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Can you permanently delete a file in a shared folder without getting the owner to help?

I accidently dropped a file (moved it) into a shared Dropbox folder. I don't own this shared folder. So I subsequently deleted that file from the shared folder because this file has sensitive information that the admin should not see. But when I go to permanently delete that file, it says I need the admin of the shared folder to help. Is there a way to delete this file permanently without having the admin help? I am afraid if I ask for help, the admin may choose to undelete the file and view it.

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Mark

If you go to the folder in question, click on 'Show Deleted Items' and then see if you can permanently delete it from there. Usually the owner of the file can delete unless there have been restrictions applied via admin.

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Megan

Hey there, @ezwxbrief let's jump right into this.

Just to make sure we're aligned: could you access your account's events page and send me a screenshot of both the upload and deletion event of said file in the shared folder?

Also, do you happen to know if the shared folder in question belongs to an individual or team plan?

I'll be here when you're ready!

ezwxbrief

It is likely (but uncertain) that the shared folder belongs to a team plan. Events page is below with the two events showing. The file was accidentally added at 5:02 PM and subsequently deleted at 9:10 PM.

Mark

ezwxbrief

Okay, for some reason, it worked this time. I had tried yesterday and it said that I needed help from the admin to do this. But it appears to be permanently deleted as of now.

Megan

Amazing news @ezwxbrief! 🙃

If you need anything else, we'll be one post away.

Theresa

Hi @ezwxbrief, and welcome to the Dropbox Community! 😊 I’m glad to hear you got your issues resolved and your desired file is now deleted 🎉.

By the way, I’m Theresa, a Community Manager here at Dropbox HQ 👩‍💻. You might have seen me pop up around the Community. I love hearing how our members use Dropbox in their daily lives, and if you’re open to sharing, I’d love to hear how you use it too. ✨

Who knows? Your experience might inspire others, spark new ideas for our internal team, or even help us share some handy tips & tricks to make your workday even smoother. 🚀

Looking forward to hearing from you,

T 😺 (Dropbox Community Manager)