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Deleted files keep reappearing

Hi all,

I know that many threads on this issue exist in the forum, but I couldn't find anyone that helped in my case, or the issues are slightly different. Before contacting support directly I thought that it might be good to describe it here in the forum (and hopefully someone can help me ).

I have in my dropbox a couple of PDF files in the main Dropbox folder and a subfolder (which has also one subfolder with ca. a hundred PDF files) that always keep reappearing after I deleted them, usually within half an hour (sometimes it happens instantly). They are not shared. I got this issue only very recently, and some time after I upgraded to Dropbox Plus (last month). Before, I had Dropbox Basic and I really never had this issue (which makes it even more frustrating).

I have tried everything that I could possibly imagine. I unlinked all of my devices, reinstalled Dropbox, I reverted to an older version of the files, I put them on the hard drive and back again in Dropbox, I (permanently) deleted them in the browser...nothing helps. When I rename them, they are still added with the original name (the renamed copies stay - I probably could multiply them infinitely like that).

These files are not old files from two years ago (saw some people in the forum having this issue). The issue appeared when I put these files and folders originally at the same place where they keep reappering now with their original name. Last week, I moved them to another folder and renamed them, but they stayed in my Dropbox. So I have these files/folders with different names and directory, but their "original" versions keep reappearing at their "original" place.

It's a bit like these "original" files are stuck in the cloud servers forever, and they are always put back like that in my own Dropbox. I don't know if there was an issue with the syncing, or some other technical problem. It can also be something I did wrong, though I don't really know what. As I said, never had these issues before and use Dropbox a lot, on at least three devices regularly (Mac and Windows). No device has been added shortly before or since I have this issue.

I hope that I could describe my problem with as many details as possible, and hopefully as clear as possible.

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

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Accepted answers

Gonoza

Thank you @310EI for your reply! I found the solution to my problem, but it was very specific to my case.

I had already unlinked all the devices once, and it didn't work. However, after your reply, I tried it a second time (still didn't solve the issue), but while doing it I also remembered that I had a Dropbox app running on my own cloud at home that I own physically, which allowed it to backup the content of the Dropbox folder in my "private" cloud and also keep this backup synched. My cloud did not appear in the list of linked devices.

It did not delete the files in question and somehow did not notice that I deleted them in Dropbox, so there was an issue with the synchronisation and backup process. Uninstalled the app on my cloud, then deleted the reappearing files in Dropbox - and haven't appeared since

So problem solved! And many thanks for your help and efforts!

All comments

310EI

@Gonoza wrote:
Hi all,

I have in my dropbox a couple of PDF files in the main Dropbox folder and a subfolder (which has also one subfolder with ca. a hundred PDF files) that always keep reappearing after I deleted them, usually within half an hour (sometimes it happens instantly). They are not shared.

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

Hello, @Gonoza...

Just to be 100% certain and so that we can absolutely alleviate this as a possible problem, please look here when logged-in to the web interface. Are there any shared collaborative folders appearing in that area?

If there is then that's probably why those files reappear after deletion.

If not, then we can move forward to find a different solution.

HELP CENTER ARTICLES:

Gonoza

Hi @310EI

Yes indeed, there are shared folders (the most recent one was added 2 months ago). Though the files that keep reappearing in my case are not related to these shared folders. Do you think that they could still cause this issue?

310EI

@Gonoza wrote:
Hi @310EI

Yes indeed, there are shared folders (the most recent one was added 2 months ago). Though the files that keep reappearing in my case are not related to these shared folders. Do you think that they could still cause this issue?

Hello, @Gonoza...

Thank you for double-checking your shared folders :nerd:

Well, if you're sure that the folder/files that keep reappearing are not in those shared folders, then my answer is no.

Are you logged-in to any other devices (eg: tablet, phone, etc.) using the same Dropbox credentials (email and password)? If you're not sure, you can look here while logged-in to Dropbox's web interface. Once in your security area, scroll downward to the DEVICES section.

If you have other devices listed there that you forgot about, then it's possible those reappearing files are coming from that source. If not, then we can at least alleviate that as a possibility.

Let us know when you have time.

HELP CENTER ARTICLES:

Gonoza

Thank you @310EI for your reply! I found the solution to my problem, but it was very specific to my case.

So problem solved! And many thanks for your help and efforts!

310EI

@Gonoza wrote:
Thank you @310EI for your reply! I found the solution to my problem, but it was very specific to my case.

I had already unlinked all the devices once, and it didn't work. However, after your reply, I tried it a second time (still didn't solve the issue), but while doing it I also remembered that I had a Dropbox app running on my own cloud at home that I own physically, which allowed it to backup the content of the Dropbox folder in my "private" cloud and also keep this backup synched. My cloud did not appear in the list of linked devices.

It did not delete the files in question and somehow did not notice that I deleted them in Dropbox, so there was an issue with the synchronisation and backup process. Uninstalled the app on my cloud, then deleted the reappearing files in Dropbox - and haven't appeared since

So problem solved! And many thanks for your help and efforts!

Hello, @Gonoza...

You're welcome. That's super.

Hmmm, well... with my "Crystal Ball" in the repair shop this weekend... I can safely say that I would not have come up with that as a solution :nerd:. However, I'm glad that I could help you to ignite the light bulb in your mind to remember the "other device"... your private cloud :white_check_mark:

That's fantastic news that you solved the mystery behind the reappearing folder/files. No worries, you're very welcome.

Thank you for taking the time to explain what you did to solve your particular problem.

Max M.18

Same problem here:

Moved a folder from Dropbox and noticed that it reappeared. I have a
Drobpox on Windows 10, synced to another Dropbox on Windows 10. An empty folder reappears after being deleted.

Right clicked on the folder, >Drobpox > View On Dropbox.com

Saw that the folder online has 3 files which surprise: contains 3 files which I just deleted.

Deleted the files online, then the folder was successfully deleted on a WIndows 10 computer and didn't reappear.

Weird, why would the files be deleted from a local but not Cloud folder?

Even more disturbing is that I see plenty of similar complaints for many years on this site and the answers are unsatisfactory. There is something weird going on an no one is trying to fix it.

Elya

hi.

i am having the same issues.

tried so many way to delete the file, but it reappears again.

i dont have no idea what to do.

can you please help.

Walter

Hey there @Elya - sorry to hear this!

Your best bet here would be to check the file's history (if it is a folder, check within the folder itself). If you check the previous versions of the file and see that it was accessed from another computer, you can delete it off of that computer to stop it from reappearing in your Dropbox account.

Having said that, I'd really like to help so I've reached out to you via email as well through your existing ticket - check your inbox for my last email and get back to me when you get the chance

Thanks!

Noelle N.

Hello,

I am having a similar issue; 3 files keep reappearing even when I permanently delete tem. When looking in the Previous Versions tab, I see that the deleted file is reappearing from the "API app". What does that mean?

Right now, my dropbox is synced on my laptop and cellphone. I've tried deleting them from both locations, yet they reappear. The files were added there in 2017, except one was added in 2018.

One thing they all have in common is that they have the symbol "%" in their title. Just to test if that could be linked to the problem, I removed that symbol from their name, waited until everything synced, then deleted them. They reappeared with their original name (i.e. with the xymbol "%").

Help please!

Rich

@Noelle N. wrote:
... I see that the deleted file is reappearing from the "API app". What does that mean?

It means a third-party app (using Dropbox's API) that you've linked to your account is placing the file in your Dropbox. You can see all the apps linked to your account on the following page:

https://www.dropbox.com/account/connected_apps

Noelle N.

Thank you Rich, that helped me solve my problem!