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Forum Discussion
I haven't accessed my account for a while and all my files are missing
I have saved document on the dropbox free account since 2015, returning to it last week to check for a document I needed do badly and I realize all my files are missing. it's no where to be found. Please how can I retreive all my files back to include pictures.
- Rich
Super User II
blings wrote:
I have saved document on the dropbox free account since 2015, returning to it last week ... all my files are missing.
When was the last time you accessed the account? If the account was idle for more then a year, then it would have been deleted due to inactivity and you're now signed in to a new, empty account.
If you've been using the account all along, check your Events page to view the file activity for your account.
Last signed in 2020. No documents on event page. is there away I can retrieve all the douments back?
- Rich
blings wrote:
Last signed in 2020. No documents on event page. is there away I can retrieve all the douments back?
If you haven't signed in since 2020 then the account was most certainly deleted due to inactivity and you're now signed in to a new, empty account. Unfortunately, once an account has been deleted, it's not possible to recover the account or the files that were in it.
- Rich,
This is concerning. I see another person has this problem. Why did my previous two helpers not know this? Why would Dropbox do this without a warning? I was taking care of my terminally ill husband at home for two years. Computers sit, comparatively unimportant. Dropbox deleted thousands of dollars of irreplaceable files and recordings. 🤦🏻‍:female_sign:
My login info was intact. I saw all my files, just couldn’t open or download two I tried. Then, all of them (over 3-4 years, perhaps 50 files/recordings) disappeared before my eyes, without action on my part. Thank you for your response to blings.
Susan- Rich
susanvg wrote:
Why did my previous two helpers not know this? Why would Dropbox do this without a warning?If you're referring to your other thread, you mentioned that you could see the files in your account before they disappeared. Perhaps they believe it's a different scenario. When an account is going to be deleted due to inactivity, Dropbox sends several emails to the email address associated with the account.
I let my account go dormant in 2019. It had photos from 2013-2019 or so.
I am pretty sure Dropbox moved to memberships and my account has been erased of all photos.
I had a friend pass which prompted the sign on. Is there any way to pay to restore it?
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey LaurenB120, thanks for taking the time to post to the Dropbox Community.
If I understand correctly, you hadn't accessed your Dropbox account since 2019, is that right?
After 12 months of inactivity, your account probably got disabled, which is something you would have received an email about, prior to the deletion.
If that's the case, then the account and its contents cannot be recovered.
Are you being prompted to create a new account, when you try to sign in?
- Hi Hannah,
No, it still accepted my google email and login. Had no trouble there. I did just sign up for the “Plus” account and it says there are some package add ins to go back 10 years but I don’t see it on mine…is this still an option for retrieval?
I have had drop box for quite a few years and just recently signed in and noticed all my photos are missing. These files were never deleted or moved my me. Does drop box have the right to delete a customers file without there knowledge and or approval? Yet for awhile they were always messaging me that my storage is full and needed to purchase additional space.
Thanks Hannah. I haven't accessed my account in a few years well and no I didn't sign into a new account. I signed in via my Google email.
