You might see that the Dropbox Community team have been busy working on some major updates to the Community itself! So, here is some info on what’s changed, what’s staying the same and what you can expect from the Dropbox Community overall.
Forum Discussion
How to permanently delete files or empty your trash bin without waiting for 30 days
How to permanently delete files or empty your trash bin without waiting for 30 days
This actually works and I added a few things to clarify.
Per Mark Mc (SUPER USER):
Completely ignore that Trash folder.
- Go to the link I gave (www.dropbox.com/home)
- There navigate to the folders where your were files are that you want permanently deleting
- Click on 'Show Deleted Items' - at the top, its a little trash can
- That shows, in grey, your deleted items.
At this point you will see all deleted items in all folders of your Dropbox mixed in with your active items.
- Click on one so it highlights, not the name of the item but the blank space after it.
- Press 'Permanently Delete' listed at the top.
- If you want to delete a batch, use the SHIFT or CTRL plus the mouse to choose or un-choose what you want to delete. For example, I clicked the top item and then scrolled down to the bottom and pressed SHIFT while clicking the last item. I could have permanently deleted everything but I need to remove the choosing of several items. For that I pressed CTRL and clicked each item. Then I clicked 'Permanently Delete' listed at the top. I had to do this within each folder to delete everything I wished to remove permanently. It is a pain but it is better than nothing.
Not sure why this guide is necessary, its all covered here - https://help.dropbox.com/delete-restore/delete-files
Richard P.Super User alumni
I googled "dropbox permanently delete" and the above link was top of the list.
My wife always says I can produce better search results than her, but Im baffled as to how I do it...
As for Dropbox making users have access to less and less in a way to force them to buy a Pro account, they have actually gone more the other way recently - shared folder permissions used to be Pro only, now they are available to Basic users as well. One example out of loads I can think of.
I went in search of how to do this early this morning but found nothing. I went the to forum to search and came across the information in one thread after searching through a number of different threads. Some of the access dates were as recent as May. When I went to the help menu to search for "empty trash" and other variations of phrasing, I kept getting the same threads I had already seen. So, I created a thread for the answer that I found in case anyone else comes along looking.
And I expect there might be more people looking to do so since Dropbox is changing so much of how users, especially free account holders, can use their accounts. I know several people who have recently deleted their accounts because it feels like DB is slowly forcing users into having access to less and less unless one holds a Pro account (i.e. one that pays DB money).
The command list with "permanently delete" doesn't come up for me. Instead a pop up box with the file name and an option to restore comes up. I tried two different computers. I am not part of an enterprise or on a business plan with Dropbox. So there is no admin to remove my ability to permanently delete files. I was on the basic plan, but upgraded to pro thinking that might help. But it's still the same. I tried contacting support and just got a generic form answer that had nothing to do with the problem.... Any ideas how I can get this fixed?
- Mark
Super User II
Could you pop a screen shot of where you are seeing this Pam?
Also, remember, you need to be ignoring the 'Trash' screen part of Dropbox.
Thanks for this procedure advice. I had 'deleted' several file last week but still got messages that the dropbox was full. My suspicion that the files were still there were confirmed when the option to restore them appeared. When I followed the advice to permanently delete it said 'Are you sure?' and then "Permanently deleting these items won't free up space".
Hoe then can I clear out unwanted items to give me more space in my Dropbox?
- Rich
ilming wrote:
Hoe then can I clear out unwanted items to give me more space in my Dropbox?
Just delete them. Once deleted they no longer take up space in your account. Deleting files frees up space. Permanently delting files doesn't free up space because the space was already freed up when you originally deleted the file.
- Richard P.
Not sure why this guide is necessary, its all covered here - https://help.dropbox.com/delete-restore/delete-files
- Richard P.
Sorry, the above sounds a little facetious, its not meant to be - read it in more a jokey manner please, thats the intention of the tone.
Mark Mc, You solved the problem! I was in the "Trash" screen part of Dropbox..... It all works fine when I use the trash icon and "show deleted files". Chalk this one up to user error...
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My case is same as pam w. I tried two laptops and one desktop but no "permanently delete" was appeared. I re-install the updated version still can't help. Can you teach me how to fix it?
- Richard P.
Florence, you can't "permanently delete" files from the desktop or mobile clients, only the website - follow the instructions in the link I give at the top and the advice that Mark gives later on.
I have a large number of deleted files that i need to permanently delete to recover space. Many are in folders and subfolders. I followed everything here, but no method lets me select all, only to permanantly delete one at a time. Windows 10, Chrome. That will take hours, surely there is a way to 'select all'
- MarkYou dont Paul - deleted files DO NOT USE QUOTA.
So, if you are over space ignore what is already deleted because it WILL NOT use up the quota.
