How to delete files when your drop box is full

[MM2]

My drop box is a personal account account and is full. How do I delete files to free up space as it won't give me access to my space / files? When I'm logged in it asks me to pay and upgrade - I don't see any alternatives which allow me to view current data  so I can delete files. I don't want to upgrade as I do not use drop box that often.

[Vivian · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out to us!

When your Dropbox folder is over quota then file syncing will stop. Files are not removed and once you bring your account under quota the syncing will resume.

To get your account under quota you can do any of the following:

1. Upgrade your account

2. Increase your storage quota by referring friends. Please see here https://help.dropbox.com/space/earn-space-referring-friends  to earn more space by referrals.

3. Leave shared folders. Check out Help Center article https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/leave-shared-folder.

4. Remove files from your Dropbox. For more information on how to remove files visit https://help.dropbox.com/desktop-web/delete-files.

Hope this helps! Let me know how it works out.  

Thanks,

Vivian                

[SueH]

Thanks for your suggestions Vivian

I don't want to upgrade (option 1).

I can try referring friends (2). But the problem is this: I've exceeded my quota, and now dropbox has locked me out.  I can't see my files online, just the message telling me to upgrade.  So I'm unable to do options 3 or 4.  I've removed files (not online, just using file manger, so I'm now back under my quota) but it won't sync.  In other words dropbox is trying to force me to upgrade.  If I refer friends but then in the future accidently exceed my quota then the same thing will happen.

In the past I have just removed files, no problem.

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks

[SueH]

Oh, and now I find that the abilty to refer friends also seems to have blocked, at least I cannot find it under settings/account.

Also, I do have quite a lot of shared files, most of which I created.  So am wondering if there's a work around I can do by getting the people I share those files with to cut me out of them....

[124]

Did you have any luck in getting a useful response? I have the same problem. I would delete files if i could so I don't have to upgrade but I can't get into the account.

[SueH]

Oh dear, I can't remember how I figured it out in the end.  I think I got my daughter to sign up, which gave me enough credit to access my account so that I could delete files.  Though I don't know how I managed that if the friends thing was disabled.  Sorry, the only part I'm remembering clearly was that it was really annoying! 

[MM2]

No - still the same.

[Extorted]

Dropbox is fully aware that thye are denying users access to their account when the box exceeds the limit for Basic level storage. They are forcing you to pay them at least a monthly fee just so you can gain access to your account to delete the files that exceeded the storage limit. When this issue is reported to the help center their response is to upgrade or refer a friend. If you can not or don't want to do either, then you are essentially locked out of your box. Most people would call this EXTORTION! and it is just that. If there is a governing authority that prevents companies from this type of abuse, I suggest that everyone reading this should notify them. 

[Zed]

Hello @Extorted,

When you are overquota on your free account, unfortunately you hit your 2GB limit and not being able to sync makes sense since you have no available space. Your account will not freeze completely though, you get the options to download and/or delete files from your account to free up space and go under-quota.

To get more space you can upgrade to our Plus plan or you can check here to see what you can do to get some more free space.

Thanks!

[DM92]

Hi @Zed

What you seem to be misunderstanding is the fact you cannot get back into your dropbox file list, therefore you cannot delete files to become under your quota. My Quota is 6.4GB (Random figure in my mind), and I currently have 7+GB of files which I cannot delete to regain access.

This is the first time I have signed into Dropbox for a year or so, obviously they have updated quotas since I last signed in. I apparently had more space previously.

Personally I'm not too bothered by it, as I clearly rarely use it and will just stick to using Google Drive instead of being forced to pay for access to delete my own files off the account.