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I haven't accessed my account for a while and all my files are missing

I haven't accessed my account for a while and all my files are missing

blings
New member | Level 2

I have saved document on the dropbox free account since 2015, returning to it last week to check for a document I needed do badly and I realize all my files are missing. it's no where to be found. Please how can I retreive all my files back to include pictures. 

20 Replies 20

Rich
Super User II

@blings wrote:

I have saved document on the dropbox free account since 2015, returning to it last week ... all my files are missing.


When was the last time you accessed the account? If the account was idle for more then a year, then it would have been deleted due to inactivity and you're now signed in to a new, empty account.

 

If you've been using the account all along, check your Events page to view the file activity for your account.

blings
New member | Level 2

Last signed in 2020. No documents on event page. is there away I can retrieve all the douments back?

Rich
Super User II

@blings wrote:

Last signed in 2020. No documents on event page. is there away I can retrieve all the douments back?


If you haven't signed in since 2020 then the account was most certainly deleted due to inactivity and you're now signed in to a new, empty account. Unfortunately, once an account has been deleted, it's not possible to recover the account or the files that were in it.

susanvg
Explorer | Level 3
Rich,
This is concerning. I see another person has this problem. Why did my previous two helpers not know this? Why would Dropbox do this without a warning? I was taking care of my terminally ill husband at home for two years. Computers sit, comparatively unimportant. Dropbox deleted thousands of dollars of irreplaceable files and recordings. 🤦🏻‍:female_sign:
My login info was intact. I saw all my files, just couldn’t open or download two I tried. Then, all of them (over 3-4 years, perhaps 50 files/recordings) disappeared before my eyes, without action on my part. Thank you for your response to @blings.
Susan

Rich
Super User II

@susanvg wrote:
Why did my previous two helpers not know this? Why would Dropbox do this without a warning?

If you're referring to your other thread, you mentioned that you could see the files in your account before they disappeared. Perhaps they believe it's a different scenario. When an account is going to be deleted due to inactivity, Dropbox sends several emails to the email address associated with the account.

blings
New member | Level 2

It's fsutrating and something need to be done,  An important document I need to access is completely vanish. without any notification of them wipping out my file is ridiculous. Crazy part about this, there is no live agent capabilty to talk to on what is going on and how this could be retrieved. 

blings
New member | Level 2

I can't recollect getting any email, perhaps why have a free basic account when dropbox knows they would delete peoples files. 

Mark
Super User II

@blings wrote:

It's fsutrating and something need to be done,  An important document I need to access is completely vanish. without any notification of them wipping out my file is ridiculous. Crazy part about this, there is no live agent capabilty to talk to on what is going on and how this could be retrieved. 


If the account has been removed I'm afraid it cannot be retrieved. Once an account is marked as inactive its permanently removed. 


 


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susanvg
Explorer | Level 3
Thank you Rich. If you’re sure, then I’m screwed. I checked email often enough and would have responded to something like this. In fact, though I don’t think it was Dropbox (yet could have been), I received emails about opening an account with 1 or 2 companies and did. Oh well. Hard lesson at a horrible time in our world.
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