Free up disk space on C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox

[Mr_and_Mrs_D]

Cleaning up my ssd I discovered that the folder C:\Users\MyUsername\AppData\Local\Dropbox takes up 4.90 GB (5,264,194,984 bytes). What are those files? Is it safe to delete (some of) them?

[Walter]

Hey there @Mr_and_Mrs_D - how are you today?

From what I understand you must be referring to your Dropbox cache folder on your computer. 

Note that Dropbox keeps a cache of files hidden in your Dropbox for efficiency and for emergency purposes. You can use the steps mentioned in the Help Center article I linked to above, to clear the cache. This will not affect or remove the files in your Dropbox folder and will also free up space in your hard drive.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[Mr_and_Mrs_D]

Thanks for the reply - no, the cache is in C:\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache in my case. This is a folder in application data - its contents are:

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox>dir /s /b
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\CrashReports
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Dropbox.exe.log
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\events
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-journal
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj4BF1309EF
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj724D0191F
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mj9A63B79D2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjD210029BA
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjF662719B9
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\filecache.dbx-mjFB67EE90E
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\host.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\host.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\info.json
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance_db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\l
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\QuitReports
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\unlink.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\3dc82f716407ba58c9d7ffa60659af86-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\3e8b8f74cf6c8953b6cf3e8d52e5d72f
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\a00fa422a98450eb232c076455d2ff8e-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\ae9948963db72788e48c1ca46a95d8fd-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\cd3293d4d3a1170c573f258da8e7caf2-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\ce332fef021e00bac79e1eb3992a9b39-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\avatar_cache\f6eed4bbf12fc30f33f0ec6beb1585aa-2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\metadata
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\reports
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\Crashpad\settings.dat
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\aggregation.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\checker.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\config.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\config.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\contacts.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\deleted.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mj0B6F8E92E
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mj4EF35C998
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mjBFC1249C7
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-mjE6AE1F9D3
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-shm
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\filecache.dbx-wal
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\host.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\host.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\l
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\local_view_manager
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\notifications.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\photo.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\resync.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5464fd9d
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5483ad0e
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s548d2d6e
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5496441d
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54a520ae
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54ac774e
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54adc805
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s54c80085
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s555cc720
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s55b50696
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s56fac197
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\s5702ecbf
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\sigstore.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\unlink.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance1\local_view_manager\saved_session.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\config.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\local_view_manager
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\unlink.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance2\local_view_manager\saved_session.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\aggregation.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\checker.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\config.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\deleted.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx-shm
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\filecache.dbx-wal
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\local_view_manager
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\photo.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\resync.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\sigstore.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\TO_HASH_13vavt6b
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\unlink.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance3\local_view_manager\saved_session.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\instance_db\instance.dbx
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\0
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-crash-reports
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-faulthandler
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-crash-reports
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-faulthandler
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4187e3
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418849
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4188bb
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418934
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4189e5
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418a47
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418aa8
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ad3
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418b55
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418bd7
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418c71
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418cf6
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418d67
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418de8
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418e13
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ecb
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418f4d
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c418ff2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41907f
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419124
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41919f
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c41922a
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c4192a2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419309
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1\1-5c419387
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\1-faulthandler\crashlog.txt
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-59c26508
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-59c2650a
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f74
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f7b
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\2\1-5bd89f7e
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b2
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b5
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\3\1-5bd8a8b8
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\logs\None-faulthandler\crashlog.txt
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\file_icon
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\icon.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\local_view_manager
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\tray-thumbnails.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\file_icon\a8564bf4da2eebbc212ceef93d588891.png
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\machine_storage\local_view_manager\saved_session.db
C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox\QuitReports\d597210d-1d50-4ace-bb03-a17342907168.dbt

C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox>

[Walter]

I wouldn't touch those files as they include our client's (i.e. the desktop app's) settings and it could tamper with the app's functionality @Mr_and_Mrs_D.

Is it possible that you've had multiple instances of the desktop app, a paired account running on this device or Junctions points (as outlined here on the 7th step)? That could account for the size of the files you see which should be hidden to begin with. 

I hope this clarifies matters to you and please let me know if you have any further questions. 

[Mr_and_Mrs_D]

I used junctions yes and I have a personal and business dropbox. 5 GB of data is however a bit too much - I suspect there are some caches in there that should be cleaned and probably leftovers from previous installations?

[Walter]

I understand your point @Mr_and_Mrs_D - would it be OK if I reached out via email to the address you use for your forum's profile so we can work on this together with account specific information as I'll have to get a more in-depth view of this to send you the most appropriate information?

[Mr_and_Mrs_D]

@Walter yes sure thanks 🙂

[Walter · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your swift responses and cooperation so far @Mr_and_Mrs_D - most appreciated!

I've just sent you a brief message (thus creating a ticket for you with ID: 8793980 ) so we can have a better look into this. 

Check your inbox for my email and we'll take it from there.

Until we speak again, have a lovely day/night ahead!

[Heraldo]

Good morning.

I have precisely the same issue as Mr and Mrs D. 

Could you please help me?

Thanks in advance

[Heraldo]

Since I activated the Smart Sync, the contents of the folder C:\Users\<User>\AppData\Local\Dropbox grows until drive C is full. Everytime it happens, I free up some space from other folders in drive C, and the folder contents resumes to grow until drive C is full again.

I need a solution for this problem, otherwise it will not be feasible for me to keep on using Dropbox. Can someone give me a help?