Scrivener + Dropbox Sync Checklist: Stop Losing Work

Scrivener's Dropbox sync works reliably when you follow specific rules. It fails catastrophically when you don't. The problem is that Scrivener projects aren't single files. They're folders containing many separate files: one for each document and each note, plus the binder structure and settings files. Dropbox syncs these files individually, and if you interrupt that process or open the project before it completes, you get conflicts, corruption, or missing data.

This checklist covers setup, daily workflow, and recovery. Follow the setup once. Follow the workflow every time. Save the recovery section for when things go wrong.

The Setup Checklist

Before you sync a single project, verify your setup is correct. Mistakes made here cause sync failures later.

Install Dropbox as a Desktop App

Scrivener requires the Dropbox desktop application, not the browser version. The app creates a local folder on your hard drive that mirrors your cloud storage. When you save in Scrivener, the changes write to this local folder first, then upload to Dropbox servers. The browser version doesn't create this local folder, which means Scrivener has nowhere to save.

Download Dropbox from dropbox.com if you haven't already. After installation, you'll see a Dropbox folder in your file system: typically C:\Users\YourName\Dropbox on Windows. On Mac it is /Users/YourName/Dropbox, or inside /Users/YourName/Library/CloudStorage if your Dropbox has moved to Apple's File Provider system (it then shows under Locations in the Finder sidebar). This folder is where your Scrivener projects must live.

Create a Dedicated Scrivener Folder

Inside your Dropbox folder, create a folder specifically for Scrivener projects. Call it "Scrivener" or "Writing" or whatever makes sense to you. The name doesn't matter; the location does. Every Scrivener project you want to sync goes inside this folder.

Don't scatter projects across different Dropbox locations. A single dedicated folder makes it easier to verify sync status and troubleshoot problems.

Move Existing Projects Correctly

If you have existing Scrivener projects stored elsewhere, move them into your Dropbox folder using your operating system's file manager (Finder on Mac, File Explorer on Windows). Close the project first, then drag the entire .scriv folder to its new location.

After moving, wait for Dropbox to finish uploading. You'll know it's done when the Dropbox icon in your menu bar or system tray goes back to the plain Dropbox logo instead of two arrows going in a circle. Only then should you open the project in Scrivener.

Set Your Backup Location Outside Dropbox

Scrivener creates automatic backups every time you close a project. By default, these go to a folder on your local drive. Don't change this to a Dropbox folder. If your backups sync through Dropbox too, a backup made on one computer can overwrite the backup made on another. Keeping them local means every computer you use has its own set.

To verify your backup location: on Mac, go to Scrivener > Settings > Backup (Preferences on macOS 12 and older). On Windows, go to File > Options > Backup. Make sure the backup path points somewhere outside Dropbox. The default locations are fine: ~/Library/Application Support/Scrivener/Backups on Mac or \AppData\Local\LiteratureAndLatte\Scrivener\Backups on Windows.

Check Your Scrivener Version

iOS syncing requires Scrivener 2.8 or later on Mac, and Scrivener 1.9.5 or later on Windows. Older versions use a different project format that iOS can't read. If you're running outdated software, update before attempting to sync.

The Daily Workflow

Setup problems cause one-time failures. Workflow problems cause repeated failures. These rules aren't optional. Break them and you will lose work eventually.

Before You Open a Project

Check the Dropbox icon in your menu bar or system tray. If it shows two arrows going in a circle, wait. Do not open your project until the icon is back to the plain Dropbox logo, which means sync is complete. Opening a partially synced project means opening an incomplete version of your work. Scrivener will load whatever files have downloaded so far, and you'll be missing the rest.

This step takes discipline because you want to start writing, not stare at a sync icon. But the two minutes you spend waiting saves the two hours you'd spend recovering from a conflict.

Never Open the Same Project on Two Devices

Scrivener projects aren't designed for simultaneous editing. If you have the project open on your desktop and open it on your laptop, both instances will write to the same files. Dropbox will detect the conflict and create "conflicted copy" files. Dropbox makes those copies so that nothing is lost, but you'll need to manually merge the differences.

Close the project completely on one device before opening on another. Scrivener will warn you if it thinks the project is still open on another computer. Always heed that warning and check that the project was closed correctly.

Before You Close Your Computer

Close your Scrivener project. Watch the Dropbox icon until sync completes. Only then put your computer to sleep or shut it down.

When you close a Scrivener project, the application saves a number of final files. These files must upload to Dropbox before you interrupt the process. If you sleep your computer immediately after closing Scrivener, Dropbox might not finish uploading. The next time you open the project on another device, those files will be missing or outdated.

iOS Sync Workflow

Scrivener for iOS doesn't sync automatically in the background. You must manually trigger sync using the circular arrow icon in the top-right corner of the Projects list. Tap this icon before you start working to pull down changes from your desktop. Tap it again when you finish working to push your changes back up.

The iOS sync mistake to watch for: editing on your iPad, putting it down without syncing, then making more edits on your desktop. Now you have changes on both devices that haven't been reconciled. The next sync will detect conflicts.

Build the habit: pick up device, sync, work, sync, put down device. Every time.

Fixing Common Problems

If you're reading this section, something has already gone wrong. Don't panic. Scrivener backs up a project automatically each time you close it, and when it finds conflicting versions of a document it keeps both rather than deleting one.

The "Zero Bytes" Error

Your project appears in Dropbox but shows as zero bytes, or Scrivener reports that some of the project's contents are not accessible or have "zero length data." Literature & Latte points to Dropbox's online-only storage as the cause.

To fix it, open your Dropbox folder in Finder or File Explorer, right-click the folder where your Scrivener projects are stored, and select "Make available offline." Dropbox may have flagged the files as "online only" to save space, and Scrivener can't read files that exist only in the cloud. Once Dropbox has downloaded everything, the folder and the projects inside it show a green badge and the project should open normally.

If that doesn't work, check your automatic backups. Go to Scrivener > Settings > Backup (Mac) or File > Options > Backup (Windows) and click "Open backup folder." Your most recent backup should contain all your work up to the last time you closed the project cleanly.

Sync Conflict Errors

Scrivener tells you it detected sync conflicts. This means the same document was edited on multiple devices without syncing in between, and Dropbox saved both versions.

When Scrivener detects conflicts, it creates a "Conflicts" folder in your Binder. Each conflicted document appears twice: the version Scrivener thinks is current, and the conflicted copy. Your job is to compare them and merge any differences.

For each conflict, open both versions side by side. Use Scrivener's snapshot feature to preserve the conflicted version before making changes: select the document, then Documents > Snapshots > Take Snapshot. This gives you a safety net. Then manually copy any text from the conflicted version that doesn't appear in the main version.

Once you've reconciled all conflicts, right-click the Conflicts folder and move it to Trash. Then empty Scrivener's trash: right-click the Trash folder in your Binder and select "Empty Trash."

iOS Won't See Your Projects

You've linked Dropbox in iOS Scrivener, but your projects don't appear. Several things could be wrong.

First, verify you're logged into the same Dropbox account on both devices. It's surprisingly easy to have a personal account on your phone and a work account on your desktop, or vice versa. Open the Dropbox app on your iOS device and check that the files match what you see in the Dropbox folder on your desktop.

Second, verify your projects are in a location iOS can see. By default, iOS Scrivener looks in /Apps/Scrivener within your Dropbox. If your projects are elsewhere, you need to either move them or change the sync location: tap Edit above the Projects list, tap the gear button, then tap Dropbox Settings.

Third, make sure you're not trying to sync a zipped project. Scrivener projects must be in their normal uncompressed state (a folder ending in .scriv). If you've compressed the project for email or storage, iOS can't read it.

Fourth, verify your desktop Scrivener version. iOS requires Scrivener 2.8+ on Mac or 1.9.5+ on Windows. Older desktop versions save projects in a format iOS doesn't understand.

Resetting iOS Sync Cache

If Scrivener gets stuck on the "Syncing with Dropbox..." screen, clearing the sync cache can help. Open the iOS Settings app (not Scrivener itself), scroll down to Scrivener, tap "Reset Scrivener," and flip the switch for "Clear Dropbox Sync Cache." Then quit and relaunch Scrivener and tap the sync icon. On that sync, Scrivener checks its local files against every file in the Dropbox folder rather than only the ones changed since the last sync.

When Conflicted Files End Up in the Project Folder

Sometimes conflicted files end up in the project folder itself rather than the Binder. Dropbox adds "conflicted copy" to their names. Scrivener 3 checks for stray files like these every time it opens a project and presents what it finds as "recovered files" in your Binder.

You should not need to dig through the project folder yourself. On Mac, your project looks like a single file. On Windows, the .scriv folder opens like a normal folder. Either way, Literature & Latte warns that editing the files inside by hand can damage the project.

If Scrivener recovers files, they represent documents that weren't properly merged. Open each one in Scrivener and compare the content to your current documents. Copy any missing text into place, then move the recovered copies to the Trash.

Preventing Future Problems

Recovery is always harder than prevention. These habits will keep you out of trouble.

Create Manual Backups Before Major Edits

Automatic backups happen when you close a project. But if you're about to make significant changes, create a manual backup first: File > Back Up > Back Up To. Save this backup somewhere outside Dropbox with a descriptive name like "Novel_BeforeChapter15Rewrite_2024-01-15.zip." If your edits go badly, you have a restore point.

Use Scrivener's Snapshot Feature

Before revising any document, take a snapshot: Documents > Snapshots > Take Snapshot. Snapshots preserve the current state of that document within the project itself. If you realize a week later that your revision made things worse, you can compare to or restore from the snapshot. Snapshots are an extra layer of protection on top of backups.

Keep One Device as Primary

If you write on multiple devices, designate one as your primary machine. Do most of your writing there. Use other devices only for light editing or reading. The fewer devices actively editing the project, the fewer opportunities for sync conflicts.

Check Sync Status Religiously

Make it automatic: before opening Scrivener, glance at the Dropbox icon. Before sleeping your computer, glance at the Dropbox icon. Before switching devices, glance at the Dropbox icon. This three-second habit prevents hours of recovery work.

Consider Alternatives to Dropbox

Dropbox is the only cloud service officially supported for iOS syncing. But for desktop-to-desktop sync, you have options. iCloud Drive works well if you're Mac-only. Literature & Latte strongly discourages Google Drive for live Scrivener projects, because Google can convert or rename a project's internal files and damage it. With OneDrive on Windows 11, set your projects to "Always keep on this device," because its Files On-Demand feature can leave project files out of Scrivener's reach. If Dropbox consistently gives you trouble, moving to a different cloud service (for desktop sync) and using manual file transfer for iOS might be less frustrating.

The Quick Reference Checklist

Print this. Tape it to your monitor. Follow it every time.

Before writing:

• Check the Dropbox icon shows no sync arrows (sync complete)
• Verify project is closed on all other devices
• On iOS: tap sync button before opening project

After writing:

• Close the Scrivener project
• Wait for the Dropbox sync arrows to disappear
• On iOS: tap sync button before putting device down
• Only then sleep or shut down your computer

If something goes wrong:

• Don't panic. Your work is backed up automatically when you close a project.
• Check automatic backups first (Settings/Options > Backup)
• Look for a Conflicts folder in your Binder
• Look for recovered files in your Binder
• Make your Scrivener folder available offline in Dropbox if you see "zero bytes" errors

Scrivener's sync isn't complicated. It's just unforgiving. Follow the rules and you should be able to sync without running into problems. Break them once and you'll remember why the rules exist. The checklist above represents every lesson writers have learned the hard way. Learn from their mistakes instead of making your own.