Dropsync: The Ultimate Dropbox Backup App for Android

dropsyncDropsync is an Android app that can sync folders on your Android device to your Dropbox account.  Combined with Dropbox’s ability to keep 30 days worth of changes to files, this makes Dropsync an awesome backup app.

Why Not Backup with the Dropbox App?

The Dropbox app includes a Camera Upload feature that can upload your camera files automatically.  Unfortunately, this is a one-way upload.  So any photos you delete from your phone aren’t deleted from your account unless you do so manually.  This can quickly eat up your storage quota.  It can also leave you frustrated if you ever find yourself having to recover photos among all the blurry and unwanted photos that you previously deleted.  Dropsync solves this problem with true synchronization.

How to Backup Your Android Photos with Dropsync

In this example I’ll be backing up the DCIM (camera) folder on my Android.  But you could just as easily backup any other folder.

  1. Install Dropsync on your Android device.
  2. Open Dropsync and link it with your Dropbox account.
    Link Dropsync to Dropbox
  3. Select a local folder to sync.  To backup your photos, you’ll want to choose the DCIM folder.
    Choose local folder to sync
  4. Select the Dropbox folder where you want to put the files.  In this example, I created a folder Dropsync to store them.
    Choose Dropbox folder to sync
  5. Choose the sync method.  This is important: if you’re just backing up your files, there’s no need to do a two-way sync (files copied in both directions).  What you want is Upload mirror, which creates an exact copy of your local folder on Dropbox.
    Select upload mirror as the sync method
  6. Enable Autosync in the settings menu.
    Turn on autosync
  7. Your Android photos will now be backed up to Dropbox!

Extra Step (Pro version only): Turn off the file size limit.

Turn off the file size limit in the PRO version

Free Version vs. PRO Version

Free version:

  • Two-way sync, just like Dropbox on the desktop
  • Instant upload
  • Selectable sync modes: upload only, upload mirror, upload then delete, etc.
  • Good for backing up photos and small files

PRO version:

  • Costs $4.99
  • Sync files larger than 8MB (backup videos)
  • Sync multiple folders
  • Faster change detection
  • No ads

The free version of Dropsync is limited to files 8MB or less, which is fine for photos but probably not for videos.  If you use the free app, be aware that videos probably won’t be backed up.  The PRO version removes this limitation and can backup files of any size.  Also, if you buy the PRO version make sure to change the Upload File Size Limit from 8MB to “no limit.”  It doesn’t automatically change, for whatever reason.

Geoff Akerlund

Geoff Akerlund

Geoff Akerlund is the founder and editor-in-chief of BackupReview.com. He enjoys attending music festivals, whitewater kayaking on the American River, and board game nights in his free time.

Geoff Akerlund