How do I delete files from Dropbox without deleting them from my computer and other devices?

[LynnMGallagher]

I do not use Dropbox for backup storage; I use a different service for that.  But friends and fellow students sometimes want to share files in Dropbox, so I set up a free account.  Somehow, I don't know how, Dropbox uploaded some of my photos to the cloud and filled up my basic Dropbox space.  I would like to take my photos out of Dropbox WITHOUT DELETING THEM FROM MY COMPUTER or other devices.  This would give me the Dropbox space that I need for sharing.  But when I try to do that, Dropbox says that it will delete my photos from all my devices!  How can I empty my Dropbox without deleting my photos from my devices?

[Stephen100]

Hello and thanks for working hard to answer this question which continues to perplex me.  I assumed that using Dropbox to back up files on my computer would result in Dropbox making copies of files on  my computer and putting them in the Dropbox cloud.  I think that's how other backup systems work.  Normally nothing happens to files on my computer unless I move them (not copy them) to the cloud.  In fact in order to backup files, don't they have to be files on the hard drive of my computer in the first place?  Your comments seem to imply that Dropbox doesn't just copy files to the Dropbox cloud but that it takes them and MOVES them to the Dropbox cloud so that they no longer exist independently on my computer.  Because of that the Dropbox "backup" files are not really backups because they are now the only files.  Therefore deleting them from Dropbox deletes them completely from their original location.  As I understand it, now that I have made a "backup" to Dropbox (thereby moving my files) I cannot just delete those files from Dropbox without having them also deleted on my computer unless I now copy the Dropbox files I want to save back to my computer.  This would be true even though the files were all originally files on my computer.  Am I understanding you correctly and does this describe what happens with a Dropbox backup?  Thanks so much for helping me to understand how to deal with this!

[saimamin0007]

I just faced the same issue my all data is deleted can  get that data back?

[LizMac42]

I lost some important videos of my grandchildren from deleting them from Dropbox - even the ones on my hard drive backup were deleted.  I have never used Dropbox since and would not consider using it again/

[DrakadocDb]

Dropbox will not let me move (or even see) any of my files because it says that I am out of space and must get more space. Any ideas as to what I can do now.

[Moletrapper]

I am also having a similar problem.  I wished to delete some files from Dropbox to save space because it was no longer synchronising because I had reached my limit.  When I deleted some files and tried adding some different files, it said it could not synchronise because I still didn't have enough space.  So, having backed up the files I wished to delete, I thought if I permanently deleted those files I would then have enough space, but I received a message saying that permanently deleting files does not free up space!  If so, that means that once you have used up to your limit, the only solution is to buy more capacity, because you can never free the space you have used!  Is that correct, or am I doing something wrong?

[LizMac42]

Its about time Dropbox sorted this problem out - there may be ways to avoid it but I could not understand a word of the answer and so many people are getting caught by, understandably, thinking that if you deleter a file it will not affect any other files on your computer and hard drives.  Who knows, before doing this that you have to make sure something about the files being synced.  Why isn't there a message pop up informing you before you click on that delete.     They obviously don't care as this problem has been going on for a long time.

As said before - I have not touched Dropbox since I lost important videos of my grandchildren.

[LizMac42]

Just don't use it - its a dangerous program and you will probably lose your files at some stage.  For Gods sake don't try to delete any of them to make space

[LizMac42]

Rich - I don't know if this is correct.   Several years ago I lost a lot of photos and videos which were stored on computer and some of them which were on an external hard drive were deleted too.   I have never used Dropbox since and its about time that Dropbox sorted out this deletion of other files stored elsewhere which they should have no access to change. 

How can one remember which is the original photo or video or whether that particular file has been safely stored elsewhere when one deletes from Dropbox .

I have read about so many people losing photos and files - its iniquitous that this is still going on.

[Anna456]

Thank you, Daphne. Your instructions are correct. Thank you. I finally figured out that when Dropbox says the file I am deleting will be deleted on all other devices, they mean the file that exists on DROPBOX and not the file which exists independently on my computer. So if both you and Dropbox would make this crystal clear next time, it would be very helpful indeed. Many of us hate to follow technical instructions and the only tools we have are good grammar (to make things clear) and very plain language, not the jargon of the internet. The technology word has usurped so many ordinary words and started using them in new ways that it's difficult to keep up. And when each computer or system starts using their own vocabulary, things get even more confusing. So -  I appreciate your help but do cross all the Ts for people like me who are hanging onto details to help us understand EACH step of a technology process.

[RINGDING]

I want to delete files on my Dropbox but DONT want to delete on my laptop.  How do I do that?