Stop Dropbox Photo Imports: Full Guide

To stop Dropbox from automatically importing photos from your camera, phone, or SD card, you need to disable the camera uploads feature in the Dropbox app or turn off auto-import in the desktop app. This guide explains exactly where to find those settings on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, and what to do if photos keep appearing anyway.

Formula

The calculator above works out your average pace and speed for a run or walk. You enter the total time in minutes and the distance in kilometers. The first output, pace, is your time per kilometer (min/km). The second output, speed, is your average speed in kilometers per hour (km/h).

Pace = Time (minutes) ÷ Distance (km)
Speed = Distance (km) ÷ (Time (minutes) ÷ 60)

Variables: t = total time in minutes, d = distance in kilometers. Pace is expressed in minutes per kilometer, speed in kilometers per hour.

Worked Example

Using the default values: t = 50 minutes, d = 10 km.

Pace = 50 ÷ 10 = 5.00 min/km
Speed = 10 ÷ (50 ÷ 60) = 10 ÷ 0.8333 = 12.00 km/h

So a 10 km run in 50 minutes gives a pace of 5:00 per kilometer and an average speed of 12 km/h.

How to Turn Off Camera Uploads on Mobile

On Android and iOS, Dropbox automatically uploads photos and videos from your camera roll when the app is installed and camera uploads is enabled. To stop it:

1. Open the Dropbox app and tap your profile picture or the account icon (bottom-right on iOS, top-left on Android).
2. Tap Settings (gear icon).
3. Tap Camera uploads (on iOS it may be labeled Photos).
4. Toggle off Camera uploads or Enable camera uploads.
5. If you want to keep the feature but stop using mobile data, choose Wi-Fi only instead of turning it off completely.

On iOS, you may also see an option for Background uploads – turn that off as well if you don’t want photos uploading when the app is in the background. On Android, check that the toggle is actually off; some devices show a notification that says “Camera uploads active” even when the app is closed.

How to Turn Off Auto-Import on Desktop (Windows and Mac)

The Dropbox desktop app can automatically import photos from cameras, SD cards, and USB drives when you plug them in. This is separate from mobile camera uploads. To disable it:

1. Open the Dropbox desktop app and click the Dropbox icon in the system tray (Windows) or menu bar (Mac).
2. Click your avatar (profile picture) in the top-right, then select Preferences (Windows) or Settings (Mac).
3. Go to the Import tab.
4. Uncheck Show import options when a camera, phone, or SD card is detected.
5. If you see a separate option for Copy photos and videos to Dropbox automatically, uncheck that too.

On Windows, the import dialog may also appear from the system’s AutoPlay feature. If you still see a prompt, open Windows Settings → Devices → AutoPlay and choose “Take no action” for removable drives and memory cards.

Why Photos Keep Importing Even After You Disable It

If you’ve turned off the settings but photos still appear in Dropbox, check these common culprits:

• Multiple devices: Dropbox syncs across all your devices. If camera uploads is still on your phone or tablet, photos will appear in your Dropbox account even if you disabled it on your computer.
• Old pending uploads: If the app was mid-upload when you turned it off, it may finish the current batch. Wait a few minutes and check again.
• App permissions: On Android, Dropbox may still have access to your storage. Go to your phone’s Settings → Apps → Dropbox → Permissions and revoke storage/photos access.
• iCloud Photo Library (iOS): If you use iCloud, photos may be downloaded to your device and then uploaded by Dropbox. Turning off camera uploads in Dropbox stops the upload, but iCloud syncing is separate.
• Third-party apps: Some gallery apps or file managers have their own auto-upload features that send photos to Dropbox via its API. Check apps like Google Photos or Samsung Gallery for similar settings.

If you’ve checked all these and photos still appear, sign out of Dropbox on all devices, then sign back in and re-verify the settings.

What Happens to Photos Already Uploaded?

Disabling camera uploads does not delete any photos already uploaded to Dropbox. They remain in your account unless you manually delete them. To remove them, go to the Camera Uploads folder (or wherever they were saved) and delete the files. If you want to keep them but stop future uploads, just leave them there.

Note that deleting files from Dropbox will also delete them from any synced devices and the Dropbox website. If you want to keep the photos but free up space, download them to your computer first, then delete from Dropbox.

How to Stop Dropbox from Importing Screenshots (Windows)

Dropbox for Windows has a feature that automatically uploads screenshots you take. To disable it:

1. Open Dropbox Preferences (as above).
2. Go to the Import tab.
3. Uncheck Share screenshots using Dropbox.

This only affects screenshots taken with the Print Screen key or Snipping Tool – it does not affect regular camera uploads.

Alternative: Use Selective Sync Instead of Turning Off Imports

If you want to keep camera uploads but don’t want them filling your hard drive, you can use Selective Sync to choose which folders download to your computer. The photos will still be in your Dropbox account online, but they won’t take up local space.

• Open Dropbox Preferences → Sync tab.
• Click Selective Sync.
• Uncheck the Camera Uploads folder (or any folder you don’t want on this device).

This is useful if you have a small SSD but want to keep the backup. Note that Selective Sync only affects the current device – other devices will still download the folder if they have it selected.

Common Misconception: “Disabling the App Stops Uploads”

Many users think that force-stopping the Dropbox app will stop uploads. On Android, force-stopping the app will temporarily stop uploads, but the app may restart automatically and resume. To fully stop, you need to disable the camera uploads setting as described above. On iOS, you can’t force-stop apps, but you can disable background app refresh for Dropbox in iOS Settings → General → Background App Refresh.

Another misconception is that turning off Wi-Fi stops uploads. On mobile, if you have “Upload using mobile data” enabled, photos will upload over cellular. Check that setting and turn it off if you want uploads to only happen on Wi-Fi.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling camera uploads delete my photos?

No. Disabling the feature only stops future uploads. Photos already uploaded to Dropbox remain there until you delete them manually.

How do I stop Dropbox from importing photos from my SD card?

On desktop, go to Preferences → Import and uncheck the option for cameras/SD cards. On mobile, there is no SD card import option – that’s desktop only. If you use an SD card on your phone, Dropbox may treat it as part of your camera roll, so turn off camera uploads in the app.

Why does Dropbox keep asking to import photos every time I plug in my phone?

This is the AutoPlay prompt on Windows. Go to Windows Settings → Devices → AutoPlay and select “Take no action” for removable drives. On Mac, you can disable the “Open Dropbox when a camera is connected” option in Dropbox Preferences → Import.

Can I stop Dropbox from uploading screenshots only?

Yes, on Windows. Open Dropbox Preferences → Import and uncheck “Share screenshots using Dropbox.” This does not affect other camera uploads.

If I turn off camera uploads, will my photos sync to other devices?

No. If you turn off camera uploads on a device, that device will no longer send new photos to Dropbox. Existing photos already in Dropbox will still sync to other devices normally.

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in t | Time (min) | min | 5 | 0
in d | Distance (km) | km | 10 | 0 | 100000
out pace | Pace (min/km) | min/km | t / d | 2
out speed | Speed (km/h) | km/h | d / (t / 60) | 2