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 hundreds of small files: one for each document, snapshot, and piece of metadata. 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. Most sync failures trace back to mistakes made here.

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 or /Users/YourName/Dropbox on Mac. 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). Don't use Scrivener's "Save As" or "Move To" commands for this. Close Scrivener completely, 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 shows a green checkmark instead of a spinning sync icon. 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 you store both working projects and backups in Dropbox, and something corrupts your working project, the corruption syncs to all your devices and potentially overwrites your backups before you notice the problem.

To verify your backup location: on Mac, go to Scrivener > Preferences > Backup. 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 a spinning circle or "syncing" status, wait. Do not open your project until you see the green checkmark indicating 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. You won't lose data, but you'll need to manually merge the differences.

Close Scrivener completely on one device before opening on another. "Completely" means the application is quit, not just the project closed. On Mac, check for the Scrivener icon in your Dock. On Windows, check Task Manager. If Scrivener is running, the project might still be locked.

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 writes several final files: the search index, the UI state, and a project-level backup of the binder structure. 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 most common iOS sync mistake: 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 is good at preserving your work even when sync fails. The data is almost always recoverable.

The "Zero Bytes" Error

Your project appears in Dropbox but shows as zero bytes, or Scrivener says the project is empty. This usually happens on newer Macs (M1/M2 chips) when there's a version mismatch between Scrivener, Dropbox, and macOS.

First, update everything. Update macOS, update the Dropbox app, update Scrivener. Restart your computer after updates complete. This fixes the problem for most users.

If the project still shows zero bytes, right-click it in Finder and select "Make Available Offline" from the Quick Actions menu. Dropbox may have flagged the files as "online only" to save space, and Scrivener can't read files that exist only in the cloud.

If neither fix works, check your automatic backups. Go to Scrivener > Preferences > 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 Document > 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." Keeping conflicted files around can confuse future conflict detection.

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. In iOS Scrivener, go to the Projects screen and tap the sync icon, then check which account is linked.

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 in iOS Scrivener's 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 iOS sync behaves erratically, clearing the sync cache often helps. In iOS Scrivener, tap the gear icon to open Settings, then tap "Reset Scrivener" and select "Clear Dropbox Sync Cache." This doesn't delete your projects. It just clears the data iOS uses to track what's been synced. The next time you sync, Scrivener rebuilds this information from scratch.

Finding Conflicted Files in the Project Folder

Sometimes conflicted files end up in the project folder itself rather than the Binder. These files have "conflicted copy" in their names and live in the Files/Docs subfolder inside your .scriv package.

On Mac, right-click your project and select "Show Package Contents." On Windows, the .scriv folder opens like a normal folder. Navigate to Files/Docs and look for any files with "conflicted" in the name.

If you find conflicted files here, they represent documents that weren't properly merged. Drag them to your Desktop, open them in a text editor (they're RTF files), and compare the content to your current Scrivener documents. Copy any missing text into your project, then delete the conflicted files.

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: Document > 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. This works independently of Dropbox sync.

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. Some users report success with Google Drive or OneDrive, though Literature & Latte doesn't officially support these services. 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 Dropbox shows green checkmark (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 Dropbox green checkmark
• 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 almost certainly recoverable.
• Check automatic backups first (Preferences/Options > Backup)
• Look for a Conflicts folder in your Binder
• Search for "conflicted copy" files in the .scriv folder
• Update all software and restart if you see "zero bytes" errors

Scrivener's sync isn't complicated. It's just unforgiving. Follow the rules and it works perfectly. 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.