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Forum Discussion
Logged into my account and all my files are missing
I've had a drop box subscription for a few years and at renewal, December 1st, 2022, I upgraded to DropBox Plus. Last week I had a blue-screen issue on my Desktop and took it to a repairman. He saved, documents, then (I suppose) cleared the hard drive, and then he reloaded Windows Home 10. When I got my computer back, I noticed I was missing programs - Reaper and Bluebeam. I was annoyed but not too concerned because I had purchase receipts and licenses stored in Dropbox. Then I noticed that Drop Box desktop short-cut was missing. I tried to log-in to DropBox but couldn't remember my password, so the DropBox Chat agent or bot sent me a password reset link. I used that to open DropBox, but all my files are missing. I paid a full year subscription in advance expecting secure cloud storage, but all my stored documents are gone ... very important documents for which there are no or very limited hard copies. Does anyone know how I can recover my old account? Because it looks like my password reset started a new account.
- Hannah
Dropbox Staff
Hey Lazman1140, sorry to hear that your files are missing.
To create a new account with the same address you had used for your original one, the original account would have to be deleted.
Is it possible that you used a different email address than the one you had used for your original, paid account?
If you're not sure, you can use this page, to look up your payment info and find out the email address, to compare it with the one you used.
Let me know what you find.
The folders with a down arrow dont open up my folders. Help please?
Hi Hannah, I think I have solved it - I had logged in to a secondary account I had. Found my files now! Thanks #Lin
- I created a Dropbox many years ago to store photos off my phone. I had years and years worth of photos. I just logged in to try and find one for my Goddaghter’s upcoming birthday and there are no/none/zero photos. Where did they all go? Did Dropbox delete them when they created the paid tiers? I am so sad and frustrated. Of coarse I cannot speak to a person without a paid premium account.
- Hannah
Hi there, CDH10, and sorry to hear that your files are missing.
How long ago was the last time that you logged in to your account and accessed your files?
Is it possible that instead of logging in, you were actually prompted to create a new account with your email address?
Also, please let me know what you see in your events page.
Thanks.
I was just on Dropbox a few weeks ago. Today dropbox would not open and took me to the sign in which did not recognize my email or password. I created a new password and logged in. When I logged in it was as if I had signed up for the first time and there are no folders or files available. In the sync history I can see previous files however it will not allow me to go to the folder that the file was in.
I tried to go under deleted files to recover them and nothing is listed. It looks like a new account.
Is this a result of the recent breach? Is there an issue with dropbox compatibility with Mac's recent update?
How do I recover my files since I have a basic plan and am unable to contact support.- Hannah
Hi there, Jeff231, thanks for reaching out to the Dropbox Community.
If you created a new Dropbox account under that email address, it means that the Dropbox account that was previously associated with that address is deleted or disabled for some reason.
Try clicking the Dropbox icon in your system tray/menu bar and then on the globe icon next to your initials/profile pic.
This should take you to your account on dropbox.com; what do you see there?
Let me know!
Hi Hannah, it takes me to my account which is empty. No files or folders. When I click on sync history it shows me a history of my files (I just had a file sync 12 says ago).
I did not receive any email from dropbox (in spam or inbox) to indicate my account would be/was deleted. I just was in dropbox a month ago so why would this be the case?
I have had a DropBox account for years and have paid my monthly membership for quite some time. I had a friend pass recently and was looking for old photos for use at his service. I logged in yesterday and found that hundreds of photos are missing. I even had the app on my phone for a time so photos would upload automatically. I have never deleted any photographs so I am not sure what could have happened. All that is in there is photos I uploaded two months ago and that is it - at that time I didn't look at my pictures so I didn't realize any were missing. I checked events and all it shows is the activity from my uploading two months ago. I am devastated that I have potentially lost photographs from years ago when my kids were little and of friends and family that are no longer with us. Does anyone have any idea what could have happened? Please help!!
- Mark
Super User II
Hi Laney Lou
Does events show nothing before the 2 month mark? What does www.dropbox.com/account show in terms of quota and plan - does it show you paying?
That means one of two things. This account is brand new and not actually the one you are expecting to be using - especially if you are a paying user and this appears as free. It means you set up a new account 2 month ago rather than logging in to an old one. OR nothing has happened on the account for over 6 months until that 2 months - the events list only shows 6 months of data
@mark Hi!! It shows basic but I am charged 11.99 a month and have been for at least the last 3 years.
I only used Dropbox for collecting ukulele music. I collected around 1 GB of music over the years but haven't tried to access it for a couple of years. Today I logged on to add some new music and discovered that my free 2GB Dropbox storage was completely empty showing that I had 2GB of storage to use. Please tell me if I can somehow get my files back from somewhere?
- Rich
cyberita wrote:
... haven't tried to access it for a couple of years. Today I logged on to add some new music and discovered that my free 2GB Dropbox storage was completely empty ...
If the account was idle for more than a year it would have been deleted due to inactivity, and you're now signed in to a new, empty account. Unfortunately, once an account has been deleted, neither the account nor the files in it can be recovered.
I just logged into my account and all files are missing. Anyone know how to contact someone at Dropbox?
- Hannah
Sorry to hear that, qtec.
Is it possible that you've logged in to a different Dropbox account and not the one that has all your files in it?
What do you see in your events page?
- Hi I’ve had photos of the kids when they were younger stored on Dropbox for years yet just this month my account is empty. I have got a new phone is that why? How do I get my files back? Ignore the label none of them are relevant can’t post without one
- Rich
BilboBaggins67 wrote:
... just this month my account is empty. I have got a new phone is that why?When was the last time you accessed the account? Could you have created a new account, instead of signing in to the existing one?
- I thought that might be the case but I’ve got emails from Dropbox in my gmail account from years ago so I think it’s the right email address. I couldn’t remember the password so that’s been changed but that shouldn’t affect it
I had lots of pictures and files uploaded to Dropbox when I had the premium plan. About 3 years ago I did not renew it. I logged on to the free version now. Of course, my files are not there. Not enough space I would imagine. My question is: If I upgrade my plan, can I retrieve all of the older files that were uploaded previously? Thank you
- Hannah
Hey Johnofcc, thanks for reaching out to the Dropbox Community.
Dropbox wouldn't have deleted your files, even if your subscription wasn't renewed, your account would just go over its quota and you'd keep getting reminders to re-upgrade.
Did you receive any of those reminders?
Also, when was the last time you logged in to the account? If it's been more than 12 months, the account itself would have been deleted due to inactivity.
Could that be the case?
- I logged in woth my old username & password just fine. The files sre gone though. May or may not have been 12 months. The account was still active though. Just not in a paid subscription. Where would i find the files? Thanks!
Hello,
Around two months ago, I received a welcome message in my Dropbox account, but I have not canceled or reset my account at any point. My account was full, and I had several folders, both personal and shared with others. However, recently when I accessed my account, I noticed that it is completely empty, and I can no longer access my previous information.
I also checked the account history, and it appears as if the account is new, starting only two months ago. I want to mention that I was using a free account and had not subscribed to any paid plan.
I would greatly appreciate your help in recovering my folders and files, as they contain important information.
I look forward to your response.
Thank you in advance,
