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rclone-w-dropbox.md

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Here’s a clear, step-by-step guide to mount Dropbox with rclone on Arch Linux. This will let you view all files in your Dropbox as if they were local—files will be downloaded only when opened (on-demand), similar to “online-only” behavior on Windows[2][5][8][11].

1. Install rclone

sudo pacman -S rclone

2. Configure rclone for Dropbox

  • Run the configuration wizard:

bash rclone config

  • Follow these prompts:
  • Type n to create a New remote
  • Name it, e.g., mydropbox
  • Choose Dropbox from the storage provider list (type its number, often 11 or 7)
  • Accept defaults for Client ID and Secret (blank)
  • Say y to use auto config if you’re on a machine with a browser
    • A browser window appears for you to log into Dropbox and allow access
  • Return to terminal and say y if the config looks correct
  • Finish by pressing q to quit the wizard

Tip: If you’re on a headless/server machine, you can run rclone authorize "dropbox" on a browser-equipped machine, paste the token, and finish setup[6][7].

3. Test the Connection

Check if you can list your Dropbox files:

rclone ls mydropbox:

Replace mydropbox with your remote name if you chose a different one.

4. Create a Local Mount Point

Example:

mkdir -p ~/dropbox

5. Mount Dropbox Locally

Mount your Dropbox so it appears as a regular folder:

rclone mount mydropbox: ~/dropbox
  • Leave this terminal open while using the mount, or run as a background process:

bash rclone mount mydropbox: ~/dropbox --daemon

  • All your Dropbox files and folders will now appear in ~/dropbox. They are not downloaded until you access (open/copy) a file.[2][5][8]

6. Using the Mounted Dropbox

  • Browse, copy, and move files in ~/dropbox via any file manager or the terminal.
  • Files are downloaded only as you access them, so your disk isn’t filled with the whole Dropbox unless you want it to be.
  • Changes you make (creating, editing, or deleting files) are synced to Dropbox cloud.

7. Unmount when done (optional)

To unmount:

fusermount -u ~/dropbox

Tips and Extra Options

  • To auto-mount at login, add the mount command to your startup scripts (e.g., in your window manager or systemd user units).
  • Use rclone mount --vfs-cache-mode writes ... for better support for file editing and compatibility.

This rclone method gives you file-level, on-demand Dropbox access on Arch Linux, closely matching the “online-only” experience available on Windows[2][5][8].

[1] https://rclone.org/dropbox/ [2] https://ostechnix.com/mount-dropbox-using-rclone-in-linux/ [3] https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/eu25zf/linux_tutorial_on_how_to_mount_your_cloud_storage/ [4] https://forum.rclone.org/t/mounting-dropbox-with-rclone/39454 [5] https://rclone.org/commands/rclone_mount/ [6] https://statistics.berkeley.edu/computing/faqs/using-rclone [7] https://www.thedigitalpictureframe.com/how-to-finally-access-dropbox-on-your-raspberry-pi-using-rclone/ [8] https://dev.to/haxnet/rclone-mounting-cli-style-1414 [9] https://forum.rclone.org/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-mount-a-dropbox-volume/43337 [10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8YMspboIXs [11] preferences.instruction_style