How do I choose which folders sync to a second computer?

Start with the work you expect to do on that computer, not with the assumption that both computers need identical copies. List the folders you will actively use there, then mark anything you only need occasionally or do not need on that device. Selective sync can let you keep chosen folders on one computer without choosing the same set for another. In Dropbox, folder choices are specific to each computer, and selective sync works on folders rather than individual files. [S1]

A practical first pass might be to select current project folders and everyday documents, while leaving old projects or archives unselected unless you need them locally. Those are planning examples, not claims about how much storage they use. If you need just one file from an otherwise unselected folder, check whether your service offers another suitable way to access it before changing the folder selection.

According to Dropbox’s selective-sync instructions, unchecking a folder removes that folder and its contents from that computer while leaving them stored in the Dropbox account and available on dropbox.com. [S1] Dropbox’s desktop preferences likewise describe unselected folders as remaining in the account but not being stored locally. [S2]

The important distinction is the action you take: change the folder’s selection in the desktop app’s sync settings. Don’t use a delete or move command as a substitute. The Dropbox information here explains what selective-sync changes do, but not the deletion or recovery behavior for every possible delete action. If you’re unsure which control you’re about to use, stop and check Dropbox’s current instructions for your operating system and app interface.

First, make sure you’re changing settings on the second computer, not the first. Dropbox says selective-sync settings are unique to each computer. Then open the desktop app’s sync preferences and confirm the folder you intend to change in the Select folders area. [S1][S2]

Also distinguish two different choices. A selectively unsynced folder is removed from that computer and its contents; an online-only item remains visible in the computer’s Dropbox folder but is not stored locally in the same way as an available-offline item. [S1][S2] If your goal is to keep a folder visible on the second computer while limiting local storage, check Dropbox’s description of online-only storage rather than assuming selective sync does that. Exact controls can vary by operating system and app interface. [S1]

Use this sequence, and pause if the screen or wording does not match what you expect:

1. On the second computer, write down the folders you expect to use there.
2. Mark folders you do not need stored locally on that computer.
3. Open the cloud service’s desktop sync preferences and verify that you’re changing settings for the second computer.
4. In Dropbox, review the folders in Select folders and uncheck only the folders you intend to remove from that computer. This does not mean those folders are deleted from the Dropbox account. [S1][S2]
5. If you want a folder to remain visible locally but be stored online-only, review that separate option and its description; don’t treat it as the same thing as selective sync. [S1][S2]
6. Before confirming, reread the control label. If it says delete, remove, or move rather than sync or select folders, don’t proceed until you understand the effect.
7. Afterward, check the desktop app’s sync preferences and the account’s web view to see whether the result matches your intention. This is a check you can perform, not a guarantee about a particular app’s display or timing.

For a different cloud service, use its own current help instructions. Dropbox’s behavior should not be assumed to describe another provider.