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alessio b.5's avatar
alessio b.5
New member | Level 2
5 years ago

What happens to my files when I cancel my subscription?

Hi, what will happen to my Files if I cancel my subscription? I have dropbox plus and the number of GB I keep there is more than the limit of the non-paying versions.
There are also many important files which are not on my PC anymore and I should download them.
Once I've done it, will I have a certain time to download everything?
Or will all the files remain available for downloading?

  • Rich's avatar
    Rich
    6 years ago

    Nothing happens to your files when your subscription expires. At most, if you're over your storage quota when your subscription expires you simply won't be able to sync your files, but they'll remain accessible through the Dropbox website. Your files are not deleted or removed from the account.

    If you're no longer seeing your files, something else is the cause.

  • joannabrandi's avatar
    joannabrandi
    New member | Level 2

    Thanks for the response, but I am still not sure what I can do to retrieve those files . This appears to be someone else's question. How do I get MY files back? Thank you 

    JoAnna 

  • Syed Manan's avatar
    Syed Manan
    New member | Level 2

    what will happen to my data stored in drop box once my subscription ends and i dont buy any subscription. 

    Will i be able to access those files from anywhere?

    • Megan's avatar
      Megan
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
      Hi Syed Manan, I hope you're doing well!

      I've merged your question into this post, since it echoes what others have expressed. 

      Feel free to take a look at what has been suggested, and let me know if you have any questions. 

      Cheers.
  • driemer5981's avatar
    driemer5981
    Explorer | Level 4

    I no longer want to use Dropbox.  How do I make sure that none of my folders/files are deleted from my PC when I discontinue?

    If I understand how Dropbox works currently everything is on the Cloud for backup but will I lose my folders/files from my hard drive or will they still be accessible to me.  My husband is extremely upset that certain files transferred to Dropbox and didn't stay private.

    Help!

     

    • Vibhuti's avatar
      Vibhuti
      Explorer | Level 4

      what will happen to my data ,if i don,t pay dropbox after few months ? Will it be deleted simultaneously or what can happen ?
      I have not bought the dropbox plan but I got 100 gb FREE with my acer laptop. PLS HELP 

      REGARDS 

      • Megan's avatar
        Megan
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        Happy Thursday Vibhuti, I hope you're doing well.

        I've merged you into this thread, since your question is similar to the OG.

        Even if your promotional space expires, your files are safe. 

        Take a look at what has been mentioned above, and let me know if you need any other help.
    • Megan's avatar
      Megan
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
      Hey driemer5981, thank you for posting your question here.  

      Provided that your account is ever downgraded, Dropbox will not delete any of your files.

      If you're over your storage quota when your subscription expires, you simply won't be able to sync your files but they'll remain accessible through the Dropbox website. 

      Don't hesitate to get back to us if anything comes up.
      • anice's avatar
        anice
        Explorer | Level 4

        Megan,

        You are obviously paid by Dropbox, in you "Staff" position.   Please be HONEST!   If you go over the limit your Dropbox account is closed and your files are NOT deleted but held HOSTAGE by Dropbox until you pay for a subscription.   I am over the limit and cannot download my files as they have been BLOCKED by Dropbox, unless I pay the RANSOM.

  • garyvh's avatar
    garyvh
    New member | Level 2

    First off I was checking on pricing and sizes of drop boxes. I was curious about if you cancel your account what happens to everything that is stored in the cloud. What are the assurances that everything will be securely erased when you cancel? Then upon looking around I noticed that there isn't anyway to contact DropBox itself. There is a chat bot and the community. Why would I want to hire a company that I cannot get in touch with? Looking for answers. Thank you.

     

    Gary

    • Mark's avatar
      Mark
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      If you are a paying user you (rightly) can contact support for assistance. Free users, however, do not have that option.

       

      Stopping payments does not stop/remove files and folders. However, cancelling and closing the account DOES - note that its permanent and so if you do so you cannot restore lost files later.

  • Zs70's avatar
    Zs70
    New member | Level 2

    If you dont pay for a subscription you have about 6 GB free with dropbox. Well at least I do. But if for instance, you were paying for the monthly or yearly subscription of personal plus, which is 2TB but then later on decided to cancel it. What would happen to all the files if you have now stored and saved more than the pre subscription quota of 6GB. Does it 

    a) Just remain as it is with the inability to store any more pictures and files, or 

    B) Does it delete those extra files and pictures that are not able to fit in the free 6GB quota that you had before

     

    Hope this q makes sense

    Thanks in advance 

    • Walter's avatar
      Walter
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Hi Zs70; welcome aboard!

       

      Your query seems to echo this discussion here so I moved your post under this thread so you can have a look around at your convenience. 

       

      Let us know if you have any additional questions! 

      • anice's avatar
        anice
        Explorer | Level 4

        It is difficult to try and recover your files when you go over the limit.  The moderators make it seem so simple but everyway I try, the downloaded files from my Dropbox are not full size.

        The solutions are convoluted and for someone in their early 90's, the process is much more difficult than needed.  They are protecting (and blocking) the copying of file to an external drive.  I also had several of my children sharing and that complicates the issue.    It seems as if the Dropbox is set up as a trap to make it difficult to simply move all the files in the Dropbox to an external drive.  I have looked for several days and nothing "cut and dry" about the process.

  • Sbathla's avatar
    Sbathla
    New member | Level 2

    Does subscription cancellation means I will have to download all material I have uploaded on Dropbox? Or does it mean that I can keep my account with the files already uploaded?

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      Cancellation only prevents your subscription from auto-renewing at the end of your current billing cylcle. Until that time, you will retain all account benefits. Once your subscription has run out, your files will not be deleted, but you won't be able to modify or add new content if you're over your storage quota.

       

      If you delete your account, all data within it is also deleted.

  • Linou_Petit's avatar
    Linou_Petit
    New member | Level 2

    Hello,

    If I cancel my DB plus subscription, will it revert to the original storage I had gained before I upgraded?  Or the default storage for a free account? 

    • Fiona's avatar
      Fiona
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Hi Linou_Petit. Welcome to our Community. :grin:

      I merged your topic in this discussion, where you will find all the information you need about what happens after you downgrade. 

      Specifically for the free space you might have earned, referrals count for 500MB each on a Basic account. While on a Dropbox Plus account they count as 1GB each. 

      Let us know if you have any more questions!

      • Erseclowars's avatar
        Erseclowars
        Explorer | Level 3

        Necessary is to take back up important file and If possible to take discounted subscription

  • Daphne's avatar
    Daphne
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

    Thanks for reaching out to us here alessio b.5!

    When you cancel your subscription, your files will stay safe within your account online.

    If you're over your space limit and use the desktop app, your files won't be able to sync and no edits to your files will be able to be saved to your account.

    However, you will still have full access to your files and you'll be able to download them directly from the website.

    I hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions!

    • alessio b.5's avatar
      alessio b.5
      New member | Level 2
      So I can keep all the files without paying anything? Even if they're over space of unpaying version?
      "Will not sync": What does that mean in concrete terms?
      • Daphne's avatar
        Daphne
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

        That's right alessio b.5, your files won't be deleted from your account.

        In terms of syncing, the desktop app won't be able to sync your files when you're over your space limit.

        This means that if you make any edits to the local copies on your computer's Dropbox folder, they won't be saved to your account online.

        You'll only be able to view and download your files from online unless you remove enough data to put you back under the space limit.

        Keep me posted with any other questions you have about this!

  • Kit813's avatar
    Kit813
    New member | Level 2

    I used to pay the fee monthly through my credit card, but as my credit card epired and I forgot to change my payment details, so now, my subscription expired and I cannot see any files in my account........if my files appeard again if I renew my subscription? 

     

    Hope someone can help me, thanks.

    • Rich's avatar
      Rich
      Icon for Super User II rankSuper User II

      Nothing happens to your files when your subscription expires. At most, if you're over your storage quota when your subscription expires you simply won't be able to sync your files, but they'll remain accessible through the Dropbox website. Your files are not deleted or removed from the account.

      If you're no longer seeing your files, something else is the cause.

      • alley5's avatar
        alley5
        New member | Level 2

        As a Dropbox user that's not the administrator with my company how can I continue to access the files when the company is going out of business?  My business email address associated with the account will inevitably disappear as well.  I'm not very tech savvy but I do know it's too much information to save to my computer. 

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