Automatically download files from one computer to another
Dropbox Transfer & Smart Sync. That one could put photos in any folders AND still handle them as a photo library.). When you sync photos to dropbox from your mac it creates new file names as. Connect your Dropbox account from ACCOUNTS tab. On ‘Photos’ tab click ‘Associate Photo Folder’ button, you see on the page’. Browse and select folder that you wish to upload to Dropbox. Note: You can associate as many folders as you want.
There's a two-step process to automatically migrate files from one computer to another. First, you'll download and install the Dropbox desktop app on both computers. Next, you'll use the app to migrate files between computers.
Before you begin
- If you have a large number of files, consider prioritizing them so the files you use every day migrate before archived files
- Also consider migrating your data in batches, or doing the migration overnight or on a weekend
- Be sure that the computer you're migrating files to has enough hard drive space (by default, the Dropbox desktop app keeps a copy of files on your computer's hard drive)
- Check the amount of space in your Dropbox account, and consider upgrading if necessary (by default, Basic accounts have 2 GB of space, while Plus and Family accounts have 2 TB)
- If you want to delete files from your old computer, or if you want to wipe the hard drive entirely, be sure to first sign out of Dropbox on that computer and uninstall the Dropbox desktop app (this will ensure synced files aren't deleted from Dropbox or from your new computer)
Download and install Dropbox on both computers
- Visit the Dropbox install page and download the latest version of the desktop app.
- Note: you don't need to re-install the desktop app if you already have it on one or both of your computers
- Once the installation finishes, sign in to your Dropbox account or sign up for a new one.
- After signing in, click Open my Dropbox.
Notes:
- Be sure to sign in to Dropbox using the same account on both computers (this ensures that the files in your Dropbox account on one computer migrate to the other computer)
- If the install is successful, you'll see a Dropbox folder on the hard drive of both computers, and the Dropbox icon will appear in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
Migrate files from one computer to another
- On the computer you're migrating from, open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and navigate to any files or folders that you want to migrate. Drag-and-drop these files or folders to the Dropbox folder on your hard drive.
- As long as the computer you're migrating from is connected to the Internet, these files and folders will then upload to your Dropbox account in the cloud.
- These files and folders will also sync to your new computer, provided both of the following are true:
- The computer you're migrating to is connected to the Internet
- You're signed in to the Dropbox desktop app with the same Dropbox account on both computers
The migration is complete when a green circle with a checkmark appears beside the files and folders in the Dropbox folder on your computer. The Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) will also say Up to date. You should then see the files and folders on both computers.
During and after migration
- The amount of time it takes for the migration to complete depends on the number of files you're migrating, and on the speed of your internet connection (you can control bandwidth as needed)
- Don't sign out, change settings, or turn off either computer during the migration process (the desktop app can only sync when you're signed in)
- If you lose Internet access during the migration, Dropbox will simply pause syncing, and resume once you're online again
- You can check the sync status at any time using the desktop application
- If you want to delete files from a computer, or if you want to wipe the hard drive entirely, be sure to sign out of Dropbox on that computer and uninstall the Dropbox desktop app (this will ensure synced files aren't deleted from Dropbox)
Copy files manually
The other way to migrate files is to copy them manually from a portable storage device (like an external hard drive) to the Dropbox folder on your computer. The Dropbox desktop app will then scan the files, and see that they're the same files in your Dropbox account.
On your old computer
- Update the Dropbox desktop application to the latest version.
- Wait until syncing has finished, as indicated by the green circle with the checkmark on the Dropbox icon in your menu bar.
- Once syncing has completed, copy the contents of your Dropbox folder to your portable drive (such as a USB drive or external hard drive).
On your new computer
- Install the latest version of the Dropbox desktop application and sign in to your account when prompted.
- The application will create a Dropbox folder and begin downloading files from your account. Stop the download immediately by clicking the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), and selecting Pause Syncing from the menu.
- Copy the files from your portable drive into the Dropbox folder.
- Resume syncing by clicking the Dropbox icon in the taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), and selecting Resume Syncing from the menu.
Default location for the Dropbox folder
Note that the default location for the Dropbox folder is different for each operating system:
- Linux: /home/yourUserName/Dropbox (such as /home/name/Dropbox).
- Mac: /Users/yourUserName/Dropbox (such as /Users/name/Dropbox).
- Windows: %HOMEPATH%Dropbox (such as C:UsersnameMy DocumentsDropbox).
Once you've completed these steps, the Dropbox desktop app will begin scanning the files in your Dropbox folder. If all of these files are the same as the files in your account online, scanning will finish. However if, in the middle of this process, a file has changed in your account (for example, someone else has updated a file in a shared folder), Dropbox will generate a conflicted copy so that both versions of the file are preserved.
Learn more
- By default, Dropbox will try to download all of the folders in your account. If there are folders you don't want taking up space on your computer, you can use selective sync to store them only in the cloud. However, you may need to wait until Dropbox has finished its initial sync of your files before the selective sync option becomes available.
- If you're going to copy files manually, you may want to temporarily leave shared folders. You can then copy your non-shared files to the Dropbox folder, and then re-add the shared folders and let them download to your computer. This will prevent Dropbox from generating conflicted copies of files if other people have changed them, as described above.
Why should I keep my photos online?
Photography has rapidly evolved because of smartphones. We take, save, and share more digital photos every day since it is so easy. That being the case, the need for an intuitive, efficient photo storage system has become that much more critical.
An online photo organizer helps you manage your digital image files and provide quick access to any photo when you need it. Using cloud storage to host your digital photo album won't just help you save disk space but also enhance access, security, and organization.
One place, any place
It is pretty tricky to locate a specific photo since, most of the time, they end up randomly scattered across countless folders on your computer.
For example, if you use Apple products, you probably have some photos synced from your iPhone in the Photos app. Then you have screenshots you've taken saved on your desktop and images you've found online saved in your downloads folder. Good luck when you need to find one specific photo.
Using cloud storage allows you to organize all of your photos in a centralized space that you can access from any online device.
Protect your memories
Old photos stored in family photo books are always at risk of being damaged or lost. Luckily, you can quickly digitize your physical photo collection with a doc scanner app and preserve them in the safety of the cloud. When you save your photos on Dropbox, you can rest assured that they'll always be available even if disaster strikes your computer or phone. You'll be able to access it from any operating system or device with an internet connection, even if the original photo or camera is lost.
Sharing is easy
Sharing photos with family and friends is also made easy with online photo management software. With Dropbox, you can easily share any file or folder even if the recipients don't have an account.
For example, on a family vacation, chances are everyone's going to be taking pictures on their own devices. A collaborative photo management service like Dropbox lets you and your loved ones synchronize photo albums across multiple accounts in shared folders. This type of family photo storage can help everyone contribute to and edit an album—from any device.
Save hard drive storage space
One of the key benefits of using the cloud, for photos or otherwise, is that it helps you save disk space on your devices, external hard drives, or memory cards. A single image file may not take up a lot of space, but the large number of pictures we take daily can quickly build up. Freeing up space on your device means it'll perform better and quicker.
What's the best way to organize photos online?
An online photo manager has its clear benefits. Still, you should establish a consistent, concise photo management system to make the most out of it. Follow these rules to ensure your photo library operates as efficiently as possible:
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1. Clear the clutter
Before uploading anything to your online photo library, you should first get rid of everything you don't need. Go through all of the images you've saved and delete any unnecessary and duplicate photos before you start uploading. It's also a good idea to regularly audit your online library and remove unnecessary files, so you're saving space for your best photos.
2. Rename your files
Every professional photographer knows that a crucial step towards an efficiently organized photo library is to make sure your photos are well named. Instead of keeping 'IMG.1234.jpg' for example, you should rename each image using a consistent structure or format that provides important information about what's in the photo. You want to make sure you include enough information so that if you were to look at the file's name, you would have a good idea of what's in the photo without having to open it.
A reliable format for filenames would be to include the place or event where you took the photo and its date, 'Marrakesh_Dec 2019_01.jpg,' for example. You could be even more specific, like 'Marrakesh_Dec 2019_Medina Tour_01.jpg,' or include keywords that can act as identifiers.
3. Create folders
Once you've established a reliable naming system, it's time to figure out how to categorize and sort your photos. If they're all piled into a single folder, it will be a nightmare to find anything.
The most efficient method would be to create core folders separated by category or format, such as Photos, Screenshots, Downloaded Pictures, Design, etc. Then, within each of these wider core folders, you can begin to break it down by date, with subfolders for each year. Within those, you can create a subfolder for each month of the year. If you'd like, you can end the chain there or further break it down into folders for each event, activity, or place in that month.
For photographs specifically, a Year > Month > Event/Activity structure is most efficient:
My Photos > 2016 > January 2016 > Jamie’s birthday party > “Jamie & Jane dancing 09-01-16.jpg”
For non-photo images, you might not feel the need to include month-based folders. Instead, you may have other characteristics that can form subfolders:
Design > 2020 > Adobe Photoshop > Remote Working Poster.psd
Downloaded Images > Memes > GIFs > Rihanna laughing.gif
Easily import and manage photos with Dropbox
Device syncing
The Dropbox desktop app allows automatic syncing of images between your device and the cloud. Any time you save an image on your computer or phone, Dropbox will immediately back it up to your online library. Dropbox can also sync with other cloud storage services like Google Photos and Google Drive. With the desktop app, your Dropbox folder includes your cloud files and appears on File Explorer for Windows or Finder for Mac, just like your other folders.
Any time you add to, remove from, or edit in this folder, these adjustments will then update in your Dropbox account and any device connected to it. You can choose which folders or subfolders to back up certain photos within and which photos you want available offline.
Adding printed photographs
Considering the many benefits of online photo organizing services, you might now also want to digitize print photographs and add those to your online library. Fortunately, that's not as difficult as it may seem. You don't need to find a scanner to digitize print photos. These days you can do it simply using an iPhone or Android camera.
The Dropbox photo scanner app lets you easily scan and upload documents in PDF or PNG file formats and save them directly to your Dropbox. Several helpful photo editing tools and features for resizing, cropping, and adjusting your scans are available. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology allows you to search for text within a scanned document.
Dropbox simplifies photo searching
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While there's no one-size-fits-all image organization method, following the tips described above makes it easier than ever to locate the photos you need. Also, they will be available whenever you need them, from wherever you are.
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But, even with a great system, navigating folders for one specific photo can be time-consuming. With Dropbox Professional and Dropbox Business, you can search your photos based on their content. When you upload new photos, content is identified in the images and stored in their metadata. Then, when you search a keyword, results are displayed that contain content matching that keyword or related to that keyword. For example, you can search for “clothing” to see all images of clothing (and images related to clothing) in your Dropbox account—even if “clothing” isn’t in the file name.