Child Item

Missing desktop files after deleting dropbox

Hi
a while ago (6 months ago) I downloaded DropBox app and checked syncing with my personal Desktop files (although I think I disabled that immediately). It synced, but because I was using free version, only 2GB from my 60GB desktop were stored, the rest was not. Some time ago i uninstalled Dropbox (but now I am confused if i really did) and everything was fine. I kept on living like that since then, no issues, but today when I found I still have some remaining of files with 'Dropbox' in their names, I deleted them and all my Desktop files are now gone + I cannot save anything on my Desktop as it is just gone
also, when I check what is my Desktop is pointing to it says "Desktop -> /Users/chopchop/Dropbox/My Mac (iMac (Chop))/Desktop"
So I assume I just deleted my Dropbox directory today, and by deleting it, I deleted my desktop files which were not stored in Dropbox unfortunatelly.

Should I just reinstall dropbox? When I try, it says that original dropbox directory is missing or relocated. Should i just create new directory and move app there?
do u have any idea how to resolve lack of Desktop + this referencing, or do u recommend any files-recovery software which could help?

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Accepted answers

Walter

Hi @chopchop, sorry to hear about this.

It sounds like you enabled the computer backup feature at some point.

If that's the case, you can find the steps to disable it here.

As per your missing files, do you see any signs of them in your deleted files page or the events page?

If not, they never made it to our servers, so you may need to be looking for them locally on your device, be it in their original locations or your trash can. You could also try enabling hidden files to show in Finder to see if you can find any of them that way.

Keep me posted anyhow!

Mod note: updated links in post [last update 2023]

All comments

Walter

Mod note: updated links in post [last update 2023]

chopchop

Hello, thank you for your interest

So yeah, I enabled backup of my Desktop at the time of installing the app and forgot to turn it off before uninstalling the Dropbox directory from my home directory (Although, I remember being confused about the option that appear after you click on "Manage backup" - "Keep content in folders on this PC/Mac" (cause I thought deleting files from Dropbox will delete files from my computer anyway) and instead of checking it, I just left backup turned on 😕 ).

So my Desktop since then was inside a Dropbox directory, and by deleting Dropbox directory, I deleted my Desktop content

By reinstalling dropbox in original location, the link to desktop was also restored and my files from Dropbox appeared on my Desktop, although it wasn't up-to-date cause my backup was old and not completed fully.

And yeah, unfortunately I empty my trash immediately after deleting the stuff so it is gone but at least it helped me recover from being too attached to all clutter that I collected so far. And I saved some space now.

Cg28

I deleted files similar to Chop Chop but I was able to restore from my recycle bin. How to I delete the backup folder on Dropbox without deleting files on my computer. Thanks!

Hannah

Hey @Cg28, thanks for the nudge here.

To delete the backup folder without deleting your desktop files, you'd need to disable the backup feature and move your files back to their original location first.

Did you try following the steps my colleague @Walter provided above?

Cg28

Hey @Hannah!

Thanks for getting back to me. I FINALLY found where the backup button resides thanks to your suggestion to look at Walter’s comment. But now I need to know do you mean by moving them back. Do mean create the zip file? I appreciate any help you can give me.

Hannah

Perfect, I'm happy to see you were able to find the button to disable computer backup.

During this process, you should have been asked if you want to keep your files in their original locations (step 6), was that not the case?

DonaldLiberatore

Somehow drop box is backing up in real-time everything I do on both computer and iphone.

How do I stop all this activity, and safely delete unwanted files/folders from drop box WHITHOUT deleting them from my computer.

Should I choose to delete from my computer, will the files be then deleted from drop box?

Should I choose to delete from drop box, will the files be then deleted from my computer?

Will drop box delete from 'ONE-DRIVE' AND 'SUGAR SYNCH????

Hannah

Hey @DonaldLiberatore, thanks for commenting here.

It sounds like you've enabled computer backup on your Dropbox application.

At this point, any file you delete from Dropbox, will be deleted from your computer and vice versa.

You can disable it and move your files back to their original locations, by following the steps here.

Confusedashell

I am having the same problem. My docs are gone. I repeated the steps above but still no luck. This is terrible. What am I doing wrong?

Jay

Hi @Confusedashell, how long ago were the files deleted from your account?

Do they appear at all on the events page?

Confusedashell

Sunday night. They don't appear on the events page. Thx.

Megan

Hey @Confusedashell!

Have you checked for any missing file names under your Finder/File Explorer on your device?

Also, did you happen to empty your trash when the content was deleted?

Let me know!

Confusedashell

I have not emptied trash can. I don't know what you mean by File Finder Explorer? Are your talking about Search? This is a freaking disaster. I need a fix right now.

Megan

Just to clarify, when you checked your events page, did you see any additions to said files?

Have you also taken a look at your deleted files page?

Confusedashell

Are you talking about "events page" on Mac or Dropbox? Same for deleted files? I can search files on my Mac. Thx.

sam321

Hello everyone

I also have the same problem, i found a file in my hard drive named Dropbox, i deleted it and lost all my files.

i've stopped syncing to dropbox back in December 2021, this happened last week.

When i deleted the file it didn't go to the trash, i tried downloading drop box again but it keeps giving me a message saying that the dropbox file location has been changed and ask me to relocate it to the previous location. i didn't do that fearing it will over write my files.

I couldn't move any file to my desk top at the time, but when i enabled backup to iCloud Drive today, my desktop became available.

I tried to check the hidden files on my hard drive, no luck.

I searched in finder for some of the names i remember to the deleted files, no luck.

Please help me the files are very important to my work.

Walter

Hey @sam321, sorry to hear about this.

Did you enable the computer backup feature at some point in the past perhaps?

Can you please take a look at your events page and let me know if you can see any sign of your missing files there?

This is the place where all uploads, edits, and deletions are normally logged, so it should help.

If you can't find them at all on our website, it means that they never made it to our servers and you'd be better off looking for them locally on your computer.

Keep us posted anyhow.

sam321

Hello @Walter

Unfortunately since I disabled the backup feature for Dropbox back in 2021 i didn't activate it after.

I deleted a file named "Dropbox" from my hard drive which in return deleted all of my files and disabled my desktop, what I am asking is was that file created by dropbox ? and if it is, why it didn't go to trash, instead it got deleted completely.

and is there a way i can find it or an original copy of it locally ?

Thank you for your help

Hannah

Sorry to jump in here, @sam321.

The Dropbox folder is a folder created on your computer when the Dropbox application is installed.

In the Dropbox folder, the application syncs all the files saved in your Dropbox account.

If you had enabled computer backup, that's also where all your desktop files would be.

Have you searched your account online, to see if you can maybe find them there? They'd be in a folder named 'Mac' or 'PC', depending on your OS.

Confused7

So i disabled backups, unlinked my mac and deleted the dropbox app but now my mac doesn't work correctly. i can't put anything on the dropbox, screenshots are not saving and i'm unable to move any files into documents either. I need to remove dropbox totally from this computer so that i can create a copy and move it to my new M1 mac. but it keeps breaking the desktop every time i try in its current config.

Hannah

Hey @Confused7, thanks for the nudge here and sorry to see you're having trouble.

I will need some clarifications, so that I can help you with this.

Is Dropbox currently installed on your computer? And why are you not able to put anything in your Dropbox?

Also, what do you mean when you say that Dropbox is breaking the desktop?

Any additional details on the issues you're facing, will definitely be very helpful.

Donna D

Please may someone help me, I tried to delete my dropbox so I could redo the settings as it had connected to all my desktop folders,

now that I have deleted it all my desktop folders have disappeared from my computer,

I need urgent assistance please

Megan

Hey there, @Donna D, let's see what we can find together on this!

Can you clarify for me if you deleted your entire Dropbox account, or just uninstalled the app from your device?

Let me know more!

CarrieZhou

I accidentally deleted the whole dropbox app. Now, I cannot access my desktop and I cannot restore my desktop's files. How to solve this problem?

Megan

Hi @CarrieZhou, welcome to our Community!

It sounds like you enabled the computer backup feature. Have you tried re-installing the app ever since?

Also, are you able to see your Desktop files when visiting your Dropbox account online?

Let me know, and we'll take it from there!

Juancho227

I am in the same situation. When I open up Dropbox I see a fold that says MAC and can see everything that was on my desktop before removing/deleting Dropbox. My desktop is hidden in finder and I believe that is causing all of my music projects to be corrupted at the moment. What do I need to do to fix the desktop being hidden ?

Jay

Hi @Juancho227, is the Dropbox Backup feature enabled on your current device? Is the Dropbox desktop application still installed and running as normal?

Weifang5

Hi, friends. I mistakenly deleted a folder entitled Dropbox as large as more than 53G. I only know that almost all my documents in the MacBook Air are in this Dropbox folder after the deletion. My Mac needs upgrading the system without sufficient storage, and that Dropbox occupied the second largest storage in my Mac. Since I have not used the Dropbox for a long time, I thought I would not need it any more. SO I moved it into the trashbox without a second thought. The moment I deleted it , my computer desktop with my documents and books immediately disappear. Then I found the rest of the computer space for documents strorage also blank. Could they be stored in the iCloud of the Dropbox? How could I recover all the documents which I have written and collected fro years? Thank you.

Hannah

Hey @Weifang5, thanks for joining us!

It sounds like before you deleted Dropbox, you had enabled our backup feature on your Dropbox application.

Do you see your desktop files in your deleted files page or your events page?

Weifang5

Thank you, Hannah, for your reply. The Dropbox folder is neither in my deleted files page, nor in in the events page. I saw that folder in the Mac storage list, for I have to delete documents to have some extra space for my computer system upgrade . Actually that is the first time I saw a folder with the Dropbox name. That is why I deleted it without the second thought, for I have not used Dropbox for years, I thought the 50G contents it holds are the outdated documents.

I suppose Dropbox software has an invisible super-folder that absorbs all the documents of my Mac into it without my knowing it. How can find the super-folder back?

Looking forward to your further help, Hannah.