Need to see if your shared folder is taking up space on your dropbox 👨💻? Find out how to check here.
Forum Discussion
timq
5 years agoHelpful | Level 5
How can I cancel my computer backup?
I apparently selected pc backup when I installed Dropbox and naturally I'm out of storage on my Dropbox account now. I don't want and have no need to have my pc backed up to it. I have the desktop app but am not able to find the preferences section to stop it from backing up. I did try just deleting My PC from Dropbox but a message comes up and says if I delete "My PC" it says it will be removed from my Dropbox and from the computer. If I delete it in Dropbox, does that mean I'll lose everything on my laptop too? Sorry if it sounds like a newbie question but I am. 🙂 Any help stopping the PC backup would be greatly appreciated.
- Hey timq, welcome aboard our Community!
Indeed, with computer backup, if you delete your desktop files from Dropbox, they will also be deleted from your computer.
If you want to disable the backup feature, you can follow the steps here.
You'll find the Dropbox app's preferences, if you click on the Dropbox icon in your system tray.
Let me know if you have any questions.
58 Replies
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
- PhilippePM4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Hi, as said my Desktop is on Dropbox and I do not want that !
/Users/philippePM/Dropbox/Mac/Desktop is how it is now but I would like to supress the Dropbox in the middle. I surely did something wrong but I do not know what. Can you help ? Thanks.
- Rich4 years ago
Super User II
PhilippePM wrote:
Hi, as said my Desktop is on Dropbox and I do not want that !
You activated the computer backup feature, which MOVES your key folders into your Dropbox folder. Disable the backup feature and choose the option to keep content in folders on your Mac.
- PhilippePM4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Thanks for your help. It worked. PhilippePM
- pdolmsted4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
This didn't work for me. I though I disabled it (using a Mac Monterey) following the instructions and it's still there after a reboot.
If I go back to DropBox Preferences/Backup/Manage Backups I am presented with a window asking me to choose folders to back up. None of them are clicked. However, the "Mac" icon shows up on DropBox with the folder Documents that is merrily being backed up. What do I do to stop it?!
I'v tried removing it, rebooting it, and all sorts of other things. Can someone help?
Thanks,
- Peter
- pdolmsted4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
This didn't work for me. I though I disabled it (using a Mac Monterey) following the instructions and it's still there after a reboot.
Hello,
When installing DropBox on a new machine I mistakenly enabled backups of my Documents folder (Mac Monterey).
I would like to stop this "feature" but cannot. I have removed it from Devices via security on dropbox.com
If I go to DropBox Preferences/Backup/Manage Backups I am presented with a window asking me to choose folders to back up. None of them are clicked. However, the "Mac" icon shows up on DropBox with the folder Documents that is merrily being backed up.
I'v tried removing DropBox, rebooting it, and all sorts of other things. It is still there as Mac/Documents on all devices that log in.
I have followed various forum discussions and this seems to be a known problem.
Can someone help?
Thanks,
- Peter
- Jay4 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hi pdolmsted, if you're still experiencing issues disabling the computer backup feature, I'd recommend getting in contact with the support team directly for further assistance for them to investigate in more detail.
- pdolmsted4 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Hi Jay,
I finally worked it out. I needed to remove the computer completely (unlink it), and then wait for it to finish syncing on other computers. Then because it was unlinked I could delete the folders and files using one of the other computers, and eventually relink the computer in question. Because there were 100Gb or so involved I needed to wait a long time between steps until everything had stopped syncing. I think that was causing the previous weird problems: it was still syncing and needed to purges it's system before trying something new. The message is "not to panic"!
I may go back to using Backup once I am comfortable with my new system and have it all set up.
Thanks,
- Peter
- joanne l.34 years agoExplorer | Level 3
I tried to disable my pc backup, however, when I go into my Preferences, then to the Backups tab where I click Manage backups and it only allows me to Set up the folders. I click on the Set up and it does not complete after hours of waiting. I've tried several times. Please let me know how to disable the PC back up.
- Nancy4 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey joanne l.3!
If you’re only seeing an option to set up your backup, then it sounds like it’s already disabled for your Dropbox account. However, you can definitely send over a screenshot of what you see on your end, so that I can double check this for you.
Besides that, can you clarify if you’re still seeing your Documents/Desktop/Downloads folders on your Dropbox account?
- joanne l.34 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Hi Nancy,
The process continues for hours without completion and cannot be canceled.
The backup appears to be completed in the dropbox folder with my files. However, almost all my folders, files, and shortcuts are missing from the desktop except for a few.
Thanks for your help.
Joanne
About Delete, edit, and organize
Solve issues with deleting, editing, and organizing files and folders in your Dropbox account with support from the Dropbox Community.
The Dropbox Community team is active from Monday to Friday. We try to respond to you as soon as we can, usually within 2 hours.
If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X, Facebook or Instagram.
For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.
If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!