How to migrate from Dropbox to Seafile
Unlike other migrations, there's no format conversion here — it's mainly a matter of transfer time depending on how many files you have.
- 1
Sync or download everything from Dropbox
Use Dropbox's desktop client to get a full local copy, or download the main folders directly if the volume is manageable.
- 2
Upload the files to Seafile
The most reliable approach for large volumes is using Seafile's sync client pointed at the same local folder, rather than uploading through the browser (avoids timeouts).
- 3
Verify folder structure and permissions
Per-folder sharing permissions don't migrate automatically — check which folders were shared in Dropbox and re-share them with the right people in Seafile.
- 4
Update shared links
Any public or internal link pointing to files in Dropbox will break — replace it with the new Seafile link in documentation, wikis or saved emails.
Before cancelling Dropbox
Before cancelling Dropbox, compare total size (GB) and file count between both to confirm nothing is missing, especially with very large files or special characters in filenames.
Ready to deploy Seafile?
Full profile with license, tech stack and ready-to-copy docker-compose.
View Seafile's profileThese steps are a general guideline — the exact export menu can vary depending on Dropbox's plan and version.