Body
Environment
Dropbox at U-M
Issue
What is a conflicted copy in Dropbox, how is it created, and how do I resolve it?
Resolution
Special Information: Starting on
4/27/2026, some users on
macOS devices who use the
Dropbox desktop app are reporting that they are seeing a copy of their
personal name root folder that follows the specific naming convention of "
Firstname Lastname (Firstname Lastname's conflicted copy 2026-##-##) (shared folder conflict)." We do not see this behavior with Team Folders at this time.
If you are affected by this issue, you will need to follow Dropbox’s process for resolving conflicted copies:
- Review the content in both folders (conflicted and original).
- Move any files or folders that exist only in the conflicted folder to their original locations. (This should not affect sharing.)
- Delete the conflicted folder once all data has been consolidated.
A conflicted copy is often created when multiple people edit the same Dropbox file simultaneously, resulting in multiple versions of the file with the editor’s name, "conflicted copy," and the save date added to the file name. Conflicting copies may also be generated through syncing errors.
To resolve a conflicted copy:
- Identify the conflicted copy, which is usually labeled with the editor's name and save date.
- Manually compare both versions of the file.
- Merge the changes from the conflicted copy into a single document.
For Microsoft Word files, refer to Microsoft's help article on comparing and merging documents.
To prevent future conflicted copies:
- Use real-time collaboration tools such as Dropbox Paper or Microsoft 365.
- Move the file out of the Dropbox folder while editing to prevent others from accessing it.
- After editing, move the file back to its original Dropbox location.
- Create a new folder named "In Use" for files currently being worked on to signal collaborators.
- Use Microsoft co-authoring or Dropbox Badge to coordinate editing when notified of another user's activity.
Additional Information
Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.