickly becomes a problem. A team media folder, years of client work, or a shared archive can swallow your storage even though you only need two or three folders day to day. The rest still needs to live in Dropbox, just not on this machine.

That is exactly what Selective Sync is for. It lets you choose which folders download to each device, while every folder stays safe in your Dropbox online and on your other computers. This guide shows how to set it up on Windows and Mac, how it differs from Smart Sync style online-only files, and how to fix the mistakes people make most often.

Quick Answer

To set up Dropbox to sync only selected folders, open Dropbox Preferences, go to the Sync tab, and click Selective Sync. Untick the folders you do not want on this device, then confirm. Unticked folders are removed from this computer but stay stored in Dropbox online.

What Selective Sync Does and Does Not Do

Selective Sync works at folder level, per device. Each computer you own can hold a different set of folders. Your work laptop might keep only current projects, while your home desktop keeps everything. Changing the choice on one device does not affect any other device or the cloud copy.

Two points confuse people, so they are worth stating clearly. First, unticking a folder does not delete it from Dropbox. It only removes the local copy from this device, and you can still open the folder on the Dropbox website at any time. Second, Selective Sync applies to folders, not single files. To exclude one file, move it into a folder you leave unticked, or use the online-only option described below if your plan includes it.

Selective Sync is also different from simply pausing sync. Pausing stops everything temporarily. Selective Sync is a standing choice about what belongs on this machine at all.

Step-by-Step: Set Up Selective Sync on Windows

1. Click the Dropbox icon in the system tray, near the clock. You may need to click the small arrow to show hidden icons.
2. Click your avatar or initials in the top corner of the panel.
3. Choose Preferences.
4. Open the Sync tab.
5. Under Selective Sync, click the button to choose folders.
6. A list of your top-level Dropbox folders appears. Untick any folder you do not want stored on this PC.
7. Expand folders with the small arrow if you want to exclude only some subfolders.
8. Click Update or Save, then confirm when Dropbox asks about removing unticked folders from this device.
9. Wait while Dropbox removes the local copies. Large folders can take a while to clear.

After setup, the Dropbox folder on your PC contains only the ticked folders. Everything else is still visible on the website and in the mobile app, where you can download individual files when you need them.

Step-by-Step: Set Up Selective Sync on a Mac

1. Click the Dropbox icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
2. Click your avatar and choose Preferences.
3. Open the Sync tab.
4. Click the Selective Sync button and wait for the folder list to load.
5. Untick folders and subfolders you do not need on this Mac.
6. Confirm the change and allow Dropbox time to remove the local copies.

The steps are almost identical to Windows, which is handy if you use both. Dropbox covers both platforms in Dropbox’s official Selective Sync overview in its help centre, including notes for team accounts where admins can set defaults for new devices.

Selective Sync vs Online-Only Files

Newer Dropbox plans also offer a way to make files online-only while keeping them visible in your folder, similar to a placeholder. The two features solve slightly different problems, so pick based on how you work.

Choose Selective Sync when

• You never open certain folders on this device, such as archives on a work laptop.
• Your drive is very small and even placeholders and folder structures feel like clutter.
• You share a computer and want whole projects simply absent from it.

Choose online-only files when

• You browse many folders but open few files, and want to see everything in place.
• You often search by file name inside the Dropbox folder.
• You may need a file quickly and would rather wait for a download than visit the website.

You can combine both. Use Selective Sync to remove whole archive folders from a laptop, and online-only mode for big files inside the project folders you keep. Our honest comparison of Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive is useful if you are deciding which service’s space-saving style suits you best.

Change Your Mind: Bring a Folder Back

Nothing about Selective Sync is permanent, and re-adding a folder is just as easy as removing it.

1. Open Dropbox Preferences and return to the Sync tab.
2. Open the Selective Sync folder list again.
3. Tick the folder you want back on this device.
4. Save the change and wait for the folder to download.

Plan for the download time and space. A folder removed months ago may have grown since, and it will need room on your drive again. Check its size on the Dropbox website first if your disk is tight, and make space before you tick the box.

Shared Folders and Team Accounts

Selective Sync is especially useful with shared folders, which often hold the biggest files and are not all relevant to you. Unticking a shared folder removes it only from your device. Other members keep their copies, and the folder itself is not affected for anyone else.

One warning: if you untick a shared folder and later re-add it, Dropbox downloads the current state, including changes others made while you were away. That is normally what you want, but do not be surprised by unfamiliar files. On team accounts, an admin may also push default selective sync settings to new computers, so a new laptop may arrive with big team folders already excluded. You can adjust your own device afterwards in the same Preferences screen.

Common Mistakes and Useful Tips

• Thinking unticked folders are deleted. They are removed only from this device. The cloud copy and other devices are untouched.
• Trying to exclude a single file. Selective Sync works on folders. Move the file into an excluded folder, or make it online-only instead.
• Unticking before files finish uploading. If a folder has not fully synced, wait for the Dropbox icon to show it is up to date before removing the local copy.
• Forgetting the second computer. Settings are per device. Set up your laptop and desktop separately.
• Removing folders on a nearly full drive, then re-adding too many. Check folder sizes online before bringing them back.
• Tip: Exclude media, installers, and old client archives first. They give the biggest space saving for the least inconvenience.
• Tip: After a big cleanup, open your drive properties to confirm the recovered space, and check Dropbox online to confirm every folder is still there.

Conclusion

Selective Sync turns Dropbox from an all-or-nothing sync into a per-device choice. Keep current work on your laptop, leave archives safely in the cloud, and use a bigger desktop as the complete copy if you have one. The setup takes two minutes in Preferences, nothing is deleted from Dropbox, and you can bring any folder back whenever a project needs it. For small drives, it is the single most useful Dropbox setting there is.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I untick a folder, is it deleted from Dropbox?

No. The folder is removed only from that one computer. It stays in your Dropbox online, on your other devices, and for anyone you share it with. You can re-add it to the device at any time from Preferences.

Can I sync only part of a folder?

Yes, at subfolder level. Expand a folder in the Selective Sync list and untick individual subfolders. Single files cannot be excluded this way, so reorganise files into subfolders if you need finer control.

Why is a folder missing from the Selective Sync list?

The list shows folders in your Dropbox. A folder shared with you appears only after you have added it to your Dropbox. Also give the list a moment to load on large accounts, and make sure Dropbox is running and signed in.

Does Selective Sync affect other people in a shared folder?

No. Your choice applies only to your device. Other members keep syncing the folder as normal, and their files and edits continue to appear in the cloud copy you can see on the website.

What is the difference between Selective Sync and pausing sync?

Pausing stops all syncing temporarily and keeps every file where it is. Selective Sync permanently chooses which folders live on a device until you change the setting, and it frees the space those folders were using.