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Searching within deleted files
How do I search by file name in deleted files? When I use the search bar it searches not-deleted files, and as far as I can tell all I can do is sort deleted files by date range. I have no clue what the date of creation or deletion was, but I have the file name. Also, I only have one account using my dropbox, so who deleted it is useless. I would do ctrl+f, but dropbox's website only loads a few lines past the bottom of the visible page, so it's useless. And folders change, merge, and get removed over the years so searching by folder is also not helpful. I know I used to be able to search my entire deleted file history by file name a few years ago but haven't needed to recently.
Is there a limit to how far back deleted files are saved? I've been paying for the option sine opening my dropbox account, so in theory I should have access to anything I've ever deleted.
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I have been using the search feature to look at deleted files regularly and all of the sudden it doesn't work anymore. VERY FRUSTURATING. Occasionally I need to go back and look at a deleted file and see what folder it was in when and I use to be able to do that easily. Not any more - why the change? Please change it back!
It shouldn't be so hard to find deleted files. It took me ages to find a file I deleted the same day!
- Make deleted files searchable, not just being able to filter to date and location, but file name or even contents.
- Don't put deleted files together in groups or "deletion events". How am I supposed to remember or know that a file was deleted (often accidentally) with another group. Must I search through every deletion group. Doesn't make much sense.
The user experience of finding deleted files is very difficult and time consuming. Not so user-friendly.
Apparently they no longer appear at the end of a search.
I am having the same problem. Today I tried to find one of my deleted files and I had to go through dozens of pages. A searchbox to search within deleted files would be great. I see you had this idea in 2019... Now it's 2022 and it still has not been implemented. The same for EVENTS. I spent an hour browsing manually through all my events to find the deleted contents I needed.
- Walter
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey Bartek Expo Construct, thanks for joining the discussion here and sharing your thoughts on this.
I just wanted to mention that you can post your suggestion for a search-box in the deleted files page and/or the events page in our Share an idea area.
This way other users will be able to upvote it to show their interest and/or provide their own feedback on this too. Hi there - this idea has a thread - commenting and Voting For This Idea is the best way to make Dropbox take notice:
Just tried to recover an accidentally deleted file for the first time and got really frustrated.
No search function. Facepalm DropboxPosting issues so far for so long has not provided a way to search deleted files. Support thus far has not been helpful for those of us lookiong to find files deleted long ago (I have Packrat gradfathered). Dropbox: are you trying to push users out?
Yes, but the assumption seems to be that I know the name of the file. More detailed and varied options need to be facing the user while in deleted files at least as much as the default search allows. It is maddening to be sent away from deleted files to conduct a serious and easy search.
