Child Item

Using Dropbox for shared files without saving to personal account

Device
(Dell XPS 15, iPhone 13, etc.)
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
(Windows 11, macOS14.3, etc.)
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)
(200.4.7123 - found in app settings or About section)
Syncing Status
("Up to date", "Syncing Paused", "Syncing 3 files" etc.)

Question or Issue

I edit a magazine for a local organisation which uses Dropbox to store the files. However, whenever I work on a file it automatically takes up space in my personal account, which is now almost full. Can I delete the files I don’t need from my personal account without those deletions syncing to the organisation’s main account? Or is there another way apart from upgrading and incurring costs which I cannot claim back? I mainly use my iPad for this work, thus I use the app.

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Comments

Jay

Hi @DeborahJH, thanks for posting today!

Just for clarification, are you using a shared folder from your organization, which does take up quota on your Dropbox account?

If this isn't the case, please let me know more.

Once I understand how you're syncing files, I'll be able to provide more specific information!

DeborahJH

Yes that’s right. The organisation has a large Dropbox account, I am given access to the folders relevant to my role. I work on a file (usually a Word file but there are also photos) then opt to send a copy (the file may or may not be saved to my OneDrive) of that file to “save to Dropbox”. The revised or added to folders then takes up space in my personal account.

Jay

If you were to delete files in a shared folder, it would also delete the files for the other users too.

One way around this would be to ask them to create a shared link to the folder, which will allow you to download whatever files you need.

After that, they can create a file request link, for you to reupload the file to their account. This would avoid having to sync all the files in the same folder.

DeborahJH

Thanks, I’ll see if we can make that work. Unfortunately no-one really understands the software very well, the only person that did and who set this up, has left the organisation.