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Sync with Dropbox

Dropbox is the recommended sync method for 2Do on Android. It carries every task property — including attachments, List Groups, Tag Groups, Smart Lists, and Search Presets — and is supported on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Android. Dropbox sync is included in 2Do for Android (no add-on purchase required, unlike CalDAV).

What Dropbox Sync Supports​

  • All task fields — title, notes, dates, alarms, recurrence, priority, action, location, sub-tasks.
  • Attachments (audio and picture).
  • List Groups, Tag Groups, Smart Lists, Search Presets — saved across devices.

What 2Do Stores in Dropbox​

2Do uses Dropbox's App Folder permission scope — it can only read and write files inside its own dedicated folder under Apps/ in your Dropbox. 2Do cannot read, modify, or even see any other file in your Dropbox. You cannot read 2Do's task data directly in Dropbox. Dropbox is only the place where your devices exchange the sync file, not a task viewer. All communication is over SSL.

Setup​

  1. Open Settings > Sync.
  2. Select Dropbox as the sync method.
  3. Tap Link and authorise 2Do against your Dropbox account.
  4. Confirm. 2Do creates its app folder and is ready to sync.
  5. Repeat on each device, signing in to the same Dropbox account. The first device seeds the folder. When the second device connects, you'll be asked to choose Replace Server Data or Replace Local Data — pick the direction matching where your data lives.
Use the exact same Dropbox account on every device

2Do can only sync devices that talk to the same Dropbox account. Connecting one device to me@example.com and another to me@gmail.com — even if the data inside both is yours — will leave the two devices completely isolated from each other.

If a device isn't seeing the same tasks as the rest, the first thing to verify is that Settings > Sync > Dropbox shows the same email/Dropbox username on every device. If they differ, disconnect the wrong account and re-link with the correct one.

After setup — your first sync

Close Settings and return to the main task list. Pull down on the task list to force the first sync. 2Do will then ask whether to Replace Server Data or Replace Local Data — choose carefully based on which side has the data you want to keep.

After the first sync, you can manually override the next sync any time under Settings > Sync > Next Sync Action — pick Sync Normally, Replace Local Data, or Replace Server Data before triggering the next sync. The setting auto-resets to Sync Normally afterwards.

Daily Sync​

Once set up, 2Do for Android syncs in the background as Android allows. Pull down on the task list to force an immediate sync.

Common Issues​

"Dropbox Not Linked"​

The link to Dropbox has expired or been revoked. Re-link from Settings > Sync by tapping Link to Dropbox.

Dropbox v1_retired error​

Dropbox has retired old API versions over time. Update 2Do to the latest version from Google Play.

504 timeout / 509 bandwidth errors​

A 504 typically means Dropbox couldn't be reached in time — check your network and retry. A 509 means the Dropbox App Folder bandwidth limit for free Dropbox accounts has been exceeded; wait until the quota resets, or upgrade your Dropbox plan.

Dropbox metadata reset​

If Dropbox's data storage is reset (rare), 2Do prompts you to choose how to proceed: replace existing data in Dropbox with what's in 2Do, or the other way around. Choose carefully — pick the side with the data you want to keep.

Different task counts on different devices​

If one device shows a different count than the rest, it likely missed a sync cycle. Open 2Do on the lagging device and pull-to-refresh.

Setting Up Another Device & Troubleshooting​

  • Adding another device — install 2Do, sign in to the exact same Dropbox account, and let the first sync pull your data down. See Setting up a new device for the full walk-through.
  • One device showing different tasks? — see One of my devices isn't syncing correctly. The standard recovery is: run a clean sync on the most up-to-date device, then Replace Local Data on the lagging ones.
  • Replace Server Data vs Replace Local Data — picking the wrong side can overwrite good data. Pause and read Replace Server Data vs Replace Local Data before confirming. You can re-trigger the choice any time under Settings > Sync > Next Sync Action.

Privacy​

  • 2Do syncs through Dropbox's app-sandboxed App Folder mechanism. Inside Apps/, 2Do only sees its own dedicated 2Do folder — every other folder in your Dropbox (including other apps under Apps/) is invisible and inaccessible to it.
Don't hand-edit, rename, move, or delete the 2Do folder

The files inside Apps/2Do are not meant to be human-readable. They're an internal sync database 2Do uses to coordinate state across your devices. Editing, renaming, moving, copying, or deleting any file in this folder by hand can break sync irrevocably and cause data corruption that's difficult or impossible to recover from.

If you need to change your Dropbox setup (move accounts, reset, etc.), do it from inside 2Do's Settings > Sync — never by touching the folder directly.

  • All traffic between 2Do and Dropbox is encrypted in transit (SSL).

Tips​

tip

Pair Dropbox sync with regular backups from Settings > Manage Backups. Backups are independent of sync, so you have an extra recovery path.

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