Wondering what happens if I delete Dropbox folder on my computer? Deleting it locally will not affect cloud storage but can disrupt sync. Discover recovery steps and avoid data loss with our guide.
When you install Dropbox on your computer, a local folder called "Dropbox" is created, which is synced with the cloud storage. Changes made on your computer are reflected on the Dropbox cloud servers, and changes made on other devices or the cloud are synchronized with your computer. This folder is essentially a two-way process. However, depending on how you choose to delete the Dropbox folder from your computer, certain things can happen.
Without special actions, deleting the Dropbox folder—which is usually stored on your computer—will not immediately delete the files on the Dropbox cloud servers. This is important to realize. Let's take a closer look at this point:
No, deleting the Dropbox folder on your computer will not automatically delete the files in the cloud. Even if you delete the folder on your computer, Dropbox still protects the data in the cloud. However, in some situations, the files in the cloud and your local computer may be deleted, so be careful.
For example:
So even if you delete a folder on your computer, the files in the cloud version are not deleted. However, it is still important to check the settings to prevent unexpected events. Let’s see how to control the settings and how to recover files in case of problems.
Even if you accidentally delete the Dropbox folder on your computer, the files are not permanently lost. With Dropbox’s powerful file recovery feature, you can recover deleted files. Here’s how to recover files:
Dropbox helps you see previous versions of a file if you need them after deleting it. Just search for a file on the website or in your Dropbox account, click on it, and then select "Version history". You can restore previous versions of a file that was not modified or deleted.
The Rewind feature in Dropbox helps you turn back time, even if you deleted multiple folders or files. This lets you turn back time and restore your entire Dropbox account (or particular folders). To use this feature:
If a file was synced and deleted from your computer’s Dropbox folder, it can sometimes end up in your Mac’s Trash or Trash (Windows). You should check there first.
You can contact Dropbox Support for additional help. If the above mentioned methods do not work and you are unable to recover your files, they may provide additional tools or options to help you recover deleted files. This will depend on your account type and plan.
This article addresses the question of "What happens if I delete Dropbox folder on my computer?". If you’re considering migrating files from your current cloud service to Dropbox, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.
For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Google Drive to Dropbox without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.
So, in summary, unless you have enabled a setting like Smart Sync, which allows you to sync data deletion between devices, deleting the Dropbox folder from your computer will not delete your files from the cloud. You can always recover your files if you accidentally delete your Dropbox folder using the Dropbox web interface or another recovery tool.
Before making any major changes, double-check your sync settings for your Dropbox account or folder and make sure you have a backup of your files.