{"id":"cloud-accounts.selective-sync-vs-online-only","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/selective-sync-vs-online-only","category":{"id":"cloud-accounts","title":"Cloud accounts"},"subcategory":{"id":"cloud-apps-on-your-mac","title":"Cloud apps on your Mac"},"question":"What's the difference between selective sync and online-only files?","alt_questions":["selective sync vs online only Dropbox","choose folders to sync vs files on demand","should I use selective sync to save space on Mac","what is selective sync in a cloud app","selective sync folder disappeared from Finder"],"short_answer":"Selective sync hides unticked folders from this Mac entirely; online-only keeps everything visible in Finder but downloads files only when you open them.","answer_markdown":"Selective sync decides which folders appear on your Mac at all; online-only keeps every folder visible but leaves the contents in the cloud until you open them.\n\n- **Selective sync** — folders you untick aren't on this Mac. They're safe in your account but you won't see them in Finder, and opening one means changing the setting or using the provider's website.\n- **Online-only** — everything is visible in Finder; files download when you open them and can be freed again afterwards.\n\nOnline-only is the friendlier way to save space for most people, because nothing disappears from view. Which options you get depends on the provider and app version.\n\nIf you want old cloud files on your external drive rather than in the account at all, [copy or move them with Data Transfers](/faq/cloud-accounts/can-i-copy-from-a-cloud-account-to-my-external-drive).","answer_html":"

Selective sync decides which folders appear on your Mac at all; online-only keeps every folder visible but leaves the contents in the cloud until you open them.

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Online-only is the friendlier way to save space for most people, because nothing disappears from view. Which options you get depends on the provider and app version.

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If you want old cloud files on your external drive rather than in the account at all, copy or move them with Data Transfers.

","answer_text":"Selective sync decides which folders appear on your Mac at all; online-only keeps every folder visible but leaves the contents in the cloud until you open them.\n\n- Selective sync — folders you untick aren't on this Mac. They're safe in your account but you won't see them in Finder, and opening one means changing the setting or using the provider's website.\n- Online-only — everything is visible in Finder; files download when you open them and can be freed again afterwards.\n\nOnline-only is the friendlier way to save space for most people, because nothing disappears from view. Which options you get depends on the provider and app version.\n\nIf you want old cloud files on your external drive rather than in the account at all, copy or move them with Data Transfers.","tags":["online-only","sync","dropbox","mac space"],"related":[{"id":"cloud-accounts.dropbox-online-only-vs-available-offline","question":"What's the difference between online-only and available offline in Dropbox?","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/dropbox-online-only-vs-available-offline"},{"id":"cloud-accounts.can-i-copy-from-a-cloud-account-to-my-external-drive","question":"Can I copy files from a cloud account to my external drive?","url":"/faq/cloud-accounts/can-i-copy-from-a-cloud-account-to-my-external-drive"}],"applies_to":"all","last_reviewed":"2026-10-01","title":"What's the difference between selective sync and online-only files? — Storage Studio FAQ","description":"Selective sync hides unticked folders from this Mac entirely; online-only keeps everything visible in Finder but downloads files only when you open them.","crumbs":[{"name":"Home","path":"/"},{"name":"FAQ","path":"/faq/"},{"name":"Cloud accounts","path":"/faq/cloud-accounts/"},{"name":"What's the difference between selective sync and online-only files?","path":"/faq/cloud-accounts/selective-sync-vs-online-only"}],"jsonld":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/selective-sync-vs-online-only","inLanguage":"en","dateModified":"2026-10-01","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What's the difference between selective sync and online-only files?","alternateName":["selective sync vs online only Dropbox","choose folders to sync vs files on demand","should I use selective sync to save space on Mac","what is selective sync in a cloud app","selective sync folder disappeared from Finder"],"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Selective sync decides which folders appear on your Mac at all; online-only keeps every folder visible but leaves the contents in the cloud until you open them.\n\n- Selective sync — folders you untick aren't on this Mac. They're safe in your account but you won't see them in Finder, and opening one means changing the setting or using the provider's website.\n- Online-only — everything is visible in Finder; files download when you open them and can be freed again afterwards.\n\nOnline-only is the friendlier way to save space for most people, because nothing disappears from view. Which options you get depends on the provider and app version.\n\nIf you want old cloud files on your external drive rather than in the account at all, copy or move them with Data Transfers.","url":"https://storagestudio.us/faq/cloud-accounts/selective-sync-vs-online-only"}}]},"fragment":"
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Cloud accounts · Cloud apps on your Mac

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What's the difference between selective sync and online-only files?

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Short answer: Selective sync hides unticked folders from this Mac entirely; online-only keeps everything visible in Finder but downloads files only when you open them.

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Selective sync decides which folders appear on your Mac at all; online-only keeps every folder visible but leaves the contents in the cloud until you open them.

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  • Selective sync — folders you untick aren't on this Mac. They're safe in your account but you won't see them in Finder, and opening one means changing the setting or using the provider's website.
  • Online-only — everything is visible in Finder; files download when you open them and can be freed again afterwards.
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Online-only is the friendlier way to save space for most people, because nothing disappears from view. Which options you get depends on the provider and app version.

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If you want old cloud files on your external drive rather than in the account at all, copy or move them with Data Transfers.

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Last reviewed

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Related questions

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