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Dropbox Backup is the closest fit when you need to choose arbitrary folders on a computer, including supported folders on an external drive. OneDrive is a good match when the folders you need are its supported Windows or macOS standard folders. IDrive’s documented feature in this comparison is selective sync for folders that already exist in IDrive Cloud Drive, not proof of arbitrary local-folder backup. Google’s surfaced workflow applies to photos and videos rather than general files.
The crucial distinction is between backing up a local folder and selecting which cloud folders are downloaded to a computer. A service may offer one without offering the other, and the exact operating system, account type and folder location determine whether the feature works.
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Which cloud storage service is best for backing up selected folders?
Choose based on the location of the folder you want to protect, not on the presence of a “sync” checkbox. Dropbox documents a folder-selection backup workflow; OneDrive documents backup for a defined set of standard folders; IDrive’s cited setting only chooses cloud folders to keep locally; and Google’s relevant help page covers a photo-folder workflow.
| Service | What you can select | Platform and account limits | What happens when you stop or deselect | External-drive scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dropbox Backup | Folders on a computer; the updated experience can select more folders within the computer’s home folder, including subfolders. | Availability and interface depend on the current Dropbox desktop app. Some folders may be excluded by default. | Unchecked selective-sync folders are not backed up in the updated Backup experience. Online-only items may be downloaded when the backup updates. | The setup can include folders from an external hard drive, but the documented computer-backup setup is limited to the drive containing the Dropbox desktop app; other installed drives are not included. |
| Microsoft OneDrive | Eligible Windows standard folders; on macOS, the documented workflow focuses on Desktop and Documents. | macOS requires the standalone sync app and Full Disk Access. Work or school administrators may disable the feature. | Stopping Mac folder backup leaves files already in OneDrive there; you may need to move them manually to restore the local folder. Choose folders controls local copies of cloud folders. | Not established by the cited standard-folder documentation. |
| IDrive | Folders already in IDrive Cloud Drive for selective sync. | The cited feature is a cloud-folder sync control, not documented arbitrary local-folder backup. | Deselecting removes a folder from the computer’s Cloud Drive folder while leaving it available on the web and other linked devices. | Not established by the cited selective-sync documentation. |
| Google Drive for desktop/Google Photos | The cited help concerns a specific Google Photos folder containing photos and videos. | Do not generalize this workflow to all file types from the cited page. | Stopping backup prevents future photo uploads; existing photos remain in Google Photos unless deleted separately. | Not established. |
For most people asking “Can cloud storage back up any folder?”, the practical answer is sometimes. Dropbox is the documented first place to investigate for arbitrary local paths. OneDrive is more predictable when your data is in its supported standard folders. The other two entries should not be treated as equivalent local-folder backup products on the evidence available here.
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What is the difference between local-folder backup and selective sync?
Backup starts with a folder on your computer and copies it to the provider. Selective sync starts with folders already stored in the provider’s cloud and decides which of them occupy space on a particular computer.
Local-folder backup
You identify a local path such as a work folder, project directory or supported standard folder. The backup feature watches that location and sends its contents to the cloud. The important questions are whether arbitrary paths are allowed, whether subfolders are included, and what happens when the source drive is disconnected or the feature is stopped.
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You already have a cloud hierarchy. The setting determines which cloud folders are downloaded or retained on one computer. Dropbox says selective-sync preferences are unique to each computer and operate at folder level rather than individual-file level. OneDrive’s Choose folders setting similarly removes an unchecked cloud folder from the computer while leaving it online; those settings are also specific to the computer and account.
Why the wording matters
Selecting “Projects” in a cloud-folder list does not prove that a local folder named C:Projects or /Users/name/Projects is being backed up. Before enabling anything, identify which side of the relationship the control describes: computer to cloud is backup, while cloud to computer is selective sync.
How does OneDrive folder backup work on Windows?
On Windows, OneDrive’s documented backup workflow is for eligible standard folders rather than every arbitrary path. The setup is handled from OneDrive settings.
- Open OneDrive settings.
- Select Sync and backup.
- Choose Manage backup.
- Toggle the eligible standard folders you want OneDrive to protect.
- Let the first upload finish, then check the OneDrive status for those folders before assuming the backup is complete.
This workflow is appropriate when the files are already organized in the standard folders OneDrive presents. If the folder you need is elsewhere, the cited Windows instructions do not establish that you can add an arbitrary path through this backup panel. Moving or reorganizing data may be necessary, or you may need a service whose documented scope includes custom computer folders.
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How is OneDrive’s Choose folders setting different?
OneDrive’s Choose folders control affects folders that are already in OneDrive. It decides which cloud folders sync to a Windows or macOS computer. Unchecking a folder removes its local copy but leaves the folder online; some important folders cannot be unchecked.
That setting can save local disk space, but it is not a substitute for turning on standard-folder backup. You can use both controls, provided you understand that one governs local copies of cloud data and the other governs protection of supported computer folders.
How does OneDrive folder backup work on macOS?
On macOS, Microsoft documents a separate workflow centered on important folders, specifically Desktop and Documents. It requires the standalone OneDrive sync app and Full Disk Access.
- Install and open the standalone OneDrive sync app.
- Grant OneDrive Full Disk Access in macOS privacy settings when prompted.
- Open the OneDrive Backup tab.
- Select Manage backup.
- Enable the supported folders, such as Desktop and Documents, and wait for their status to show that backup is active.
A work or school administrator may disable this feature. If the Backup tab or Manage backup control is missing on an organizational account, that restriction is a likely explanation; it is not evidence that the Mac is configured incorrectly.
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Microsoft says files already in OneDrive remain there after Mac folder backup is stopped. If you want them back in the original local folder, you may need to move them manually. Stopping the workflow therefore changes future protection and local-folder placement; it does not automatically erase the cloud copies.
Can Dropbox back up any folder on a computer?
Dropbox is the strongest documented fit here for choosing folders from a computer. Its Backup setup can select folders from the computer and, according to the FAQ, folders on an external hard drive. The exact choices and labels depend on the current desktop app.
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How to set up Dropbox Backup
- Open the Dropbox desktop application and start its Backup setup.
- Review the list of computer folders presented by the setup.
- Select the folders you want protected, including supported subfolders where the current interface allows them.
- If you are selecting an external-drive folder, confirm that the drive and path are visible during setup.
- Complete setup and open Dropbox’s backup view to verify that the expected folders and recent files appear.
Dropbox’s FAQ describes constraints that matter before you rely on the result. In the setup it documents, computer backup is limited to the hard drive containing the Dropbox desktop app; other installed drives are not included. It also gives examples of folders excluded by default, so inspect the selection rather than assuming that every directory was enrolled.
What changed in the updated Dropbox Backup experience?
Dropbox says the updated experience can select more folders within the computer’s home folder, including subfolders, and provides scheduling and restoration controls. Because the interface is version-sensitive, follow the options displayed by the current app rather than an older screenshot or instruction set.
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How do Dropbox Backup and selective sync interact?
Dropbox states that, in the updated Backup experience, folders left unchecked in selective sync will not be backed up. It also says online-only files and folders may be downloaded to the computer when the backup updates. This can temporarily increase local disk use, so check available space before enabling a large backup and verify which files are online-only.
Selective sync itself is a separate storage-saving feature. It chooses which Dropbox folders are stored on a particular computer, works at folder level, is available to Dropbox users including Basic, and has preferences unique to each computer.
What does IDrive’s documented selective sync feature actually do?
The cited IDrive documentation establishes selective sync for folders in IDrive Cloud Drive. When you deselect a folder, it is removed from the computer’s Cloud Drive folder but remains accessible on the web and on other linked devices.
That is useful when your cloud tree is larger than the computer’s disk, but it does not establish that IDrive can watch an arbitrary local folder outside its Cloud Drive folder and back it up. If custom local paths are your requirement, look for a separate IDrive backup feature whose documentation explicitly names that capability rather than inferring it from selective sync.
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Does Google Drive back up selected folders of any file type?
Not from the cited documentation. The surfaced Google One help page describes stopping backup for a specific folder of photos and videos through Google Photos in Drive for desktop. It says that stopping the folder prevents future uploads while existing photos remain in Google Photos unless you delete them separately.
The page also notes an August 10, 2026 change. Treat this as a photo workflow with a stated product-change date, not as evidence that arbitrary documents, application data or other file types can be enrolled in a general selected-folder backup plan.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which service fits your folder and operating system?
Use the decision paths below before installing anything.
Choose Dropbox first when:
- The source is an arbitrary folder under your computer’s home folder.
- You need the setup to offer folder selection rather than only standard folders.
- You may need to include a folder on an external hard drive and can work within Dropbox’s documented drive limitation.
- You are prepared to check selective-sync exclusions and online-only files.
Choose OneDrive when:
- Your files already live in eligible Windows standard folders.
- On macOS, Desktop or Documents meets your requirement.
- You can install the standalone Mac app and grant Full Disk Access.
- Your work or school administrator permits folder backup.
Treat IDrive as a selective-sync option when:
- Your goal is to remove existing cloud folders from one computer while keeping them online.
- You do not need the cited page to prove arbitrary local-folder backup.
Treat the Google workflow as photo-specific when:
- You are managing future uploads from a Google Photos folder.
- You understand that stopping uploads does not remove photos already in Google Photos.
How should you set up selected-folder backup safely?
A careful setup prevents the most common mistake: assuming that a folder is protected because a cloud application is running.
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- Write down the exact source path. Record the drive, parent folder and operating system. “My files” is not precise enough to test.
- Confirm the feature’s direction. Make sure the control says backup or protects computer folders, not only Choose folders, selective sync or Cloud Drive sync.
- Check eligibility. Look for standard-folder restrictions, administrator policies, external-drive limits and excluded directories.
- Review local-storage consequences. Dropbox may download online-only items during an update. Selective sync changes which cloud data occupies disk space.
- Run a small verification. Add or change a harmless test file inside the selected folder and confirm that the provider reports the update.
- Verify from the web view or backup view. Check the folder name, a recent file and its modified time. Do not rely only on a tray icon.
- Document the stop behavior. Before disabling backup, note whether cloud copies remain, whether files must be moved manually, and whether future uploads stop immediately.
- Keep another recovery path for irreplaceable data. Cloud sync or folder backup alone should not be assumed to provide an independent backup history or protection from every deletion, account problem or provider outage.
What are the most common setup failures?
The folder is missing from the selection screen
First check whether the product supports arbitrary paths or only standard folders. On OneDrive, the documented workflow is limited to eligible standard folders on Windows and a narrower Desktop/Documents workflow on macOS. On Dropbox, inspect excluded-folder rules and the drive containing the desktop app.
A folder disappeared from the computer
You may have changed selective sync rather than backup. OneDrive removes an unchecked cloud folder from the computer while keeping it online; IDrive documents the same general outcome for its Cloud Drive folders. Check the web view before deleting or moving anything.
The backup stopped updating
Dropbox warns that a computer backup may stop updating after an error. Open the app’s backup status, resolve the reported issue, reconnect any required drive, and verify a new test-file change. Do not assume that a previously successful upload means later files were included.
Files are online but not locally available
Selective sync may have removed the local folder, or Dropbox may have changed online-only files while updating Backup. Review the per-computer sync settings and available disk space, then choose the folders that must remain local.
Stopping backup produced an unexpected folder layout
On a Mac, OneDrive leaves existing files in OneDrive when backup is stopped and may require manual moves to restore the original local folder. Plan the move only after confirming that the cloud copies are present.
What should you check before declaring the backup complete?
- The exact local path appears in the service’s backup configuration.
- The operating system and account type are supported.
- An external drive, if used, is within the documented scope.
- Excluded folders and selective-sync settings have been reviewed.
- A recent test file is visible in the provider’s web or backup view.
- You know what remains online and what is removed locally if you stop the feature.
- You have a recovery plan that does not depend on one continuously logged-in computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I back up a folder from a second internal drive with Dropbox?
The documented Dropbox computer-backup setup is limited to the hard drive containing the Dropbox desktop app, even though setup can present external-drive folders. Other installed drives are not included in that described scope, so confirm the current app’s selection screen before relying on it.
Will turning off OneDrive backup delete the files already uploaded?
For the documented macOS workflow, files already in OneDrive remain there after backup is stopped. Restoring them to the original local folder can require a manual move; stopping the workflow is not the same as deleting the cloud copies.
Why does a cloud folder still appear online after I unchecked it on my computer?
Selective-sync controls are local to a particular computer. OneDrive and IDrive both document that deselecting a cloud folder removes its local copy while leaving the folder available online or on another linked device.
Does stopping Google Photos folder backup remove the photos already uploaded?
No. The cited Google help guidance says stopping a folder prevents future uploads, while existing photos remain in Google Photos until you delete them separately. That guidance is specific to photos and videos, not a general Google Drive file-backup rule.
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