Is there an easy fix for accidentally dragging folders to different locations?

Question

Device
HP Z2 Tower G4
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
Windows 10
Dropbox App Version (if using the app)
241.4.4795

I have an ongoing issue with folders in our Dropbox Plus account. We use dropbox for our small company and we have a top level dropbox folder for each of our projects. All folders are owned by my boss (not me). Once in a while I will accidentally drag a top level folder into another folder. Dropbox for some reason allows this drag. But when I go to undo it, then Dropbox tells me that I don't own the folder and I can't move it back! The folder is then stuck in another folder!

The only solution I have found to fix this so far is to move the folder back on the website. However this breaks the sharing for the folder so that my boss and any collaborators no longer have access to the folder! I then have to re-share the folder every time I accidentally drag them!

This seems very silly, if I don't own the folder and can't move it back, why does Dropbox let me move it in the first place! Is there some better way to fix this?

JB40 · Answer

I guess that makes sense, but if accidentally dragging a folder is enough to leave and create an unshared folder shouldn't Dropbox ask me before I leave? Also I can still move the folder back on the dropbox website but my boss (who owns the folder) then does not have access to the folder. After accidentally dragging a folder I also cannot drag it back because it because Dropbox says I don't own the folder...so idk how I can be making an unshared copy that I don't own??

I'm still not sure exactly what is happening, but it seems like there are a lot of implications for accidentally dragging a folder. Perhaps since dropbox can sense and stop me from dragging it back, it should be able to stop me from dragging it in the first place?

I can perhaps try the rewind feature next time, but my boss and I are constantly updating files throughout the day, so if I don't notice that I've dragged the folder immediately using rewind would likely delete dozens of needed files.

Dell_Dropbox · Answer

@JB40 Welcome back to the community

It makes sense this feels frustrating. If you drag a shared folder into a different location, Dropbox may treat that as you leaving the shared folder and keeping a non-shared copy, which is why sharing can appear to “break.” The safest way to undo a finished accidental move is to use Dropbox Rewind (it can undo moves/renames/deletes, including in shared folders where you have edit access)

You should also ask the folder owner to confirm you have Can edit access on the project folders