Sync Dropbox To Mac

Syncing Your Alfred Settings Between Macs. You can sync your Alfred preferences via Dropbox. This is convenient both as a backup of your settings and, if you have more than one Mac, so that both have access to the same workflows, snippets, themes, etc that you've taken the time to set up. How selectively sync files in Dropbox Go to the menu bar and click on the Dropbox icon. Click on the gear icon in the lower right hand corner.

You can sync your Alfred preferences via Dropbox. This is convenient both as a backup of your settings and, if you have more than one Mac, so that both have access to the same workflows, snippets, themes, etc that you've taken the time to set up.

We recommend Dropbox as the most reliable way to sync your preferences. iCloud and Google Drive are not recommended.

If you choose to experiment with a sync service other than Dropbox, we recommend backing up the Alfred.alfredpreferences package locally first, so that you can revert to them if you experience any issues.

Not all preferences are synced between your Macs, as some can be customised independently on each Mac.

Requirements for Preferences Syncing

This guide will take you through the steps required to set up syncing on two Macs using Dropbox.

To follow this workflow, you'll need to have the following:

Your Alfred Powerpack activated on both Macs
The Dropbox application installed and running on both Macs

We recommend Dropbox, due to its reliability. We don't recommend using iCloud or Google Drive as an alternative.

Please ensure that Smart Sync is disabled in Dropbox, as Alfred needs live access to many of the files in your preferences, and Smart Sync may make these unavailable.

Setting up syncing on your primary Mac

Start the setup process on the Mac that contains the settings you want to copy to the second Mac.

The settings on the first Mac will overwrite anything you have on the second Mac, so make sure you've set it up just how you want it.

You're now ready to set your sync folder on your first Mac:

Launch Alfred's preferences to the Advanced tab.
In the bottom right, you will see the Syncing settings. Click on 'Set preferences folder…'
Choose a location within Dropbox where you want to sync your settings (e.g. ~/Dropbox/Alfred/) and click 'Set folder and restart Alfred'
Alfred will relaunch, using the settings location you've just set on Dropbox
You'll see the Dropbox spinning arrows as it syncs your settings to your online account. Allow Dropbox to sync fully before starting setup on your second Mac.

Setting up syncing on your second Mac

Before you start, ensure that Dropbox is fully up-to-date and has synced all previously changed files from your other Mac.

Check that Dropbox has synced your newly added settings file from your online account. You should see an Alfred.alfredpreferences file in the Dropbox folder you picked, and the Dropbox icon should no longer be showing spinning arrows.
Launch Alfred's preferences to the Advanced tab and click on the 'Set preferences folder…'
Find the Dropbox folder in which your first Mac's Alfred.alfredpreferences file is located and click 'Set folder and restart Alfred'
Once Alfred has restarted, you'll be using your synced settings.

You can now complete the setup on your second Mac, as a few key settings are individual to each Macs (e.g. your primary Alfred hotkey)

Which settings aren't shared between your Macs?

If you've configured syncing, most of your Alfred settings are shared between your Macs. Certain settings are deliberately treated independently on each Mac to allow you to customise each one (e.g. your home and work Mac) to use context-relevant settings, like a different colour theme or home folder.

The non-synced settings are:

Alfred's main hotkey
Default results search scope
Currently selected theme (allows different theme per Mac)
Dictionary language for spell and define keywords
Clipboard History enabled and history data
Custom home folder for File System Navigation
1Password enabled and keychain location
Snippet Auto-Expansion
Web Bookmarks Sources and profile selection
iTunes Mini Player Alfred playlist local suffix
Workflow proxy settings
Alfred auto-update settings

Can I use a sync service other than Dropbox?

You can use any service that syncs files locally in the same way Dropbox does.

iCloud - not recommended

Apple's iCloud service is not recommended for preferences syncing, due to iCloud's use of Optimised Storage, as well as being significantly slower and less consistently reliable than Dropbox, which can lead to file conflicts that iCloud is unable to resolve.

If you've previously used iCloud for syncing and your preferences disappear, please take a look at Apple's Optimised Storage feature and disable it, as this iCloud feature may be moving your files to cloud-only access if it believes they're not in use.

Google Drive - not recommended

Google Drive / Google Drive File Stream is not recommended as, depending on configuration, files are not available immediately on startup. As a result, Alfred may create a new set of preferences if your existing preferences are unavailable.

Why can't I use the Apps folder in Dropbox?

Here's why we currently disallow use of the /Dropbox/Apps/ folder.

Reset sync folder to the local default folder

If you would like to reset Alfred to use local preferences, here is a simple guide.

Content of this article:

About Dropbox

Dropbox, one of the famous cloud storage services, is widely used in storing data on cloud, syncing files to multiple devices and platform, including Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android. When you sync local folder to Dropbox or its folder, all the folders will be synced automatically to all your devices as long as there is an internet connection. You just need to log in with the same account on your devices.

Besides, you can sync folder outside Dropbox folder. You can directly copy and paste the folder you want to sync to Dropbox folder. If you want to see it at the original location, you can create a symbolic link (a sort of shortcuts) between Dropbox folder and the folder on your drive that you want to sync.

2 common ways to sync local folder to Dropbox

Way 1: Dropbox one way sync with Dropbox folder

The first thing is to download and install Dropbox on the local computer if you want to sync local folder with Dropbox. After downloading, your computer will have a Dropbox folder. It looks like a normal folder, but it can automatically sync local folders to Dropbox once you put files inside and you can access files in Dropbox through this folder.

Now, follow the steps below to sync local folder with Dropbox folder.

Step 1. Open Dropbox folder by double-clicking Dropbox in the desktop.

Step 2. Copy and paste the local folders to Dropbox folder. Then, it will automatically sync to web-site.

Way 2: Sync local folder with Dropbox using Smart Sync

Smart Sync is a new feature for Dropbox to help users save hard drive space automatically via Online-only option, which is only available on Plus, Professional or Business plans. Please note you can only view your files with an internet connection. It provides a free-trial for users still using the Basic plan, so you can try it before purchasing.

Then, let's start to sync local folder with Smart Sync feature.

Step 1. Open the Dropbox folder on your computer.

Step 2. Select the files you want to make online-only, right-click it, then choose Smart sync and Online-only option.

Notes:

Except for the manually operation, you can still enable automatic smart sync feature. Click Dropbox icon at the system tray and your avatar, select Preferences, then tap on the Sync tab and tick On under Save hard drive space automatically.

Also, you can set the file added to web default as online-only.

Other things you need to know

1. If you want to sync folders to all your devices, you need to log in with the same email address and password on each device.

2. Dropbox service will monitor the Dropbox folder on the computer and other devices. And once there is a change, Dropbox will sync it automatically as long as there is an internet connection.

3. When your computer or other devices are offline, all the changes will be saved and synced again when it connects to internet.

Dropbox Shared Folder Not Syncing

4. Dropbox can only sync files in the Dropbox folder or mobile app. If you want to sync folder outside Dropbox, you need to add it to Dropbox folder.

5. Dropbox selective sync is diferent from Smart Sync, which refers to sync your folder on dropbox.com to local. If you have this need, you can go to References > Sync tab > Selective Sync, then uncheck the folder you don't want to sync to your computer.

Easier way to sync local folder outside Dropbox folder

To sync folder outside Dropbox folder, the simplest way is to copy and paste the folder you want to sync to Dropbox folder. After that, you can create a symbolic link so that you can see folder at its original location. Also, if you are using Plus, Professional or Business plan, Smart Sync is a great choice.

Besides, you still can use Dropbox alternative software - AOMEI Backupper Standard. It’s very easy to use. The sync process is automatic without any human intervention. And this software will keep the selected folder both online and local, you can view your files at any time.

More features of AOMEI Backupper:

Sync Dropbox To Desktop Mac

Support multiple backup devices, such as, Google Drive, OneDrive, network drive, or NAS, external hard drive, USB drive, and more.
Schedule sync in daily/weekly/monthly: This feature can protect your data intact as much as possible and give you more backup versions while restoration.
Email notification: In an emergency, this feature can provide you the convenience of leaving directly without waiting for the final result. It will inform you if the task is sucessful through your email.

To sync local folder outside Dropbox folder, just use the following steps.

Step 1. Download Dropbox alternative - AOMEI Backupper, install and run it. Then, click Basic Sync under the Sync tab. To backup files to Dropbox for a copy of image file, click File Backup.

Step 2. Click + Add Folder and click Desktop, Libraries or This PC to find the local folder you want to sync.

How To Sync Dropbox Mac

Step 3. Click Drop-down menu and pitch on Select a cloud drive.

Step 4. Select Dropbox or its subfolder and then click OK to exit this window.

Note: If you want to sync local folder to Google Dive, click 'Google Drive' in the given picture above.

Step 5. Click Start Sync. If you want to create a scheduled backup, you can click Schedule, select any settings you want.

Tips:

Don't modify the source folder name, otherwise the software will not sync changes anymore.
This software also supports 'Real-time sync', 'Mirror Sync' and 'Two-Way Sync', which can bring users much convenience. But all of them are available on the professional version of AOMEI Backupper.

Wrapping things up

Sync Dropbox To Mac

Speaking of syncing local folder to Dropbox, you may think about the simplest way - using Dropbox folder on the desktop. In addition, Smart sync of Dropbox is an excellent choice, which can help you save hard drive space automatically via online-only option. You can also view these online files locally when your computer connect to network.

My Dropbox Isn't Syncing

But if you want to protect your files continously or enjoy other advanced features, you can turn to AOMEI Backupper Standard. It supports many useful features, such as, daily/weekly/monthly sync, event triggers, USB plug in etc. Try it and you will be pleasantly surprised.