My files are missing. How can I recover them?

[yanit]

Hi there, I missed a large amount of files in a few folders (photos and videos mostly) from my Dropbox. I have them synced to my Macbook. I didn't delete any of them and this morning they just disappeared. I checked the the "Events" page on Dropbox web, and there was no indication that I moved or deleted my files. There were not in trash either. Please help!

[Jay]

Hi @yanit, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Did the files disappear from the computer, or from the Dropbox site?

Are there any files on the deleted files page on the site?

This will help me to assist further!

[yanit]

Hi Jay, they disappeared from both the Dropbox website and from my computers. I have already synced my Dropbox app with the website, and have been using it without any problems for many years, until today 😞

[Walter]

When is the last time you remember seeing them on our website @yanit?

Were they shared with you or were you the owner of the files by the way? 

[yanit]

I rarely checked the website, I used Dropbox mostly through the Dropbox app installed on my Macbook. The last time I saw these photos and videos were last week. I was the only owner of the folders/ files.

[Walter]

Were you experiencing any syncing issues back then perhaps @yanit?

If they had been uploaded to your Dropbox account, there should be a sign of them in your events page, that's why I'm asking.

[yanit]

Hi Walter, I don't think so. I have seen Dropbox notifications about me exceeding the storage space that I have with my account, but there was never a notification/ indication that the files that I had in my folders would disappear because some of the new files were not synced. The folders that disappeared were from many years ago and they had been sitting there for at least 3-4 years.

[Mark]

Hi @yanit 

Dropbox terms do state that they will delete files if you are over quota (https://help.dropbox.com/storage-space/over-quota). That would remove files from the Dropbox website but shouldn't remove locally. 

However, if they are not syncing to Dropbox as you are over quota they wont show at all on things like Events as they are not syncing. 

[yanit]

Hi Mark, thanks for the link. I didn't know that, thanks for the info. The page says "We'll notify you through multiple emails in advance. We’ll begin by deleting your most recent files to bring your account within the limit, working backward. " I did not receive any emails from Dropbox. The files that went missing were also old files from many years ago, not recent files. So it didn't make sense. Do you know how I can get the files back? What if I removed the new files that made me exceed my quota?

[Nancy]

Hi from me too, @yanit. When visiting the Deleted files page online, did you adjust the filters, so that the results may include several days? Do you see something different then? 

If the files aren’t there, can you also use the search bar on www.dropbox.com to look for them?