From Dropbox to LockItVault: A Migration Guide for Creators

Migrating a creator library out of Dropbox is rarely a single “download and re-upload” step—especially once you have multiple terabytes, thousands of files, shared folders, and client deliverables mixed across years.

This guide is designed for professional creators and small teams who want a migration that is:

• Low risk: you do not lose files, metadata, or project context
• Verifiable: you can confirm what moved and what did not
• Staged: you can migrate in controlled batches without shutting down work
• Reversible: you keep a fallback window before you decommission anything

The approach below avoids provider drama. It is a practical workflow you can execute with standard tooling and careful sequencing.

Before you start: define “done” and choose a migration style

Big-bang vs staged migration

There are two safe styles:

Big-bang migration (one cutover window) works when:

• your library is moderate in size
• your team can pause edits/uploads for a day or two
• you have enough local storage to stage the export

Staged migration (recommended for large libraries) works when:

• you have multi‑TB archives
• you have ongoing projects that cannot stop
• you want to verify in batches and reduce rework

In most creator workflows, staged is the correct default.

Working set vs archive set

Before exporting anything, split your Dropbox library into two sets:

• Working set: active projects, current client folders, assets used weekly
• Archive set: completed work, long-term retention, historical deliverables

This matters because it influences storage class, upload cadence, and access expectations.

For guidance on choosing access speed vs archive efficiency, see:

• Cold Storage vs Hybrid Storage: /blog/cold-storage-vs-hybrid

Step 1: Inventory your Dropbox library

Treat this as a short reconnaissance step. The goal is to remove unknowns.

Size, file count, and largest folders

Record:

• total storage used
• the top 10 largest folders
• any single folders with unusually high file counts

If you are migrating a multi‑TB library, you should plan the migration folder-by-folder (or project-by-project), not “everything at once.”

Shared links and shared folders

Make a list of:

• shared folders used for collaboration
• any “delivery” links clients still access
• folders that are shared across multiple collaborators with different permissions

A migration is not complete until you have a plan for recreating sharing without breaking ongoing work.

Paper and other non-file content

If you have Dropbox Paper docs or other content that is not a normal file in a folder, decide whether it needs to be exported separately.

Step 2: Prepare your destination (LockItVault)

Use a structure you can export later

A strong migration is not only about “moving data”; it is about arriving with a structure that stays manageable.

Recommended top-level structure:

• /Working/
• /Archive/

Inside those, use project-bounded folders, ideally chronological (or client-based) so you can export a project cleanly later.

If you want a deeper guide to long-term library structure, see:

• How to Store Large Media Libraries Long-Term: /blog/large-media-library-storage

Choose a storage class intentionally (hybrid vs cold)

A simple rule:

• Put the Working set in hybrid (fast access + efficient archiving over time)
• Put the Archive set in cold/archive storage (optimized for retention)

You can migrate the archive first (less operational risk), then migrate the working set closer to cutover.

Step 3: Export from Dropbox safely

Recommended approach for large libraries: desktop sync to local storage

For large creator libraries, the most reliable approach is to use a desktop sync client so your files exist as real files on disk during staging.

Practical recommendations:

• Sync to a drive with ample free space (avoid getting stuck mid-export)
• Do not change folder names while the sync is running
• If your library is very large, use selective sync to stage one migration batch at a time

Export in batches (folder-by-folder)

Use a batching plan that matches your workflow. Examples:

• by year (Archive/2023, Archive/2024, etc.)
• by client
• by project

A migration batch should be small enough that you can:

• upload it in one or two sessions
• validate it without guessing
• re-run the batch if needed

Handling very large files

For very large videos and archives:

• prefer tooling that supports resuming uploads
• avoid browser-based workflows for mission-critical large-file transfer when possible
• do a small pilot batch first to confirm your process

Step 4: Verify locally before uploading

Do not skip verification. It prevents quiet failures that only appear when a client requests a file months later.

File counts and spot checks

For each batch:

• compare file counts (Dropbox vs local)
• spot-check representative file types:
• RAW photos and sidecars (e.g., XMP)
• NLE projects
• large video masters
• exports and deliverables

Checksums for irreplaceable assets

For the most important files (masters, irreplaceable RAW, project files), generate checksums and store them alongside the batch.

Examples:

macOS / Linux (SHA‑256):

shasum -a 256 "Master_4K_v02.mov" >> CHECKSUMS.sha256

Windows (SHA‑256):

certutil -hashfile "Master_4K_v02.mov" SHA256

Keep a CHECKSUMS.sha256 file in each project folder (or each batch root).

Step 5: Upload to LockItVault (staged and verifiable)

Preserve structure and naming

During upload:

• keep the folder hierarchy stable
• avoid “cleanup renames” mid-migration
• keep project context together (project file + assets + exports)

If you want to change naming conventions, do it after you have a verified, stable destination copy.

Bandwidth planning and retries

Large migrations fail for normal reasons (Wi‑Fi drops, sleep mode, ISP variability).

Mitigations:

• upload during off-peak hours if possible
• keep uploads batch-sized
• track completion in a checklist (do not rely on memory)

Step 6: Cut over with minimal disruption

A cutover is a coordination problem, not only a technical one.

Choose a freeze window

For the working set, pick a window where:

• nobody is uploading or editing files in Dropbox
• deliverables for that window have already been sent
• collaborators know where “the source of truth” will be after cutover

If you cannot freeze fully, migrate the archive first and keep the working set on Dropbox until a scheduled cutover date.

Re-create sharing safely

When re-creating sharing on the new platform:

• share deliverables, not entire archives
• prefer permissioned access (when available) over “anyone with the link”
• revoke or expire old delivery links when the engagement ends

For risk context and account resilience, see:

• What Happens When Cloud Storage Accounts Are Terminated?: /blog/account-termination-risks

Step 7: Keep Dropbox as a temporary fallback, then decommission

Do not cancel Dropbox the day the upload finishes.

A safer posture is a parallel run:

• keep Dropbox as a fallback for a defined period (commonly 2–4 weeks)
• confirm that you can retrieve and rebuild representative projects from the new storage
• ensure collaborators have transitioned

Once stable:

• downgrade/cancel intentionally
• confirm billing and renewal settings
• ensure you have no lingering client links that will break unexpectedly

Common migration pitfalls (and how to avoid them)

• Silent partial exports: batch and verify; do not assume “it finished”
• Missing project dependencies: ensure you copied LUTs, fonts, proxies, and presets
• Broken collaboration flows: inventory shared folders and delivery links before cutover
• Renaming during migration: do it after the destination copy is verified
• No exit plan: keep your structure project-bounded so you can export later without a rebuild

Migration checklist

• [ ] Inventory Dropbox: size, largest folders, shared links, shared folders
• [ ] Split library: Working vs Archive
• [ ] Create destination structure: /Working and /Archive
• [ ] Pilot batch migrated and verified
• [ ] Archive batches migrated first (low operational risk)
• [ ] Checksums generated for critical assets
• [ ] Working set cutover window scheduled
• [ ] Sharing recreated conservatively
• [ ] Parallel run completed (Dropbox kept as fallback)
• [ ] Dropbox downgraded/canceled deliberately

Where LockItVault fits

LockItVault’s plans are structured around capacity and storage class (hybrid vs cold). If you are migrating a large archive first, a cold-optimized plan can provide a predictable long-term retention layer, while hybrid plans support faster access for active work. View plans at /#planprice, or start with a plan selection at /register?plan=deep_space_explorer_free.