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jtrom23324's avatar
jtrom23324
Helpful | Level 5
2 years ago

Dropbox says my storage is full, but it is not

I've seen the other forums on this, but I still can't figure out what the problem is. My files are well under my limit, and yet storage is still full. I do not have any backups turned on, and I can't figure out a way to see what is actually eating up storage. Why has dropbox made it impossible to see what is eating up storage so I can delete it? Please help!

  • I think I may have figured it out. I got a new iMac, and when I setup drop box, I used Backup. After realizing I didn't have the space, I deleted backup, but for some reason it was keeping some files it had backed up. I found them accidentally when I was in the mobile app. I searched for a folder of audiobooks that I had on my desktop and deleted them. It's strange that we can't see everything eating up storage space. The only way I could see that I had something eating storage was by removing EVERY file out of dropbox and seeing how much space was being used. It said 2.6GB out of 5.75GB, but NO indication or ability to see what it was or where it was. When I searched "backup," there was a file. I deleted it, and I seem to have solved it. The confusing thing for me is that the info tab under "dropbox backup" didn't show anything and said "0 bytes," and yet dropbox was keeping it somewhere. I'm glad I stumbled on it, or I'm not sure I would have found it. Is there a way to see every file eating storage, along with the ability to remove or delete it? 

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

    Hi jtrom23324, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

     

    Is it possible that you have a backup on this page running on your account?

     

    This will help me to assist further!

    • jtrom23324's avatar
      jtrom23324
      Helpful | Level 5

      I think I may have figured it out. I got a new iMac, and when I setup drop box, I used Backup. After realizing I didn't have the space, I deleted backup, but for some reason it was keeping some files it had backed up. I found them accidentally when I was in the mobile app. I searched for a folder of audiobooks that I had on my desktop and deleted them. It's strange that we can't see everything eating up storage space. The only way I could see that I had something eating storage was by removing EVERY file out of dropbox and seeing how much space was being used. It said 2.6GB out of 5.75GB, but NO indication or ability to see what it was or where it was. When I searched "backup," there was a file. I deleted it, and I seem to have solved it. The confusing thing for me is that the info tab under "dropbox backup" didn't show anything and said "0 bytes," and yet dropbox was keeping it somewhere. I'm glad I stumbled on it, or I'm not sure I would have found it. Is there a way to see every file eating storage, along with the ability to remove or delete it? 

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

        For normal files in your Dropbox folder, they would appear on the main page, and for any backups, they should appear here.

         

        Depending on your machine, the backups could appear under these direct links, for PC, and for a Mac device.

    • jtrom23324's avatar
      jtrom23324
      Helpful | Level 5

      There is no backup running on that page. When I removed everything from dropbox, it still said I had 2.6GB of something somewhere, but I have no idea where to find that. 

  • Ray1943's avatar
    Ray1943
    New member | Level 2

    I am about to start on a new work project. I have been sent access to a shared Dropbox folder. I have nothing in my own Dropbox folder (old files deleted and removed). So why does Dropbox say I am out of space?  I do wish there was someone at Dropbox who could answer this. 

     

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

      Ray1943 wrote:

      I have nothing in my own Dropbox folder (old files deleted and removed). So why does Dropbox say I am out of space?


      Either you still have files in your Dropbox (checked your Backups page?) or the shared folder that you're trying to join is larger than the available space in your account. You need to have enough available space in your account to hold the shared folder.

       

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