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Dropbox uses a ton of hard drive space despite most files being online only

So, I've put ALL my files on online-only because my Mac was running out of space.

In my Mac settings, Dropbox takes up 108 GB currently. Once I actually look at what folders are taking up space it's less than 2 GB (you can see in the screenshot what I mean).

What is taking up all this space?

Screenshot 2023-07-06 at 12.03.15.png

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Accepted answers

Jay

Is it possible that the hidden Dropbox cache folder is taking up space on your machine?

Try deleting the folder using these steps to see if this helps.

All comments

Jay

Hi @Dennis_Zuiderlicht, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Could you confirm the exact size of the Dropbox folder by right clicking on it and using 'Get info'?

A screenshot of this, while hiding personal info and usernames would be great.

This will help me to assist further!

Dennis_Zuiderlicht

Hey @Jay (once again ;-),

I made a screenshot of the main Dropbox folder, and also all of those folders within that.

Blurred out everything I needed to.

Screenshot 2023-07-06 at 13.30.57.png

Jay

Is it possible that the hidden Dropbox cache folder is taking up space on your machine?

Try deleting the folder using these steps to see if this helps.

webatbcp_on_db

I have recently selected "online only" for nearly all my files that have been stored both on my MacBook Pro and on Dropbox so as to provide more space on my MBP hard drive. When I started this process, I had only 4.7% of the hard drive available and now after about 18 hours of syncing, I have only 2.5% remaining. I would have expected that of the hard drive space, the amount available would have increased not decreased. Why is this happening?

Rich

@webatbcp_on_db wrote:
I would have expected that of the hard drive space, the amount available would have increased not decreased. Why is this happening?

Have you checked the .dropbox.cache folder, as Jay mentioned in the post just above yours?

urm8s8n

dude this has been happening to me for over a year now and idfk what to do. no matter what I try, and I've tried everything I can possibly think of and anything anyone else has suggested online or in person, and still nothing changes. i have dropbox set to online only by default and it still doesn't change. and I constantly go back in and make my folders online only, but they somehow manage to change back to being available offline anyways. it's killing my hard drive and it seems like there's no fix. everyone I've talked to about this is just as clueless as I am. Please please PLEASE let me know if you figure/figured something out to fix this. I'm desperate lol

Walter

Hey @urm8s8n, sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you please let us know your device's exact OS version and the version and status of the Dropbox desktop app as shown in your menu bar/system tray at the moment?

Do you happen to be using any 3rd party apps that might be monitoring your files in your Dropbox folder on your computer perhaps?

If you could also send us a screenshot of where you're spotting this discrepancy, I'd appreciate it.

pf1624

This morning I found Dropbox occupying 120GB from new cache files. Sadly, removing them did not release any disk space. I sincerely hope the officials investigate into this issue as soon as possible.

Megan

Hi @pf1624, welcome to our Community!

It sounds like you're facing something similar to the OP of this thread, am I right?

What is the OS you're using, along with the Dropbox version there? Also, when did you start encountering this issue? Did you recently delete/upload a large number of files to your Dropbox account perhaps?

Keep me posted!

John1957

I have the same issue. Everything is set to online only, but the more I move to dropbox, the less space I have on my C drive. What is the answer to this issue or do I just move over to Microsoft OneDrive?

Hannah

Hey @John1957, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Is the Dropbox application running on your computer?

If so, what's the sync status and version, as seen when you hover over the Dropbox icon in your system tray?

Can you also check that the Dropbox system extension setting is enabled on this page?

John1957

Hi Hanna, thanks for the reply. and who is @John1957?

Dropbox 189.4.8427

Up to date.

I've been using Dropbox for years and have to be very careful as I have gigs and gigs of photographs. I'd like to put everything in Dropbox buy I'm wary it'll crash my C drive space.

John1957

I fixed my username 😁

Hannah

Thanks, @John1957!

Can you also check that setting that I mentioned in my previous reply?

John1957

Yes, it's enabled

John1957

I have both Dropbox and OneDrive installed and other than the OS and Program files, I am not aware of any space I'm using on my C drive, it's all in the two cloud storage systems, and yet, I only have 29.9 GB free on a 222 GB drive, makes no sense to me?

Nancy

Hey @John1957! Can you send me a screenshot of your files, as they appear within the local Dropbox folder? I’d like to check what syncing icons you’re seeing next to them.

Besides that, please right click on an online-only file/folder, go to "Properties", and send me a screenshot of the next window you’ll get.

John1957

Pictures in Dropbox folder. As you'll they are all set to online only

John1957

Screenshot of properties...

Nancy

Thanks for that! Now, regarding the first screenshot, it looks like you’re seeing the grey X icon, which isn’t generated by Dropbox, but by your OS instead. The icon that indicates that your files are online-only is a grey cloud icon instead (also mentioned in the link I’ve attached above).

Your second screenshot shows that your files currently take up 0 bytes from your hard drive, so it looks like they’ve already been set as online-only indeed, and the feature’s working properly.

Are you seeing somewhere specific that there are files/folders within your Dropbox folder, taking up a lot of space from your hard drive?

John1957

I really appreciate the help, Nancy. As I said, other than the OS and the Program files folder, I am not aware of anything being stored locally on my C drive.

Jay

Hi @John1957, could you try quitting the OneDrive program completely, to see what the grey X icon means, since it is conflicting with the Dropbox icons. This could mean that the Dropbox files aren't all online-only.

If you right click the Dropbox folder and choose Properties, what is the size on disk? A screenshot of this would help greatly.

John1957

Hi Jay. I quit Dropbox using the right click from the icon in the system tray and the grey X is still showing on the files in the folders. Properties on the files themselves, show the original file size and "Size on Disk: 0 Bytes" still.

Nancy

Hi again, John! Can you please try quitting OneDrive instead, like Jay suggested? Do you keep seeing the grey Xs even then?

Are you still seeing 0bytes, even if you right click on the Dropbox folder directly, and go to its Properties?

John1957

I quit OneDrive and the grey Xs are still there. It made zero difference to the disk space.

John1957

All the files are still showing Zero Bytes on the C drive. I can't believe it's just me with this issue. It has always been this way with Dropbox.

Jay

In order to assist further, please could you directly right click the Dropbox folder itself, not individual files, then choose properties, and attach the screenshot showing how much the Dropbox folder is taking up on your machine.

John1957

Jay

According to that image and the size on disk, the folder appears to take up just under 1 GB of space on your computer. Should the folder take up less than 1 GB of space?

John1957

Exactly, you have now understood the entire problem! Where is all my hard drive space being used!