How to download videos from Dropbox to Android?

Dropbox is a popular cloud storage service that lets you store files and folders online and access them from anywhere. It has native apps for Android that let you access your Dropbox account and files right from your Android device.

A common question many Dropbox users have is - "How do I download videos stored in my Dropbox account onto my Android phone or tablet?"

Read on as we provide a detailed, step-by-step guide on the multiple ways to download and save videos from Dropbox to your Android device.

Prerequisites - What You Need Before You Start

Before you can download Dropbox videos to your Android device, make sure you have the following:

• An active Dropbox account with videos uploaded to it.
• The Dropbox mobile app installed on your Android device. Get it from the Play Store.
• An internet connection on your Android device (WiFi or mobile data).
• Sufficient storage space on your Android device for the Dropbox videos you wish to download.

Method #1 - Download Dropbox Videos Through the Mobile App

The easiest way to download Dropbox videos to your Android device is directly through the official Dropbox app. Follow these steps:

1. Open the Dropbox App and Log In

Launch the Dropbox app on your Android device. Log in using your account credentials if prompted.

2. Navigate to the Dropbox Folder With Your Videos

Go to the folder in your Dropbox that contains the videos you wish to download.

3. Tap on the Video File You Want to Download

This will open the video preview screen.

4. Tap on the 3 Dot Menu > Download

This menu can be found on the top right. Tap on "Download".

5. Select Video Quality

A dialog will open asking you to select the video quality - High, Medium or Low. Choose one based on your preference.

6. Find the Video in "My Files"

The video will now download to the "My Files" or "File Manager" app on your Android device. You can access it there.

That's it! The video is now downloaded from your Dropbox account to your Android device's local storage.

Method #2 - Use the Dropbox Website to Download Videos

You can also use the Dropbox website on your Android device's browser to download videos. Follow these steps:

1. Open Dropbox Website and Log In

Launch the web browser on your Android device and go to dropbox.com. Log into your account if prompted.

2. Navigate to the Video's Folder

Go to the folder containing the video you want to download, just like on the mobile app.

3. Tap on the 3 Dot Menu Next to Video > Download

Tap on the 3 dot menu next to the video thumbnail and tap "Download".

4. Tap on Download Button

This will trigger the video download prompt. Tap on "Download" again.

5. Open the Download Notification

Once download completes, open the notification prompt from the top notification shade.

6. Tap on the Video File to View It

This will open the downloaded video in your device's media player app.

You now have the Dropbox video saved locally on your Android device.

Method #3 - Use Third Party Apps Like Dropbox Sync

You can also use third party apps like Dropbox Sync to easily download and save Dropbox videos to your Android device. Follow these steps:

1. Install the Dropbox Sync App

Install and launch the Dropbox Sync app from the Google Play Store on your Android device.

2. Log Into Your Dropbox Account

Enter your Dropbox credentials to link the app. Grant it the required permissions.

3. Select Videos to Download

Go to the "Videos" tab. Select the videos from your Dropbox you want to download.

4. Initiate Download

Tap the download icon next to each video to queue the download. Videos will start downloading to your device.

5. Find Videos in the App

Downloaded videos can be accessed directly within the Dropbox Sync app itself.

This provides an quick automated way to download multiple Dropbox videos to your Android device.

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to ever lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply Download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

How to Find the Downloaded Dropbox Videos on Android?

Once you've downloaded Dropbox videos via any of the above methods, here is where you can find them on your Android device:

• My Files / File Manager App - This is where videos downloaded via the Dropbox mobile app directly will be saved usually.
• Within Third Party Apps - If you used a third party app like Dropbox Sync, the videos will be present within those apps.
• Gallery App - Your Android device's media gallery app will also show all downloaded videos.
• Use File Search - You can also search for the video files using your device's file search option.

So those are the common locations you can find your downloaded Dropbox videos on an Android smartphone or tablet.

How to Transfer Dropbox Videos to SD Card Storage?

If your Android device has an SD card for additional storage, you may want to transfer the downloaded Dropbox videos to that external SD card to free up internal storage.

Here is how you can do it:

• Use File Manager - Open your Android file manager app, go to the folder with the videos > Select > Move to SD card option.
• Third Party Apps - There are apps like Move Files To SD Card that automate the process of transferring files from internal to external SD card storage.

Once transferred, your Dropbox videos will be saved in the SD card storage. You can access them there or move them back to internal storage when needed.

Troubleshooting Issues With Downloading Dropbox Videos

Here are some common troubleshooting tips for issues you may face when trying to download Dropbox videos to your Android device:

Videos not downloading

• Check your internet connection and retry.
• Restart the app/browser and retry.
• Free up space on your Android device.

Videos get stuck during download

• Pause the download and resume it to restart the download process.
• Check your internet connection consistency.
• Try downloading over WiFi if on mobile data.

Downloaded videos not playable

• Re-download the video and check.
• Make sure you have a compatible video player app on your Android device.
• Try transferring the video to computer and playing it.

Cannot find downloaded video

• Search your device storage using a file manager.
• Look in the default video folder location on your Android device model.
• Scan gallery, media apps for the video.
• Check the third party app's download folder if used one to download.

So those are some tips to troubleshoot issues when downloading Dropbox videos on your Android device.

Conclusion and Summary

To summarize, here are the key points about downloading videos from Dropbox to your Android device:

• Use the Dropbox mobile app or website to directly download videos.
• Alternatively, use a third party app like Dropbox Sync for easy automated downloading.
• Downloaded videos get saved locally on your device storage. You can transfer them to external SD card if you want.
• Troubleshoot issues with downloading by checking your internet connection, storage space, redownloading etc.
• Downloading videos from Dropbox to Android works seamlessly and does not alter the original files in your Dropbox account.

So those were the various methods to download videos from your Dropbox account to an Android phone or tablet. Now you can access your video library from Dropbox while on the go by following this handy guide.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Here are some common questions about downloading Dropbox videos to Android devices:

1. Do I have to pay to download videos from Dropbox to my Android device?
2. No, you can download videos from a free Dropbox account to your Android device for free. Only paid Dropbox plans have higher usage limits.
3. Will the downloaded videos remain in my Dropbox account?
4. Yes, downloading videos to your Android device simply creates a local copy. The original copy remains safely in your Dropbox account.
5. Can I download an entire folder of videos from Dropbox at once?
6. Unfortunately no. The mobile app only allows downloading one video at a time. You will have to select and download each video individually.
7. What video formats does Dropbox support?
8. Dropbox supports common video formats like MP4, AVI, MKV, WMV, MOV, FLV etc. But certain formats may not play properly on your Android device.
9. How do I delete the downloaded videos from my Android Device?
10. You can go to your device's file manager app, browse to the video > Select > Delete. Alternatively, delete the video from within your device's gallery app.
11. Is there a size limit for downloading Dropbox videos?
12. No, there is no specific size limit. But very large videos may fail to download properly.
13. Can I download videos from shared Dropbox folders?
14. Yes, as long as you have permission i.e. the folder is shared with you. The process remains the same.
15. How do I get the direct link to a Dropbox video for downloading?
16. On the Dropbox website, right-click on the video > Copy Link. This Dropbox video link can then be used for direct download.