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Dropbox Taking Up Space on Mac

If you’re running out of storage on your Mac, Dropbox may be the reason why. It’s obviously a great tool for data backup across devices, but often Dropbox is taking up space on Mac, syncing large and sometimes unessential files. As a result, the subsequent lack of storage prevents your Apple laptop from performing smoothly and efficiently.

Before we start:  

 

Before plunging into Dropbox’s usage issues and discussing how to free up space on Mac Dropbox, it’s highly recommended you clean up your device from cluttered files which could hamper its running. Do it quickly and efficiently using MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup.

 

Do the following to get MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup assistance:

  1. Download and launch our MacKeeper app.  
  2. Choose the Cleaning service on the left of the app’s interface.
  3. Find Safe Cleanup from the list.  
  4. Click Start Scan.
  5. When the scan is complete, select all unnecessary files, then click the Clean Junk Files button to delete them.

Why Dropbox takes up space on your Mac

Dropbox occupies so much space on your Mac because it synchronizes all your files for offline access. To ensure this, the app mirrors your Mac content to the cloud, occupying the same amount of storage.

How to check Dropbox's space usage on your Mac

If you’re running out of space, or want to track Dropbox usage on your Mac, take these simple steps:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click the avatar on the right.
  3. Choose Manage account.
  4. Select Subscriptions in the left sidebar.
  5. Check the bar under Personal Dropbox.

How to fix Dropbox taking up space on Mac issue

You can manage how much space Dropbox takes up on your Mac, using the following solutions:

  • Restart the Dropbox app.
  • Use Selective Synchronization.
  • Delete unnecessary files from your hard drive.
  • Clear the Dropbox cache files.
  • Blend multiple Dropbox accounts.
  • Move files to External Storage.
  • Upgrade your Dropbox plan.
  • Remove Dropbox from Startup apps.
  • Use Dropbox’s Archive option.

1. Use selective sync to control what gets downloaded

I guess you might have been wondering what's taking up space on your Mac and studying potential solutions. If you notice that Dropbox takes up too much space there are several effective fixes. First, you can use Selective Sync, which allows you to control what gets downloaded and stored on your Mac.

 

Instead of syncing all files, this feature lets you choose which folders must be downloaded to your device, thus saving space for essential stuff.  

 

Here are some detailed instructions for you on how to set up Selective Sync on your Mac:

  1. Launch the Dropbox app in the menu.
  2. Click the account.
  3. Select the Change Settings option.
  4. Choose the folders you want to be copied to your Mac ➙ click Update.
To use Selective Sync to fix Dropbox taking up space on Mac issue, first launch the Dropbox app, click the account icon, and choose Change Settings option.
Step 1. Launch the Dropbox app > click the account > Change Settings
End up activating Selective Sync in the Dropbox by selecting the folders you want to be copied to your Mac, and click Update.
Step 2. Select the folders to be copied > Update

Why use Selective Sync:

  • Keeps storage for significant files, leaving all the rest in the cloud.
  • Provides instant access to important files, which you can keep synced, and ensures the less important files are stored online.
  • Reduces clutter, as unnecessary items aren’t saved on your Mac.

2. Enable smart sync for cloud-only files

Perhaps you are discouraged by the similar names of “Selective Sync” and  “Smart Sync”, but they work in different ways. Go on reading and you’ll understand the distinctions.

 

Selective Sync suggests downloading folders, while Smart Sync is about individual files. Smart Sync doesn’t download the files but instead keeps them visible in the Dropbox folder, just without occupying local storage.  

 

Unlike Selective Sync, Smart Sync doesn’t allow you to select folders for manual downloading, but does it automatically when you want to open a certain file. With this, function files appear in Finder, where you can choose to keep them “Local.” This means storing them on your Mac, or “Online Only”, which keeps the files in the cloud but available to download.  

A note from our experts

 

For an efficient experience and to avoid potential pitfalls, explore the best ways to manage when iCloud Drive is taking up space on MacBook before using Smart Sync.

Do the following to enable Smart Sync on your Mac:

  1. Launch the Dropbox app in the menu.
  2. Click the profile picture or initials.
  3. Go to the Sync tab ➙ ensure that Smart Sync is turned on.
To enable Smart Sync on your Mac, first launch the Dropbox app in the menu, click the Account icon, and choose Change Settings option.
Step 1. Launch the Dropbox app > click the account > Change Settings
The final step while enabling Smart Sync on your Mac is to ensure that Smart Sync is turned on in the Go to the Sync tab.
Step 2. Turn on Smart Sync

Smart Sync is only available for advanced plans, so if you have the basic one, don’t forget to upgrade to access this option.

3. Clear Dropbox cache and temporary files

Dropbox stores temporary files in a cache folder for fast sync and the possibility of restoring recently deleted files. The thing is that with time these items can begin to occupy too much space, cluttering your software. I suggest you remember how to see how much space is left on Mac, and implement these methods from time to time.  

Important: Remember that the Dropbox cache is a hidden folder, named “.dropbox.cache”. To see it, ensure the option for viewing hidden items is enabled. Also, note that If you delete lots of files from Dropbox, but your Mac’s hard drive doesn’t mirror these removals, you need to manually clear the cache.

Follow this step-by-step guide to clear the Dropbox cache and temporary files:

  1. Launch the Finder ➙ choose Go to Folder.
  2. Input “~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache” into a dialog box ➙ you’ll see the Dropbox cache folder.
  3. Drag unnecessary files from the folder to the Trash bin.
To clear the Dropbox cache and temporary files, launch the Finder, choose Go to Folder from the Go menu, then Input ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache into a dialog box, and you’ll see the Dropbox cache folder, where you'd drag unnecessary files from the folder to the Trash bin.
Finder > Go to Folder > input “~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache”

A hint from our team:

 

Don’t forget about the duplicates—similar files that are of no use to you, but quickly take up storage. As a result, a lack of storage can affect the performance of any app or program. However, you can relax as we know how to solve this issue. Use MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder to find and remove unwanted any copies.  

 

Here’s how to use MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder:  

  1. Download the MacKeeper app, then launch it.  
  2. Select the Duplicates Finder on the left.
  3. Click Start Scan to find any duplicates on your Mac.  
  4. Choose the categories or Check All found copies.
  5. Click the Remove Selected button.
To find and delete duplicate files on your Mac, use MacKeeper's Duplicates Finder feature within our app. Open it and choose this tool on the left and click the Start Scan button to start the process.
Step 1. Launch the MacKeeper app > Duplicates Finder > Start Scan
After the scan is completed, choose the file categories or Check All to proceed with the removal of the duplicates within the MacKeeper app.
Step 2. Remove Selected
To end up with the removal process within MacKeeper's Duplicates Finder, choose the selected file copies, then click Remove Selected.
Step 3. Remove the selected files

4. Move Dropbox files to an external drive

One more way to reduce storage while working with Dropbox is to use an external drive. This allows you to store files without involving your Mac’s storage. It’s an excellent solution if you need to save a large amount of items.

5. Check for and remove duplicate files

As already mentioned above, duplicate files clutter your Apple laptop, affecting its smooth performance. The good news is, we know the way out. Use MacKeeper’s Duplicates Finder to fix the issue and delete useless items. Go above to find detailed instructions on how to use it.

6. Reduce file versions stored in Dropbox

Though the recovery option is a lifesaver in case of accidental deletions, keeping multiple versions takes up storage, especially when it’s about large files. In fact, it’s always a good idea to find large files on Mac and check whether you really need them.

 

One more handy way to manage your Mac’s storage space is to reduce the number of file versions stored in Dropbox. You can do this manually in your Dropbox account, deleting unnecessary versions.

Conclusion

Dropbox is a very useful tool for data syncing and sharing files. Though in some cases it takes up much space on your Mac, there are simple ways to solve this issue as we’ve described in this article. Don’t forget to use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup from time to time to maintain a clutter-free workspace.

 

Here’s a quick visual reminder on how to do it:

To ensure a clutter-free Mac experience, download the MacKeeper app. Open the app, choose Safe Cleanup, and click to Start Scan on your MacBook.
Step 1. MacKeeper > Safe Cleanup > Start Scan  
When the leftovers are removed, go to the Safe Cleanup feature within MacKeeper's app, choose Caches, and click Clean Junk Files.
Step 2. MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup after the scan > Caches > Clean Junk Files
Confirm to Empty Trash option to end up removing unnecessary files and leftovers from your Mac using MacKeper's tool.
Step 3. Select Empty Trash

Follow our instructions and enjoy your Mac experience!

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