Backblaze Versus Dropbox
Backblaze has stopped backing up cloud storage services like Dropbox and iCloud Drive because they use Apple's File Provider APIs, making files appear local without being fully downloaded. Users of Maestral, a Dropbox client that syncs to a regular local folder, report Backblaze still backs up their Dropbox content. Dropbox's own old-school client mode may also work, but results are inconsistent.
Background
- **Backblaze**: online service that backs up entire computers (including external drives) for a flat fee — different from sync/file-storage services like Dropbox or iCloud Drive.
- **Dropbox, iCloud Drive, etc.** : sync services that now often use Apple's **File Provider API**, creating "placeholder" files on your Mac that aren't actually downloaded until opened. Traditional backup software can't see these.
- **Maestral**: a third-party open-source Dropbox client that uses the old method: a real, always-local folder. Backblaze can back that up because the files physically exist.
- **What changed**: Backblaze stopped attempting to back up folders managed by File Provider APIs (including Dropbox's modern client), since those files may not truly be local. The behavior varies by client version and is poorly documented.
- **Source**: Daring Fireball (John Gruber), an influential Apple blog; Michael Tsai's post collects links to community discussion.