Desktop app logged me out and I lost all my files after logging back in to an old account

Question

I'm at a loss on how to get back all the files I trusted as safe with Dropbox. The system logged me out, probably after a restart. I clicked the pre-filled information to log back in. Except that was to an old account that I forgot about and had not used in about 10 years.

The system stated "you already have a Dropbox folder" would you like to save to a different location or save there. I closed out that window, and the system then over-wrote all my existing files, replacing them with the old files long forgotten.

Now I can log out of that old account. Yet it looks as though that old account login has now become my current account login, and the current folders and files are just gone?

How can I get back everything the system deleted, and remove this old account? I need my current files that I've used every day for maybe 8 years. I have no use for the old account or its files.

How can I prevent this system auto-deletion from happening without my knowledge or consent, ever again?

Thank you for your help with this.

Dan

Hannah · Answer

Hey @DanKlatt, thanks for taking the time to post today and sorry to hear about this.

Even if you logged in to the wrong Dropbox account on the desktop app, your main account should still exist along with all your files.

Have you tried signing in to it on the Dropbox website? If so, are you able to see all your files there?

If you do, all you need to do is sign out of the old account on the desktop app and then sign back in with your main Dropbox account's credentials, to sync back your current files.

Let me know how it goes!

DanKlatt · Answer

I did find an article on replacing deleted files, using the "Deleted Files" link in the left menu bar. That shows no deleted files.

I also checked the Recycle Bin, as that would be a logical place for the overwritten files to go. They're not there.