How do I delete files from Dropbox without deleting them from my computer and other devices?

Hi Daphne,

Thanks for your response.  I tried to turn off computer backup per the instructions at the link you provided, but i can't access preferences it's locked.  I'm really getting frustrated - all my settings are defaulted to a location that no longer exists.  I just want to get my downloads and desktop back without dropbox as part of the file path.  This is incredible how dropbox won't let me back to the way i was before.  i don't understand how this is possible, i've never had software intrude on my pc like dropbox has.

I think i'm finally free of Dropbox.  I saved the files that dropbox had "owned" in a secret location, then deleted dropbox from my PC, then deleted my account at dropbox.  It took awhile to permanently delete all dropbox folders from my PC, they are very persistent.

Thanks for getting back to me here tommarinotax.

It's rather strange what you mentioned that the Preferences were locked, this is not something that I believe is possible. However, I'm glad to hear that you seem to have resolve the issue your own way.

If there's anything else I can help with, please do let me know.

Thanks!

Thanks buddy, everything is gone from my documents on dropbox and my PC. Terrible advice. It has gone from recycling bin too.

It deleted the files from my desktop- gave me no other choice than to delete everywhere...this is not a good answer

Hey suzanna!

Do you have the computer backup enabled to sync your Desktop files?

The delete everywhere notification is referring to deleting the file in your Dropbox account and connected devices.

If the computer backup is enabled and syncing your Desktop/Downloads/Documents files, then the deletion of the file is synced in the location that was chosen to sync.

You'll need to disable the computer backup feature first, to stop syncing those files to Dropbox.

Let me know if this helps!

Dropbox is so complicated..I dont think its dafe to use for non experts..I wouldnt use it again since I lost videos of my grandchildren..there is not enough immediate or understable help when using it.

I agree with the other posters -- this software should come with a warning that you can potentially lose your files. Today I wanted to share a folder with my other laptop and in the process of doing that I saw a button to back up my documents. I clicked that, assuming that I could browse to the folder I wanted to share. Instead it staring uploading ALL of my documents. I realized that my account could not hold everything so I looked for a way to stop that. I found it in the Preferences and turned it off while it was still uploading. Now a great many of my folders are just GONE from my computer. Dropbox is saying that it has deleted files so they are not in Dropbox either. Will I get them back if I click restore? But there isn't room in Dropbox for them. What a freaking disaster! It's crazy that this software can just remove my files and folders.

Re: How do I delete files from Dropbox without deleting them from my computer and other devices?

Hello and thanks for working hard to answer this question which continues to perplex me.  I assumed that using Dropbox to back up files on my computer would result in Dropbox making copies of files on  my computer and putting them in the Dropbox cloud.  I think that's how other backup systems work.  Normally nothing happens to files on my computer unless I move them (not copy them) to the cloud.  In fact in order to backup files, don't they have to be files on the hard drive of my computer in the first place?  Your comments seem to imply that Dropbox doesn't just copy files to the Dropbox cloud but that it takes them and MOVES them to the Dropbox cloud so that they no longer exist independently on my computer.  Because of that the Dropbox "backup" files are not really backups because they are now the only files.  Therefore deleting them from Dropbox deletes them completely from their original location.  As I understand it, now that I have made a "backup" to Dropbox (thereby moving my files) I cannot just delete those files from Dropbox without having them also deleted on my computer unless I now copy the Dropbox files I want to save back to my computer.  This would be true even though the files were all originally files on my computer.  Am I understanding you correctly and does this describe what happens with a Dropbox backup?  Thanks so much for helping me to understand how to deal with this!