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amyp4317's avatar
amyp4317
Explorer | Level 3
7 years ago

How do I get access to old accounts?

I am trying to find several old Dropbox accounts I no longer have the passwords to nor do I have access to the emails the account were built under. How do I locate all of my outstanding Dropbox Accounts & How do I gain access to the accounts without passwords or access to the emails the accounts were originally built with

  • In short, you can't.

    Your email address is required to access an account. If you no longer have access to the email in question and you don't know your password (or the password has expired) you can no longer gain access the account. Even if it was a paid account, all Dropbox would help you with is removing the payment method from the account so you're no longer charged. They wouldn't help you gain access to the account.

    The only possibility in such a scenario is if you still have a device linked to the account and syncing, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
  • Rich's avatar
    Rich
    Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II
    In short, you can't.

    Your email address is required to access an account. If you no longer have access to the email in question and you don't know your password (or the password has expired) you can no longer gain access the account. Even if it was a paid account, all Dropbox would help you with is removing the payment method from the account so you're no longer charged. They wouldn't help you gain access to the account.

    The only possibility in such a scenario is if you still have a device linked to the account and syncing, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.
    • shirinkashani's avatar
      shirinkashani
      Explorer | Level 4

      my email address is <snip> and I have very precious files i typed in  the box since 2012.  you changed your ways and my files are gone.  at least give me a chance to empty the box and get my work of preserving my mother's diary back somewhere else please

    • Carmelo palafox's avatar
      Carmelo palafox
      Helpful | Level 6

      I lost my account 2 days ago.idk why.
      I have this email [personal information removed as per the Community's Guidelines]
      But I can't go into my account. The problem is I have in my phone diferent email. I am really need back into my account.

      • Walter's avatar
        Walter
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        Hi Carmelo palafox; welcome to our Community and sorry to hear you're having issues with accessing your account. 

         

        Can you please let us know if you've tried resetting your password as Rich mentioned above and what were the results?

         

        Thanks! 

  • yeneleyu's avatar
    yeneleyu
    New member | Level 2
    i couldn't fined the answer my dropbox is blockd i can't find my email or the password pleas hellp me i can't loss the filles in it pleas
    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      yeneleyu wrote:
      i couldn't fined the answer my dropbox is blockd i can't find my email or the password pleas hellp me i can't loss the filles in it pleas

      Blocked how? If you're just forgotten your password, you can reset it yourself as long as you still have access to the email address associated with your Dropbox account.

    • Lusil's avatar
      Lusil
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Hi @Pastry2 and @Amoakohene, we'd be happy to help. 

       

      If you have checked out what's been suggested already in this thread, could you give us more information so that we have a better understanding of what the issue is?

       

      Keep us posted!

    • Lusil's avatar
      Lusil
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Hey onimesh, thanks for joining us on this thread. 

       

      Were you signed in and did you have recent activity on the accounts that you're referring to? 

       

      Any additional information you could send our way would be super helpful. 

       

      Cheers!

  • Brian Johnston's avatar
    Brian Johnston
    Explorer | Level 3

    Hi,  i have an old account that I cant access any more.  It was with an email address that I no longer use and and on an old device.   I have some sentimental photos locked in this account and cant get in.  Any Ideas?  

    Cheers

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      Brian Johnston wrote:

      i have an old account that I cant access any more.


      When was the last time that you signed in to the account? If the account was idle for more than a year, it was likely deleted due to inactivity. When this happens, neither the account nor the files within it can be recovered.

       


      It was with an email address that I no longer use and and on an old device.

      Assuming the account still exists, you would need access to the email address in order to gain access to the account. The only other way to gain access would be if you still had an active device linked to the account.

       

  • Timtooly's avatar
    Timtooly
    New member | Level 2

    I need to sign in to an old account of mine but don't have access to the old email address anymore, I do have the old password though?

    Have tried all options but still get the invalid email or password notification?

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      Timtooly wrote:

      I need to sign in to an old account ..


      When was thge last time you signed in to the account? If the account was idle for more than a year, it would have been deleted due to inactivity. Once an account has been deleted, neither the account nor the files within can be recovered.