We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Forum Discussion
Solved
Restoring files from Dropbox to my PC
I followed the directions to right click on a file in dropbox and then click on Preferences. Unfortunately, Preferences didn't appear as an option. Suggestions?
Fivestar5 wrote:Walter, I tried to reply via regular email where your message appeared. That wasn't successful. Here is my response.
Walter, Thanks for responding to my desperate plea!! I inadvertently allowed Dropbox to backup my PC. I then tried to delete some of the files from Dropbox not realizing that they would also be deleted from my PC. I was able to follow directions provided by you yesterday and disable the backup feature. I was also able to follow directions (the same as you linked) and restore the files to Dropbox. However, my goal is to restore the files to the PC and remove them from Dropbox. So I'll just have a few select files on Dropbox and the rest only on my PC. Can you direct me to instructions to restore the files back to my PC and then delete them from Dropbox?
Hi Fivestar5 , you can directly transfer pictures, documents from Dropbox to computer making use of sync feature of Dropbox desktop app.
To do so, Go to https://www.dropbox.com > sign in with Dropbox account > Find the file you want to transfer to PC > click on More on the right of the file column > choose Download.
Wait for it finishes. The time depends on how large the file is and how fast your network is. Finally, you can find the file on your local computer.
A folder downloaded from Dropbox to PC is a compressed file.
If you have already installed the Dropbox desktop application and set to sync target files from the cloud to local, you can find what you want in the Dropbox folder on your computer directly. If not, you have to first of all download
Then, click on its icon on the right of the taskbar > window will pop up > click Settings on its top-right > choose Preferences.
In the Dropbox Preferences window, go to the Sync tab. Click Selective Sync button to find the files you want to transfer to your computer.
One more thing, still not find your files on the local desktop then you can try any third party utility programs like recuva, stellar data recovery free edition, testdisk etc. It will help you to recover permanently deleted data efficiently.
I hope this information probably may help you to resolve your problem.
Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
Dropbox Community Moderator
Walter, I tried to reply via regular email where your message appeared. That wasn't successful. Here is my response.
Walter, Thanks for responding to my desperate plea!! I inadvertently allowed Dropbox to backup my PC. I then tried to delete some of the files from Dropbox not realizing that they would also be deleted from my PC. I was able to follow directions provided by you yesterday and disable the backup feature. I was also able to follow directions (the same as you linked) and restore the files to Dropbox. However, my goal is to restore the files to the PC and remove them from Dropbox. So I'll just have a few select files on Dropbox and the rest only on my PC. Can you direct me to instructions to restore the files back to my PC and then delete them from Dropbox?
- Lusil
Dropbox Staff
Thanks for getting back to us, Fivestar5.
It sounds like you're referring to computer folders (like Downloads, Documents, and Desktop) which were added to your Dropbox folder.
If that is the case, you'll need to follow the instructions mentioned in this article on how to turn off computer backup.
Let us know how it goes, cheers!
Fivestar5 wrote:Walter, I tried to reply via regular email where your message appeared. That wasn't successful. Here is my response.
Walter, Thanks for responding to my desperate plea!! I inadvertently allowed Dropbox to backup my PC. I then tried to delete some of the files from Dropbox not realizing that they would also be deleted from my PC. I was able to follow directions provided by you yesterday and disable the backup feature. I was also able to follow directions (the same as you linked) and restore the files to Dropbox. However, my goal is to restore the files to the PC and remove them from Dropbox. So I'll just have a few select files on Dropbox and the rest only on my PC. Can you direct me to instructions to restore the files back to my PC and then delete them from Dropbox?
Hi Fivestar5 , you can directly transfer pictures, documents from Dropbox to computer making use of sync feature of Dropbox desktop app.
To do so, Go to https://www.dropbox.com > sign in with Dropbox account > Find the file you want to transfer to PC > click on More on the right of the file column > choose Download.
Wait for it finishes. The time depends on how large the file is and how fast your network is. Finally, you can find the file on your local computer.
A folder downloaded from Dropbox to PC is a compressed file.
If you have already installed the Dropbox desktop application and set to sync target files from the cloud to local, you can find what you want in the Dropbox folder on your computer directly. If not, you have to first of all download
Then, click on its icon on the right of the taskbar > window will pop up > click Settings on its top-right > choose Preferences.
In the Dropbox Preferences window, go to the Sync tab. Click Selective Sync button to find the files you want to transfer to your computer.
One more thing, still not find your files on the local desktop then you can try any third party utility programs like recuva, stellar data recovery free edition, testdisk etc. It will help you to recover permanently deleted data efficiently.
I hope this information probably may help you to resolve your problem.
