Are you facing the device limit issue? Or are you looking to keep a tab on the connected devices on dropbox to see what gadgets are currently synced? Fret not, with this article, I’ll help you track what devices and users have access to your online storage.
Whenever you download the Dropbox mobile or desktop app on any device and log into your account, that device gets added to that account’s connected devices list. Every account has a limit of linked devices depending on the dropbox plan you use.
By viewing the list of devices connected to the dropbox account, you can track who has accessed your account and when. You can unlink the unwanted ones from the list for security purposes. Here we have mentioned all the steps you need to follow.
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How To View And Find Connected Devices On Dropbox?
The list of linked devices on your dropbox account is available in the security section of the settings. Even when you view dropbox logs for team accounts, this list can help you to check which team member is accessing your account from which device and when.
Follow these steps to check which devices are linked to your account:
- Log into your account and tap on your profile icon or avatar in the top right corner.
- Tap on the Settings option.
- Go to the Security tab and click on the “devices” section, where you can see the list of all connected devices to your account.
Note: The list only contains the devices added by signing into the desktop or mobile app of dropbox. If someone signs in from dropbox.com, that device doesn’t add to the connected device list.
How To Unlink Connected Devices On Dropbox To Sign Out Remotely?
To unlink any device (Computer, Mobile or Tablet), you can remotely sign it out from dropbox.com or its app at any given time.
What happens when you remotely unlink a PC from your dropbox account?
When you remotely log out of your dropbox account from a PC, the files and folders backed up or synced on that device remain still accessible to open (except the online-only files).
However, after logging out, if you make any changes in those dropbox files/folders, they won’t sync with your account unless you log into your account back.
In case that PC or computer gets stolen or lost, you can opt to delete the dropbox files already available on that device remotely (instructions mentioned in this section below) while signing out of that device remotely. This way, no one will be able to access your crucial data.
What happens when you remotely unlink a mobile or tablet device from your dropbox account?
When you remotely log out of a mobile or tablet device from your account, you cannot access or open any dropbox files on that device (including the files you have made available offline) until you sign back into your account from that device.
This is because even when you made dropbox files available offline, they were accessible in the app only and not directly stored on your device to access without signing in.
Steps to remotely unlink a connected device and remove dropbox files available on that device:
First, log into your account, go to the security tab under settings (steps mentioned in the above section) and access the list of connected devices there. Now follow these steps for dropbox unlink or removing the unwanted devices and files on them remotely
- Under the “Devices” section, hover to a device name you wish to remove from a list of connected devices and click on the trash or “x” icon next to it to remove it remotely.If you also want to remove the files available on that device remotely, tick the box next to the option “Delete files from [account name] Dropbox the next time this computer comes online”.
- Tap on the “Unlink” option to remove that device (and files available on it) from the list of your connected devices. Once a device is unlinked from your dropbox account, it won’t be able to sync any new changes occurring in the account.
How Many Devices Can You Connect With One Dropbox Account?
Every dropbox account has a device limit that can be connected to it at a time, depending on the plan you use. Once the dropbox limit is reached for that account, no more devices can access that account until the previous ones get unlinked or removed (or upgrade your dropbox plan).
Note: If a device signs in from dropbox.com, it doesn’t count in this number.
Dropbox Device Limit For Various Dropbox Plans:
- Dropbox Basic: The free dropbox account is limited for three connected devices. However, any devices on the list that were signed in prior to March 2019 will remain on the list despite the dropbox free limit of three-devices. But, to connect a new device to that account, you must first sign out of those existing devices or upgrade your plan.
- Dropbox Plus, Professional and Family Accounts: Users with any of these account plans can add as many devices as they want.
- Dropbox Business Account: Users with team or business accounts can also add unlimited devices to their list. However, Enterprise and Advanced team account admins can restrict the number of devices their team members can link.
How To Add a PC To Your Dropbox Account Through the “Connect a Computer” Feature?
As the name indicates, Connect a Computer feature is an alternative way to install the dropbox desktop application on any PC (Windows or Mac) using your mobile. This feature is useful when you already have a signed mobile device on your dropbox account and want to connect to a PC.
Using this feature, you can:
- Create a dropbox account
- Start the process of connecting your account on PC using your mobile device.
- Finish the connecting process by scanning a QR code reader
Steps to use the “Connect a Computer” feature on your Android/iOS device to link a PC with dropbox:
- Open the dropbox app on your mobile device. In Android, click on the menu icon and then the settings or gear icon.On an iOS device, click on the profile icon at the bottom right and choose the “personal” option if you have a connected work and personal account.
- Click on the “Connect a Computer” option.
- The app will confirm whether you are near the PC; if you are, click “Yes, Continue”
- Now open dropbox.com/connect in a web browser on your PC, and you will see a QR code (that resembles the dropbox logo).
- Scan the QR code with your dropbox mobile app, which will notify your web browser to begin the installation.
- Install the dropbox app and create/sign in to your account to link it with your PC.
How To Track A Stolen Device Through Dropbox Connected Devices Option?
The Connected Devices option is one of the best dropbox tracking features. It allows you to locate a stolen device as well through its current IP address location if it is already connected to your account.
How does it work? If a device is connected to your dropbox account, its IP address location is visible under the “connected devices” list. You can access it by hovering over the “i” icon next to the device’s name.
Now, whenever this lost device gets connected to the internet, the IP address location will be updated in your dropbox account. Using this location update, you can track (or at least get a clue) where your lost device can be.
FAQs
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Does dropbox sync to all devices?
Yes, dropbox’s cloud file sync feature is available across multiple devices like Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, iPad, etc. So, whenever you save a file to a dropbox folder or make any changes in your existing file from any device, it automatically syncs immediately to all devices.
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Can I log into the dropbox account from another computer?
Yes, you can log into your dropbox account from any device or another PC. However, if you have a dropbox basic plan and you already have three connected devices to your account, you cannot log into a new device without signing out from the existing devices.
Dropbox sends a login notification via email for security purposes whenever you log in to your account from a new PC/device.
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Can I use two dropbox accounts on the same computer?
Yes, you can add two or multiple dropbox accounts on the same computer/device and switch between them if they are linked to each other. If they are not linked together, and you want to switch between multiple dropbox accounts, you can log out of one and sign in to another.
Conclusion
You can see a log of connected devices on dropbox through dropbox.com, mobile app or desktop app using this guide. These logs help track the current devices connected to your account, their IP addresses and the last time they were active.
This information can be crucial for security purposes and allow you to restrict/unlink unwanted devices to protect your data. For any further queries about this topic, connect with us in the comments.
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