How to Use Dropbox on Raspberry Pi

To transfer a file from a Raspberry Pi to Dropbox, install Dropbox-Uploader, authorize it with a Dropbox app, then supply a local file path and a destination in Dropbox. You need Raspberry Pi OS, network access, a Dropbox account, and permission to install packages and run a shell script. Dropbox’s authorization screens can change, so follow the prompts from your installed tool and the current Dropbox console.

Install Dropbox-Uploader on Raspberry Pi

Open a terminal on the Pi. Refresh package lists with sudo apt update, then install the tools used to download the project with sudo apt install curl git. Package-manager commands require network access and may ask you to confirm the changes.

Clone the project with git clone https://github.com/andreafabrizi/Dropbox-Uploader.git, then enter the directory Git created in your current working directory with cd Dropbox-Uploader. Start setup there with chmod +x dropbox_uploader.sh followed by ./dropbox_uploader.sh.

The script may already be executable; chmod +x ensures the shell can launch it. Run it from the project directory so its relative files are available. Review the repository and its scripts before running them, and read package-manager prompts before confirming changes. Package details and prompts can differ between Raspberry Pi OS releases, and these installation commands have not been executed as part of this article preparation.

Create and configure a Dropbox app

Sign in to Dropbox and create an app in the current Dropbox developer console. Select an access scope appropriate for the files you plan to manage, and grant only the permissions the task requires. Console labels and available authorization methods can change, so follow the current interface rather than relying on a fixed sequence of buttons or an old screenshot.

Depending on the tool version and Dropbox’s current authorization flow, setup may ask for app credentials and then direct you to authorize access in a browser. Use the instructions displayed by dropbox_uploader.sh and check the project’s current usage documentation if its prompts do not match the console. This article does not establish which credential fields or authorization steps Dropbox currently requires. Keep app secrets and authorization codes private; do not post them in public or share them with others.

Authorize Dropbox-Uploader and transfer files

Start ./dropbox_uploader.sh from the project directory and follow its setup prompts. Review the account and configuration details before confirming, then wait for the script to report that setup is complete or its configuration was saved. If authorization does not complete, check the installed version’s usage instructions and the Dropbox app settings before trying again.

The upload command takes the local path first and the Dropbox destination second. This local preview prints a command using example paths; it does not contact Dropbox. Replace either path with values for your Pi and account.

local_file="/home/pi/image.png"
dropbox_path="/newDirectory"
printf './dropbox_uploader.sh upload %s %s\n' "$local_file" "$dropbox_path"

The preview prints this command:

./dropbox_uploader.sh upload /home/pi/image.png /newDirectory

Now run the printed command from the Dropbox-Uploader directory after authorization. In the command form ./dropbox_uploader.sh upload <local-file> <Dropbox-path>, the angle-bracketed values are placeholders: provide a real local filename and a Dropbox path such as /newDirectory. Check the script’s response, then confirm that the file appears in the chosen Dropbox folder. The source example had an extra period after image.png; do not include it in the filename.

The tool also provides download and delete commands. Check the usage instructions printed by your installed version for their exact arguments. Deleting a remote file is consequential, so verify the account and Dropbox path before using delete. If an upload fails, check network access, the local path, app permissions, and whether authorization is still valid. No live Dropbox authorization or transfer is demonstrated here.