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Dropbox

Store backups in Dropbox using OAuth 2.0 authentication.

Prerequisites

You need a Dropbox App to enable API access (one-time setup):

  1. Go to Dropbox App Console
  2. Click Create appScoped accessApp folder (recommended)
  3. Under Permissions, enable: files.metadata.read, files.metadata.write, files.content.read, files.content.write, account_info.read
  4. Under SettingsOAuth 2Redirect URIs, add:
    https://your-dbackup-url/api/adapters/dropbox/callback
  5. Copy the App Key and App Secret from the Settings page

App Folder Mode

Apps with "App folder" access can only read/write within their own folder (/Apps/YourAppName/). Choose "Full Dropbox" if you need custom folder paths.

Configuration

FieldDescriptionDefaultRequired
NameFriendly name for this destination-
App KeyDropbox App Key (Client ID)-
App SecretDropbox App Secret (Client Secret)-
Folder PathTarget folder within app folderRoot

Setup Guide

  1. Go to DestinationsAdd DestinationDropbox
  2. Enter App Key and App Secret → Save
  3. Click Authorize with Dropbox - you'll be redirected to Dropbox
  4. Sign in and grant DBackup access
  5. After redirect, the status changes to green ("Authorized")
  6. (Optional) Use the Folder Browser (📂) to select a subfolder
  7. Click Test to verify the connection

How It Works

  • OAuth tokens refresh automatically - no manual re-authorization needed
  • Files < 150 MB use simple upload; larger files use chunked upload (8 MB chunks)
  • All credentials (App Key, App Secret, Refresh Token) are stored AES-256-GCM encrypted
  • Access tokens are short-lived and never stored - refreshed on-the-fly

Troubleshooting

"redirect_uri_mismatch" Error

The redirect URI in your Dropbox App Console doesn't match your DBackup URL. Ensure it's set to https://your-domain.com/api/adapters/dropbox/callback exactly.

Token Expired / Invalid

Click Re-authorize in the adapter settings. Tokens may be invalidated if you revoked access in Dropbox Connected Apps or changed app permissions.

Empty Folder Browser

With App folder access, the browser only shows the app's dedicated folder. With Full Dropbox access, ensure files.metadata.read permission is enabled.

Insufficient Space

Dropbox free tier is 2 GB. Use Retention Policies to auto-delete old backups, or upgrade your plan.

Next Steps

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