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Forum Discussion
Solved
How to stop Dropbox deleting everywhere?
I often copy and save documents on my desktop for easy access.
When I go to delete a file off my desktop it also permanently deletes the file in my saved folder.
How can I stop this as it is an absolute pain.
Means I have to store the files on my desktop forever!
Stamp My Art wrote:
This NEW change is FRUSTRATING and unacceptable. Why would you create this problem?
Nothing has changed. Dropbox still works the same way that it always has. If you delete a file from your Dropbox folder, it will be deleted from the Dropbox folder on all devices you sync with. Dropbox doesn't, and can't, delete files from other locations on your computer.
- Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Hi nh123, thanks for reaching out to us.
In general, when you delete a file from your Dropbox folder on your computer, that file will also be removed from your account on the website, and any other device that has the desktop app or mobile app installed.
However, you can restore any file you recently deleted, depending on your account, by following these steps.
If you're still having trouble with this though, could you clarify of the file that keeps getting removed is inside the Dropbox folder or in another location on your hard drive?
Are you by any chance using any symlinks?
Keep me posted!
I'm having this same issue. I want to delete the file off my desktop without deleting it from my dropbox folder.
But anytime I try to do it I get that box that says it has to delete everywhere. Is there a way to turn that off manually so I can delete from one place but not another?
It's incredibly frustrating when you are working on a document in more than one place but then can't close one file and leave the other open. There has to be some kind of workaround other than just not putting files on my desktop
- Daphne
Thanks for joining the thread here frei2bme!
There wouldn't be a way to turn off sync for a specific file I'm afraid.
Could you just clarify for me what kind of issue you're running into when you have the file open in multiple places? Are you receiving errors, or generating conflicted copies?
Let me know and we can see if there's anything else that we can suggest to work around this!
I was deleting useless files on my Dropbox because they were taking up unnecessary space.
However, Dropbox deleted them from the PC as well, which was not intended. Is there a way to stop this from happening?
Some files I have on my PC I don't need on my Dropbox. How do I take away this ability of dropbox deleting files without my permission?
- MeganHi @Sufyaan, I hope you're having a wonderful day so far.
Keep in mind that this is the way Dropbox works.
The app is created to sync and mirror any changes you make online. Therefore, when you delete a file on the website, the same thing will happen to your files on your device.
You can ignore files, which would allow you to remove them from the device and keep them on the website. If you wish to do the opposite, you'd need to uninstall the app.
I hope this clarifies things.Hi, I wanted to chime in here since the same question has bothered me for a long time.
Dropbox could simply clarify the delete option -- "delete from everyone's account and all devices" is ambiguous and overly inclusive. Every time I see the message, I get a chill. All devices, really? Even in my "holiday folder" on my PC hard drive (a device) where I still have the video stored? Or my 5 other hard drive locations? On the CD in my car stereo (a device) (just kidding)
Dropbox should state precisely what will be deleted. They might say "delete from everyone's DROPBOX account and DROPBOX FOLDERS on all devices" That is what I usually am trying to do. I don't intend to delete a file from anywhere else on my PC.
Just thought this might be a good place to make this suggestion. Thanks!
