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Dropbox’s Android app does not use a separate control called “Smart Sync.” To get the same practical result, open the file or folder’s more-options menu and tap Make Available Offline. The item is then stored on your device for access without an internet connection, while remaining in Dropbox.

Make a Dropbox file available offline on Android

  1. Install the Dropbox app and sign in.

  2. Browse to the file you want to use offline.

  3. Tap the file’s more-options control, then turn on Make Available Offline.

Dropbox says individual files can be made available offline on all user plans. The file remains in your Dropbox account and a local copy is saved on your device. Dropbox’s offline-access guidance explains the feature and its storage behavior.

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Make a folder available offline

Use the folder’s more-options menu and turn on Make Available Offline. Offline access for an entire folder is limited to customers on Dropbox Plus, Family, Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise plans, according to Dropbox’s current help guidance. Plan names and entitlements can change, so check your account’s current plan details if the option is unavailable.

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Find offline items and check phone storage

See which items are offline

In the app, tap Account at the bottom of the screen, then tap Manage offline files. Dropbox marks offline items with an offline icon.

Check space used

Open the Dropbox app settings to see Available Space and Space Used by offline files. Offline copies take up storage on your phone; Dropbox does not specify a fixed amount because it depends on the files you choose.

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Choose between offline access and online-only storage

Setting Internet access Phone storage Best for
Available offline Files can be opened without an internet connection. A local copy uses device storage. Files you need while traveling or when connectivity may be unreliable.
Online-only An internet connection is needed to open the file. The item does not occupy device storage as an offline copy. Items you want to keep in Dropbox without storing offline on your phone.

To make an item online-only again, open its more-options menu and turn off Make Available Offline. Dropbox says the mobile toggle appears gray for an online-only item. This removes its offline copy from the device; it does not delete the item from Dropbox. See Dropbox’s online-only file instructions.

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Control how offline files update and use mobile data

By default, Dropbox updates offline files over Wi-Fi rather than continuously using mobile data. To allow updates over cellular data on Android, open the Dropbox app settings and enable Use data for offline files. Otherwise, to refresh offline files over Wi-Fi, open the offline-files list while connected to Wi-Fi.

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If you edit an offline file while your device has no connection, the change will not reach your other devices immediately. Dropbox says the update syncs automatically after the device reconnects.

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If “Make Available Offline” is missing

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