How do I delete Backups in Dropbox?

[anwar79]

Hello,

I've been trying to find out what is taking space in my Dropbox. When I go to Manage account it says I have 11.8 GBs of Backups out of 15 GB. However I cannot actually find out what backup this is nor delete it.

All the steps I've checked on the site talks about installing a Desktop App then going to Sync and Backup. However there's no such thing. I'm using the latest Dropbox app downloaded from Dropbox website and running on Windows 11.

Also if I go to Dropbox app in the taskbar and then click on my account name then go to Preferences there's an option for the tab called Backups. However this tab opens up just the folders however I've not selected any folders to be backed up.  There's no way to actually delete backups.

I've tried unlinking all devices from my account, deleting all files in the directories and still there's this 11GB just missing. Why can't Dropbox app just show what is taking the space and have an option to delete it?

[Megan]

Hi @anwar79, welcome to our Community! 

Let's see what we can find together. Can you check your Backup page online, and let me know what it reports there? 

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there! 

[anwar79]

Hello,

Thanks. Somehow there's a hardisk there that I dont remember enabling backup hence I would be deleting it. 

This is exactly what I needed to find. How do I get to this page from the Dropbox website?

Thanks!

[Megan · Accepted solution]

No worries, this is why I am here @anwar79! 

You should be able to open your Backup page by accessing the home page, clicking on the burger icon on the top left, and then Backup.

Let me know if you need anything else!

[anwar79]

Thanks this did the trick. 

[Sally 1]

I recently accidentally clicked yes to backing up to Dropbox a USB with a lot of photos and some videos on it. It has taken up all my storage, which I don't want to do. I want to delete it, but it is not showing up on my list of files on my computer. Can anyone advise me how to find the file so it can be deleted?

[Megan]

Hey there, @Sally 1, I hope you're doing well! 

Let's see what we can find together and how you can disable your Backup option. Can you check your Backup page online, and let me know what it reports there?

You should be able to see your USB as an external backup there, correct? 

Let me know of any updates! 

[Sally 1]

Hi Megan.

When I clicked on backup it came up with a blank page. I went back and tried a few minutes later and I was able to find and delete the USB. Thank you!

But I don't understand why this USB did not show up under "all files," nor why something else that I received as a download from an organisation doesn't appear to be there either, yet I have it open in another window...

Sally

[Nancy]

Hey Sally! Glad you were able to sort this out.

When enabling external drive backup, your files will only show here on Dropbox, besides your USB.

Can you clarify what you mean though when saying that something doesn’t appear among your files, even though you have it open in another window? Do you mean that you saved a file to your USB and it didn't show among your backed up files on Dropbox?

[Sally 1]

Yes, that's what I mean.