Stepwise Guide: Top 3 Ways of Windows 10 Backup to Dropbox

Scenario: Windows 10 to Dropbox backup

More and more users choose to backup files to cloud storage for safety and convenience. Dropbox, as one of the most popular cloud drives, is being trusted by users. Let's take a closer look at how to back up Windows 10/11 to Dropbox easily.

Backup Windows 10 files to Dropbox with its desktop app

In the next part, you can learn how to set up Dropbox so that files from your PC, Mac, or external drives are always kept safe and automatically backed up in the cloud. You can choose to use 2 different features of Dropbox desktop app - sync or backup, which are two separate subscription plans.

When you store your files to Dropbox, your files are synced across your devices and accessible in real-time. With Dropbox Backup, your folders and files from your computer or external hard drives are automatically backed up to the cloud and you can quickly recover your content if something goes wrong. Check them one by one to find out which method suits you best in the following contents.

#1. Upload Windows 10 files to Dropbox with Sync feature (free)

Step 1. Download and install the Dropbox desktop app on your computer. Then launch it and log in with your Dropbox account or create one if you don’t already have one.

Step 2. After receiving a message of “Well done! Dropbox installed”, click on the Next button to proceed ahead. If you want to change the default Dropbox directory used for file syncing, click the Advanced Settings button and use File Explorer to browse to that directory.

Step 3. You’ll be prompted to set up files sync with two sync options - Make files local and Make files online only. Select the sync option and tap Continue.

Step 4. Then you’ll be prompted to add folders you’ll want to sync with other computers or backup online. Once you have your folder preferences ready, click on the Set up button to continue.

 Note: After the setup, Dropbox should be integrated with File Explorer. You should be able to move or copy a file into Dropbox folder, just drag and drop it from Windows File Explorer.

#2. Copy Windows 10 files to Dropbox with Dropbox Backup feature

Step 1. Open your Dropbox desktop Preferences, click the Backups tab, then choose Set up.

Step 2. Under Add a backup, select PC you’d like to backup.

Step 3. Click Let’s get started.

Step 4. Check the boxes next to the folders you’d like to back up.

Step 5. Click Set up or Back up.

 Useful tips: While the backup is in progress, click View Progress to check the status of a current or previous backup. Click Prioritize Files and select a specific file in File Explorer to back it up immediately. Click Skip Files and select any files in File Explorer that you wish to exclude from the next backup.

Scroll down further to the section for Adjust Settings. Click Change Folders to include or exclude specific folders for the backup. Click Save.

Backup Windows 10 to Dropbox with free software

The other way provided for you to backup computer to Dropbox is using a professional third-party tool. As the best free cloud backup software, AOMEI Backupper Standard provides you with the most efficient backup solution to easily protect your data from being lost.

With its help, you can not only backup important files or folders, but also backup the system-related data or disks. In addition, it has the following features.

 ◭Various backup types: It allows you to backup files/folders, system, partitions, disks. You can use the File Backup feature to backup files on Windows 11. 
◮Support multiple cloud devices: You can use this tool to backup your computer to other cloud devices such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box, etc.
◭High compatibility: It supports all Windows operating systems such as Windows 11, 10, 8, 7, XP, Vista. If you are a Server user, you can try AOMEI Backupper Server.
◮Schedule backup: It allows you to automatically back up your PC, and you can set the fixed frequencies as Daily/Weekly/Monthly.

The step-by-step tutorial on how to backup to Dropbox in Windows 10 automatically will be listed as follows. Before that, you need to alert:

• Make sure there is enough storage space in your Dropbox account to save the backup image. If you have not upgraded your subscription space, the backup plan will fail.
• Download and install AOMEI Backupper Standard edition and Dropbox desktop app to your computer.

Step 1. Open this tool, click Backup in the main interface, then click System Backup.

Step 2. The program automatically chooses the system-related partition(s) as the source data. You just need to select Dropbox folder to store your backup. Dropbox folder is probably located in C:\Users\UserName\Dropbox by default.

☞ Options: You are allowed to modify the backup image, like compress, split, encrypt (in the paid version), and comment on the backup image file, or set an email notification.

☞ Backup Scheme: You can choose different backup methods to run scheduled backup. Both incremental and differential backup methods can improve your backup efficiency, but incremental backup is more demanding to restore and it is recommended that you choose a differential backup. Also, it can help remove old backup images automatically to free up storage space. (available in the Professional edition)

☞ Schedule Backup: You can run automatic backup at daily, weekly, monthly, Event triggers, and USB plug-in. (You can enjoy the last two options in the Professional version)

Step 3. Confirm your settings, then click Start Backup to backup Windows 10 to Dropbox automatically and simply.

 Tip: AOMEI Backupper supports not only backup to Dropbox but also backup Dropbox to other places, such as USB drives, external hard drives, NAS devices, etc. Learn how to backup Dropbox to an external hard drive here.

Extended reading: why need to backup computer to Dropbox

Backing up your data is always a smart move. It's even a better idea to back it up to a place you know is safe and easily accessible, such as the cloud. You can have a preview of PC backup cloud storage to choose one of the public cloud devices to save your backup tasks. Here, you can learn some of the advantages of backing up your computer to Dropbox.

➪For safety: Data is stored in secure cloud servers. The best way to store data using cloud servers is to distribute the server data on redundant servers and the data kept in the cloud server is protected against any type of hardware failure. Whereas backing up locally can be affected by computer failure, backing up to external drives also carries the risk of loss.

➪For convenience: One of the main advantages of saving backups to a cloud drive is that you can access the backup on any devices anywhere at any time. The convenience of online cloud backup allows you to focus entirely on your work, without the constraints of space and time, considerably increasing your productivity.

➪For recovery: The principal significance of backing up your data is that you will be able to recover it in the event of a disaster. If you have created a backup using cloud storage, then you will be able to restore it from any device after accidental deletion of files, when files are damaged, or after a virus attack.

➪For sharing and collaboration: Data stored in cloud storage can be easily and securely shared with your work team. As an ideal collaboration platform, the cloud server environment enables multiple people to access, edit, and collaborate on a single file or document. People can access the cloud environment from anywhere in the world and collaborate in real-time.

To sum up

Above all are the easiest 3 ways presented for you to enable Windows 10 backup to Dropbox. Whether you choose to use the different features of Dropbox desktop app or asking help of the best free cloud backup software - AOMEI Backupper, you can effectively protect your data from damage or loss. Also, it supports many other cloud devices, you can use it to sync local file to Google Drive.

If you are Windows Server users, you can learn the beginner’s tutorial for Windows Server image backup. AOMEI Backupper has more than just Backup feature, there are other powerful features for you to explore such as Restore, Clone, and Sync.