How can I make sure my Dropbox files don't take up space from my devices?

[stevecjames]

My god... is it just SO difficult to contact Dropbox by email?

How the hell do I contact them by a simple email?  I don't use Facebook, Twitter or anything like that.  I want to pay them money... but if they don't want it I shall use a company who makes it wasy to contact them.

The Internet seems to have become impossible to use since I started using it 28-years ago.

[Nancy]

Hi @stevecjames. I’m really sorry to hear about your experience so far. 

To properly guide you from here, can you send me more details on what issue it is that you’re facing exactly with Dropbox? 

We’ll take it from there.

[stevecjames]

Yes, of course.  Thank you for your reply.

I signed up a few days ago for the 2TB plan.  I'd been using the free plan for years & years before then.

I cancelled the new subscription immediately I discovered that an iOS application I'd been using (again for years) didn't work with Dropbox, even though it was set up to do so (it's called FileBrowser).  The designers of the app are looking at it presently to find out just why it won't work (although they sem to be as flumoxxed as me about why it's not working!)

Here's what they say : "The reason FileBrowser doesn't play your video and instead offers the Stream to Another App option is that the video is in a format that iOS can't play (FileBrowser uses the in-built video codecs to avoid licensing issues - other apps usually ignore these potential legal problems). "

I wanted to know in the meantime - and while FileBrowser are looking into all this - is whether the cancellation that I had subscribed to  (the 30-days' free trial) has gone through and when it will come to an end (a full month or in 28-days).

I also wanted to know that when I play anything on my iPhone (music files or videos), when it says "synching in progress" (or something similar) if my phone is actually going to be downloading the file to my device... as if so it's going to be pretty useless as I shall be running out of space imminently, making the whole process of me signing up to a 2TB plan worthless.

Sorry that this is all a bit convoluted but the Internet has got enormously more complicated since I first used it in 1996.

Thanks for your advice. Steve

[stevecjames]

That which I thought was going to happen now HAS now happened... I've run out of space on my MacBook so I'm having to delete everything which I've attempted to upload today to Dropbox.  What a waste of bloody time.

All this is FAR, FAR too complicated... I used to teach IT.  To the blind.  But to even think about doing such an occupation nowadays would be a non-starter.

People buying new computers used to complain about so-called "bloatware" and had to remove programs, unnecessary software, images, videos etc already placed by unscrupulous manufacturers on their new computers even before they could even think about using it.

Dropbox has made their system unuseable after progressively complicating everything over the time that I've been using their services.

All I wanted to do was place a few videos and music files on a server, pay the hosting service money for doing so, et voilá... everyone's happy.  It seems nowadays that one not only needs a university degree to do so, but 48-hours in one day.

 

 

 

[Nancy]

Thanks for the details you’ve provided, Steve, as well as the screenshots! After cancelling your Dropbox plan, did you check your linked to Dropbox email address? Have you received any confirmation there that your trial has been cancelled? Make sure to also check your spam folder, if nothing is showing in your email’s inbox.

Now, as for viewing files on your iPhone, the Dropbox app shouldn’t download those locally, unless you tell the app to make those files offline (with these steps). 

Finally, regarding your computer’s hard drive being filled up, I’d like you to follow these steps in your local Dropbox folder there and let me know if you see any difference after a bit.

[stevecjames]

Hello Nancy...

I don't understand what you are saying here... you seem to have missed out either a word or a complete phrase when you say :

" After cancelling your Dropbox plan, did you check your linked to Dropbox email address? "

My linked what?

[Megan]

Hey @stevecjames, let me also jump in here! 

Your Dropbox account is linked to your email address. Usually when cancelling your plan or trial, you should receive a confirmation email informing you about that.

This is why my colleague, @Nancy suggested that you check your email address. 

[stevecjames]

Yes, my e-mail address is correct. 

[Hannah]

Hey @stevecjames, how did you initially sign up for that 2 TB plan? 

Did you upgrade directly through the Dropbox website or did you use your iTunes account to upgrade (through the Dropbox mobile app)?

Also, did the steps that Nancy provided to help you free up your hard drive space help?

[stevecjames]

You asked : "Did you upgrade directly through the Dropbox website or did you use your iTunes account to upgrade (through the Dropbox mobile app)?"

I believe it was through the mobile app.