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Forum Discussion
If I delete a Dropbox file synced on my computer, will it delete it from my Dropbox account?
I have been trying to copy all of my files on my computer to drop box. I am on to pictures and have a ton - now I'm running out of space on my hard drive. Can I safely delete files from my hard drive? I am worried if I do this, my synced files in dropbox will also be deleted. Please help!
Keiran wrote:
... I cannot delete it from my machine without losing my files ... Rubbish!Sure you can. As described previously, Selective Sync allows you to remove the local copy of a folder while keeping that folder in your account online. If you have a Professional account, you also have access to Smart Sync, which allows you to remove the local copy of a file or folder while still having it appear on your local drive.
Your Dropbox in the cloud is a mirror of the Dropbox folder on the hard drive. Files added to the Dropbox folder on the hard drive are uploaded to the cloud, but must also remain on the hard drive . If you delete them from the hard drive, they will similarly be deleted from the cloud. The local and cloud folders are kept in step. Dropbox provides mirror storage, not additional storage.
Robert J.wrote:Your Dropbox in the cloud is a mirror of the Dropbox folder on the hard drive. Files added to the Dropbox folder on the hard drive are uploaded to the cloud, but must also remain on the hard drive . If you delete them from the hard drive, they will similarly be deleted from the cloud. The local and cloud folders are kept in step. Dropbox provides mirror storage, not additional storage.
I tend to have a different perspective. What is stated in the quote is perfectly true for all folders that you choose to sync. Whenever you create a folder, either within your local Dropbox folder hierarchy or on dropbox.com, the default is that the folder will be synced.
Dropbox certainly provides additional storage by offering the option to create folder hierarchies that are not synced to your local device(s). I have a number of folders with very large music projects that I only keep on dropbox.com. On my local devices I deselect these folders under the "Selective sync" setting. This is very convenient for backup purposes.
So what is the point of paying for box if i still need to keep all my pics on my hard drive? I thought my photos were savely kept on Dropbox if anything happened to my hard drive?? The way i understand most replies is that i am wasting my money......
Robert J. wrote:Your Dropbox in the cloud is a mirror of the Dropbox folder on the hard drive. Files added to the Dropbox folder on the hard drive are uploaded to the cloud, but must also remain on the hard drive . If you delete them from the hard drive, they will similarly be deleted from the cloud. The local and cloud folders are kept in step. Dropbox provides mirror storage, not additional storage.
- I totally agree ... there must be a million better solutions out there .... My Mac BookPro is chewed up with all the data that I have and now I find that I cannot delete it from my machine without losing my files ... Rubbish!
I am pretty sure that when I subscribed to a paid "Drop Box Account" it asked me how much "Storage" I was wanting ... not how much "Sync" I required !!
I inadvertantly added a Word doc to my Dropbox file when I meant to move it on my computer desktop. I was able to open it in my Dropbox and re-save it to my desktop. When I tried to delete it from my Dropbox I got a pop-up message saying if I did that I would also delete it from my hard drive and all devices.
How can I delete the Word doc from my Dropbox but NOT delete it from my computer desktop at the same time?
Thanks fo you help!
If I uninstall dropbox from my computer, will all of my files still be in the cloud?
- Robert S.
Super User alumni
...are saying dropbox is merely mirror storage, not additional storage?
Correct. Dropbox is a file synchronisation tool, not a cloud drive.
If it's only necessary to have your mobile devices linked, no problem, you can just uninstall it from the computer.
You could also choose to leave the computer linked, but manage the space Dropbox will use with Selective Sync.
- Don't delete!!! Unsync!!!! Go into your Dropbox icon in the upper right corner of your screen and click on the "Settings" icon. Then pull down and select the "Preferences" choice: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h6lvoegv2iqbcal/Screenshot%202017-12-20%2017.32.25.png?dl=0 From Preferences, you'll get a popup... Click on the "Sync" icon and then "Choose folders to sync" which will allow you to unsync folders from your desktop. https://www.dropbox.com/s/whyb2fo3jqgjiew/Screenshot%202017-12-20%2017.33.04.png?dl=0
Im still hesitant to make a move on this. I want to delete files on my computer without deleting them from my drop box. One guy says this is not possible. Following your steps, I come to my final step which is to Update Selective Sync Settings. It says that the files will be removed from my computers dropbox. BUT, will they still be in my online dropbox? Will I still be able to access them in my online drop box?
And I notice its not the same form my iphone. When I delete photos on my phone they are still in my dropbox. Why doesn't it work this way on my computer?
- Rich
Super User II
Ferguson wrote:
... I come to my final step which is to Update Selective Sync Settings. It says that the files will be removed from my computers dropbox. BUT, will they still be in my online dropbox?
Yes, they will still be in your account online. Just make sure they're fully synced BEFORE you use Selective Sync.
Will I still be able to access them in my online drop box?Yes, through the Dropbox website.
And I notice its not the same form my iphone. When I delete photos on my phone they are still in my dropbox. Why doesn't it work this way on my computer?The desktop and mobile apps are not meant to work the same way. Your phone doesn't sync files like the desktop does. It's just used to view what's in your account, and upload/download files as needed. There is no syncing taking place unless a file is marked for offline use.
Robert J, I have a similar question and was wondering if you could help. I wanted to delete the drop box files off of my pc because its taking sooooo much space. But you are saying dropbox is merely mirror storage, not additional storage? So is dropbox just like a backup? And of course a means to easily share? What is an alternative app or other choices if I really just need all the pics and vids taken off of my pc and put somewhere else so I can free up space on my pc. The main things I will be storing are photos and video tutorials from iphone, ipad and gopro. I am starting to see that maybe dropbox is not what Im looking for? My pc and both mobile devices are near capacity for storage, I need additional safe storage that I can easily reach from mobile devices and easily use again from mobile devices if necessary. Thank you sooooooo much for your help!!
- Robert S.
If I uninstall dropbox from my computer, will all of my files still be in the cloud?
Yes.
Uninstalling Dropbox from your computer just removes the software, it doesn't remove any files from DB's servers or the Dropbox folder.
I have uninstalled dropbox, but there are still files in a dropbox folder taking up space on my computer. I tried deleting some of the folders, but then checked dropbox.com and it deleted them from there too. HELP! My computer is full and I need to free up some space.
- Make sure the app is uninstalled in the computer only then you can delete the files from your hard drive without worrying that it will delete it in your dropbox account.
Im using mac. I deleted the app.
as soon as I deleted the app.
I went on my hard drive files and check a file that I knew I shared in the dropbox(Of course I made sure files that are important are copied on an external drive as well).
I deleted the file in my hard drive, and check online account it is still there.
Freed up space from my computer and files are still in my dropbox account. Always make sure have a backup copy on an external drive.
I have dropbox installed on my machine under two different users and would like to delete it from one of them as the account is no longer used and I'm doubling up on hd space because of it. The issue I have is that the account has be removed and cannot be logged into. I can still access the files through c drive users file in explorer. If delete it here will it delete the files that are linked on other machines? I hope not as I cannot log into the user account and therefore cannot sync to dropbox from it. I hope this all makes some sense!?
Regardless of either account exist or not or logged in, when a computer has an installed dropboxed and has an account sync, that file deleted in from your pc will be deleted as well.
to be safe save all your files on an external hd before deleting in your computer.
If you are sharing the file to someone in dropbox,upod deletion they will no longer see it.
- What are the current (3/2019) answers to this question? Do I delete the app? Or no?
I need a place to put images and be able to remove from my devices.
Please advise.- Rich
AngelStorm wrote:
What are the current (3/2019) answers to this question?The answers above are still accurate.
Do I delete the app? Or no?That depends on what you're trying to do. You haven't really provided much information.
I need a place to put images and be able to remove from my devices.Install the Dropbox app and sign-in. Move (not copy) your images to the Dropbox folder on your computer and wait for them to finish syncing (VERY important!). You want to see a green check on all your files to indicate that they're synced, and the Dropbox icon in your system tray on (Windows) or menu bar (Mac) will say Up to date when you hover your cursor over it.
Then, go into Dropbox Preferences, on the Sync tab, and click the Select Folders button under the Selective Sync section. Uncheck the folder(s) that you don't want to keep on your computer. Once you confirm the selections, any folder you've unchecked will be removed from your computer but will remain in your account online.
Again, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you wait for syncing to finish BEFORE you remove a folder using Selective Sync. Unchecking a folder that hasn't finished syncing will remove it from your computer before it has had a chance to upload to your account.
I understand that I can make a folder in my Dropbox folder on my computer and put files in it. The folder I made and the files I put in it will be uploaded to my online account. Once that process is complete, I can go into Selective Sync and un-check the folder. Then the folder and its contents will be removed from my computer Dropbox but still be present in my online account. Seems pretty simple.
I have Dropbox installed on multiple computers, and each had a different set of folders checked in Selective Sync. Dropbox online acts as the central repository and each computer only has the folders and files I need on that machine.What I don't understand is why when I delete a file or folder on one machine, I get a pop-up warning me that it will be deleted everywhere. On another computer, the file or folder just gets deleted (everywhere) but there is no pop-up. Is this difference in behavior dependent on Windows UAC settings? I don't see anything in Dropbox preferences (including Notifications) that relates to this warning pop-up.
