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Shared folder member cannot delete files to free up their space

Hello Community,

This may not be the right category, but there was nothing that matched my issue. I have a friend that is getting messages from Dropbox that she needs to upgrade her payment plan as I shared some files with her. She has no need for those files any longer, but they still come up in her Dropbox link in her computer. We shared those files more than 10 years back! I deleted the files in her Dropbox account, but they still keep showing up in her computer. I was the "owner" of this account and shared it with her and her husband. I assumed I needed to sign into my old account and delete the files and sharing options and then delete the account. I am unable to do so as that account is associated with a very old email address that no longer exists. The Internet provider company folded years ago! I no longer have access to that email account! I do know the email address, and the password for that account, but I get a prompt that Dropbox sent a code to that email address and I have to enter that code in order to sign in. So I am unable to sign in and delete that account. I also cannot get support from Dropbox as their only solution is to use the email address and password, which should let me sign into the account, but it does not due to the code, and then change anything in my Dropbox account. I hope this makes sense and I wonder if any one of you is having similar issues. Thank you!

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WhiteWolf1

Hello Hannah,

I think I have resolved the issue. I deleted their files on her computer, and at the same time someone from Dropbox got back to me so I could easily sign into my account without the code and I was able to change the email address to a new one. All is well. Thank you so much for caring and wanting to help resolve the issue.

Best wishes,

Ingrid

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Hannah

Hi there, @WhiteWolf1, thanks for reaching out to us.

You don't really need to login to your account, to delete the shared folder, so that the other member's space is freed up.

They should be able to delete it from their own account; can you ask them why they can't do it?

What happens exactly?

Have they tried removing it from their account on dropbox.com?

Let me know and we'll go from there.

WhiteWolf1

Hello Hannah, thank you for getting back to me. I now have another Dropbox account under my new email and would like to delete the old account as I no longer have access to it anyway. It is just cluttering up Dropbox space. My friend is 80+ years and computer illiterate. I signed into her account and deleted the files in the shared folder, but the link to Dropbox shows up in her computer and when you click on it, there are the files. They were not deleted. Also, I shared the files with her husband who has passed away and he is obviously no longer using his email or needs the files. If you are associated with Dropbox/Support, I could give you my old email address and perhaps you can just delete my old account? Not sure if our conversation is on the Internet, but that is probably the case. I no longer need the old account, or the files, and I no longer need to share them. Thank you.

Hannah

Hey @WhiteWolf1, thanks for the update here.

I'm afraid that for security reasons, we can't delete your account for you.

However, an account will get automatically deleted if there's no activity in the account or any logins for more than 12 months.

As for your friend, I'm still not clear on where they're seeing this folder. Does she have the Dropbox application installed?

Or perhaps had it installed before and are still having access to the Dropbox folder with all their Dropbox files?

If you could get us a screenshot of where she sees the files, that would be really helpful for us, so we can guide you on what to do.

WhiteWolf1

Hello Hannah,

Best wishes,

Ingrid