How can I delete the Dropbox desktop app and only use the online version?

[H20 water]

Hello, I want to delete/un sync and remove all desktop Dropbox stuff, and strictly use the online version. How do I do this?

[Jay]

Hi @H20 water, thanks for contacting us!

You can do this by first signing out of the Dropbox desktop application, which will stop any changes made from syncing to the site. 

Afterwards you can uninstall the Dropbox desktop application and delete the local Dropbox folder entirely if you wish.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

[H20 water]

Hello Jay, thanks for your suggestion.

In the process of trying to delete this Dropbox Desktop thing, I removed the drop box app from my taskbar, and cant find it anymore.

[Jay]

Do you mean that you quit the app, or uninstalled it entirely?

Is it still in your start menu, since it sounds like you're using Windows?

[H20 water]

Yes, i am using windows. The dropbox app is in my start menu, but when i click on it, the blue think circle appears for a few seconds, then nothing else happens. The app doesn't load.

[H20 water]

I fooled around in the online version and came upon my computer in a list. I followed the rabbit trail and came to a point where i could unlink my computer, and the following message appeared: "You’re about to unlink your computer DESKTOP-*******. It’ll immediately stop syncing with your Dropbox." 

Will doing this accomplish my goal?

[H20 water]

This is under "Personal Account" > Security > Devices. Then i tapped the garbage can. looking forward to your conformation

[Jay · Accepted solution]

Yes, that will unlink your account, as it sounds like you can't get the desktop app to load. Once the device is unlinked, you can continue with the uninstallation of the app.

[H20 water]

Ok, well there are other people using this computer. So as long as i have unlinked my account with the computer, the Desktop version will no longer have my stuff, correct?

[Jay]

It won't sync any new copies of files, however, the local Dropbox folder will still have any data you had in it before, so make sure to delete that folder or move the data elsewhere if need be.