Everything on my computer is automatically uploading to Dropbox without my consent.

[Carlene W.]

Everything on my computer is automatically uploading to Dropbox without my consent.I need to stop it and I need to get all of it off dropbox and back on my computer, Help!

[Chris_J · Accepted solution]

Carlene W.

First off, your files are still on your computer but its uploading.  FYI, Dropbox Client watches your Dropbox folder for any changes/files and syncs them to any shared folders or devices.  So any files put inside your Dropbox folder will be uploaded.  Now, also, FYI, when you reboot your computer, it (Dropbox Client) will index all your files.  It has to do this to verify any changes that were made, it may not be uploading but it might say, it's indexing.  You can see the message as hover over your Dropbox icon in System try with your mouse

Dropbox will NOT delete your files UNLESS you delete them.   Dropbox is a syncing tool that syncs to the cloud and to all devices and shared folders.

I hope this helps and if not, reply and ask more questions

[Carlene W.]

First, I do not want any sensitive information on Dropbox.

Second, when I delete items on Dropbox, they are simultaneously deleted from my other devices. I want to remove certain items from Dropbox without losing them on my laptop.

Thirdly, I WANT TO STOP HAVING MY THINGS UPLOADED TO DROPBOX. Isn't there a setting tyo change this?

I appreciate your suggestions.

[Chris_J]

Carlene W.

First one is simple, if you don't put sensitive items in your Dropbox folder, it would not be anywhere in the cloud

Second is not so simple, simply because Dropbox is a syncing tool.  So if you delete something in Dropbox, it's going to sync to any devices linked to your account including your Laptop. 

Third is simple.  No, there isn't any way to stop that since Dropbox syncs stuff, it's what it is designed to do

However, unless I am missing something here, it seems that Dropbox Client is not what you want to use.  It seems the best choice is not to run or use Dropbox Client but just to access the files via web interface (Browser)  That way nothing is syncing on your machine or uploading anything.

Does this make sense?

[teeth6]

I have a similar problem in that everything I put onto my desktop, is automatically going into dropbox and being synced.  I have dropbox on another computer and it does not operate like that.  The only items I want synced are the ones I specifically put into a folder IN dropbox.  Why are all my desktop items being synced with dropbox?  As an example, all desktop items have a "green checkmark" indicating they have synced.  I have temporarily uninstalled dropbox on this computer as there are some desktop items I don't want in the cloud.  This elimated the green checks next to each desktop item.

[Chris_J]

Hello Teeth6

thanks for reaching out to us. I believe Dropbox new Beta feature is enabled. You can turn that off by going into your settings. You get there by clicking on Dropbox icon then click on the gear on the top right side. A dialog box would show and from there click on preferences and from there go to the Backup tab and turn that feature off

hopes this helps lyou

[teeth6]

Chris, Thanks for the reply but I don't see a gear or settings icon in dropbox.  If I login to dropbox.com, I am able to navigate to settings, preferences but do not see an area to turn off the backup tab.   When I open the desktop icon of dropbox, only the various folders in dropbox are visable.

[Chris_J]

I am assuming that you are using the Desktop Client to sync files.  Do you have a Dropbox icon in your system tray or menu bar?  if the client is running, you should find an icon, click on the icon then you will see a window and then a settings (gear) icon

[RedMountainPhotos]

I feel like I should chime in here even though it's been a while because I'm helping a client with this exact issue.

No one else has mentioned so far that Dropbox has multiple sync settings in the app preferences that ALL can effect how &  what files and folders are being uploaded to dropbox.  (this is all on a windows PC btw but i'm sure its similar on a mac)

In the dropbox app under preferences, check the following things: 
In the Backups tab

 - Under This PC - "Automatically back up your Desktop, Documents" etc - click Set up and make sure NONE of that is checked

 - Under Import photos and video - click "Change Autoplay Settings" and set Removable drive and Memory card to "Take no action" 

Next, go over to the Sync tab back in dropbox settings and choose Selective Sync

here you can see the exact folders and subfolders on your computer that are being backed up to Dropbox (indicated by a check mark) 

If you have a lot listed there, click through each folder and sub folder, because there can be sub folders that are checked that are in a parent folder that's NOT checked. 

Uncheck anything you DO NOT want synced to dropbox, BUT  keep in mind that unchecking those files will remove them from your computer (NOT remove them from dropbox) SO, if you want to keep those files on your computer, you'll first need to copy them to a different folder.

Lastly, once you've copied everything you want to keep safely off dropbox to another location on your computer, you need to delete the files off dropbox. (simply unchecking the folders and unsyncing does NOT remove them from dropbox online storage)

Hope that helps anyone else who's having issues with this. 

cheers!

[EvelyneMitchell]

That does not work for me! I want this reversed, but do not know how to do that. I back my documents up onto an external drive and do not want them on DropBox. Now some of my programs are not running and I need to reverse this immediately!!!