Forum Discussion

dropitlikeitshot1's avatar
dropitlikeitshot1
Helpful | Level 6
2 months ago

Moving files on my desktop to the trash deletes them immediately instead.

I am running Dropbox Backup. On MacOS, when I drag a file on my desktop to the trash, it is deleted automatically. In other words, it does not appear in the trash in case I want to recover it later. I get a warning that says "This item will be deleted immediately. You can't undo this action."

When the same file is in any other folder or location on my computer besides the Desktop, and I drag it to the trash, the behavior is normal - the files goes into the trash where I can see it and recover it if need be.

I am running Dropbox Backup on Sequoia 15.2 on a 2020 M1 Macbook Air.

Any thoughts?

  • Interestingly enough....... when I quit the Dropbox app, it works normally. Files deleted from the desktop up end up in the trash. 

    When I relaunch the Dropbox app, the issue is gone! Files deleted from the desktop up end up in the trash.

  • 215.4.7202

    I've never used the backups page before. But when I delete a file from the desktop on the backups page, it does not go into the trash, it is deleted immediately. 

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

      Hey dropitlikeitshot1, I hope it's okay for me to jump in here.

      Just to test things out, if you quit the Dropbox app and try to reproduce the issue, does it persist while the app is closed?

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

    Hi dropitlikeitshot1, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

    Does this occur for any other file in another folder used for Dropbox Backup when you attempt to delete it?

    This will help me to assist further!

    • dropitlikeitshot1's avatar
      dropitlikeitshot1
      Helpful | Level 6

      Hi Jay! All other folders are behaving normally. If I drag a file to the trash, it appears in the trash. It's only when I drag a file from the desktop to the trash that it is deleted immediately.

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

        Hey dropitlikeitshot1 - thanks for clarifying that for us.

        Can you also let us know the version of the Dropbox desktop app as shown in your menu bar?

        Also, are you able to move the files normally via the backups page instead?