How do you add a folder to Dropbox without moving it?

Syncing folders to Dropbox without moving them means that you sync multiple folders or even your entire computer to Dropbox without adding them to the Dropbox folder.

If you are looking for a way to sync folder with Dropbox without moving it, don’t miss this article. Here we will introduce you to four feasible ways to make Dropbox sync specific folders without changing their original locations.

Sync Folder with Dropbox Without Moving it in 4 Easy and Free Ways

In the following, four possible methods that you can use to sync folders to Dropbox without moving them are provided, including using a free sync tool, Dropbox desktop program, and CMD command.

The first two methods will help you to automatically assign folders to Dropbox, while the latter two methods can only repeat the manual upload of folders. You can choose any of these methods according to your needs.

Method 1. Sync Folder with Dropbox Without Moving it via CBackup - Easiest

We put CBackup in the first place to help you sync folder to Dropbox without moving because it can upload folders on any location to Dropbox for free.

With a simple interface, CBackup is professional cloud backup software, which allows you to sync multiple folders to Dropbox with one click. You can have a look at its advantages:

• You can sync numerous folders to Dropbox without moving them one by one.

• You can synchronize folders and files to Dropbox without size, format, and upload speed limitations.

• It allows you to perform Dropbox schedule sync for specified folders regularly, such as daily, weekly, and monthly.

• It supports all Windows operating systems, including Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP.

Next, you can follow the detailed guide to sync folders to Dropbox without moving them.

Step 1. Free download the CBackup software, and log in. If you don’t have a CBackup account, Sign up for it, and log in to its desktop app.

Step 2. Click on Storage on the left side, and then select Dropbox to finish the authorization to grant CBackup to access your cloud storage.

★Tips:

Except for Dropbox, CBackup enables you to sync local folders to Google Drive, OneDrive, and other public clouds without moving.

Step 3. Then tap on Sync > Sync PC to Public Cloud.

Step 4. Select all the folders you want to sync with Dropbox. Then click the > position to expand Dropbox, choose a folder or tap on + to create a new folder to save the synced folders.

Step 5. Press Start Sync to sync a folder without moving it with ease.

★Tips:

With sync settings, you can set up automatic syncing of your folders to Dropbox in Scheduler.

It is worth mentioning that CBackup uses a one-sync method to sync data to the cloud. That is to say, when you use it to sync local folders to Dropbox, all folders will only be saved in the cloud without synchronizing locally. If you want a two way synchronization between the computer and Dropbox, you can turn to the methods below.

Method 2. Sync Folders with Dropbox Without Moving using Dropbox App - Automatically

Dropbox desktop client is capable of automatically backing up base category folders like Desktop, Documents, and Downloads. If this is your first time working with Dropbox, please download and install the Dropbox application. And then, go on with the following steps:

Note:✎...

If you have run Dropbox on your desktop before, you can head to Dropbox Preferences, and click on Set up in the Backup tab to go to the folder selecting screen directly.

Step 1. Run the Dropbox program, sign in with your credential, and click Continue with Basic.

Step 2. Tick the folders you want to sync with Dropbox, and you can click on Add folders to select more folders including Music, Pictures, and Videos to synchronize to Dropbox automatically.

Note:✎...

If you wish to remove folder from Dropbox sync, you can uncheck it to disable it from computer sync.

Step 3. Click Set up to make Dropbox backup specific folders without moving.

This method is limited to syncing user folders with Dropbox. If you want to sync personal folders to Dropbox without moving, the first workaround is better.

Method 3. Sync Folders with Dropbox Without Moving via Dropbox folder - Manually

In addition to syncing folders without moving through the Dropbox setup, you can also sync folder with Dropbox without moving it with the help of the Dropbox folder. When you run the Dropbox desktop app, there would be a Dropbox sync folder on computer that allows you to upload folders and files to the cloud and access cloud data locally.

How to sync local folder with Dropbox without moving? Here is what to do:

Step 1. Go to File Explorer or Finder to find the Dropbox folder.

Step 2. Copy the folders that you want to upload to Dropbox and paste them into the Dropbox folder. Then, they will be synced to the cloud.

Notes:✎...

If you are a Dropbox Plus, Dropbox Family, Dropbox Professional, or Dropbox Business user, you can make Dropbox files online-only to free up your local space. If you are a Dropbox Basic user, you can use Dropbox selective sync to only sync the wanted folders to PC and save local space.

Method 4. Sync Specific Folders to Dropbox Without Moving with CMD - Manually

Using a symbolic link to sync a certain folder with Dropbox is also a workable solution. But the Symbolic Link option is a little complicated and it can only sync one folder at one time. The mklink command is mklink /D "path to symlink" "path to original folder".

Notes:✎...

When you run the mklink command line, you should replace “path to symlink” with a specific folder location in the Dropbox sync folder, and replace “path to original folder” with the location of the folder that you want to sync with Dropbox without moving.

On Mac, you can run the “ln -s ” to create symlink links.

Step 1. Type “CMD” in the Windows Search bar and select Run as administrator.

Step 2. Type the specific mklink command, and then click Enter.

How to sync folders to Dropbox without moving them with a symbolic link is presented above. If you want to upload multiple folders to Dropbox, you could run this command repeatedly, using the correct corresponding folder locations.

Concluding Words

When it comes to syncing folder with Dropbox without moving it, you can either use the Dropbox desktop app or run a mklink command line. But they all have shortcomings. Using CBackup to synchronize folders can completely avoid these problems.

This free file sync tool not only makes it easy to sync all needed folders to Dropbox, but it also helps you get more Dropbox free storage by combining cloud accounts. In addition, it supports syncing or backing up Dropbox to OneDrive and other cloud storage with simple clicks. Get this all-in-one software now!