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tierno's avatar
tierno
Explorer | Level 3
4 months ago

How can I remove files from my computer so they don't take up space?

     I am a beginner and the sole user. I have set all of the files on my desktop (DT) to "online only".  The problem is when I delete a file on my DT it deletes it on the Dropbox Cloud (DC). The files on my DT take up less space than on DC but I want the clutter gone. 

    Many hours have been wasted on tutorials and I have noticed they don't look like mine when I search for something shown on the video. I have the basic plan, but I don't think I need to upgrade to get basic features.

  I tried to make myself the administrator but that did not work.

   The bottom line is I want all of my files on the DC and none on my laptop. I would also like to set the default for new files to be "online only".

   Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Joe

2 Replies

  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    4 months ago

    Hi tierno, thanks for messaging the Community!

    When you delete a file from the Dropbox folder on your computer, it will also delete it from the Dropbox site, as the deletion is synced to the sync and vice versa. 

    Are you able to right click a file or folder and see the option to make it online-only, using the steps in this article? You can also do this to the whole Dropbox folder.

    Further down in that article, it provides you with the steps on how to make new files added via the site or another device to be online-only on your computer.

    If you need any further assistance, please let me know!

  • Nancy's avatar
    Nancy
    Icon for Dropbox Community Moderator rankDropbox Community Moderator
    4 months ago

    Hi from me too, tierno! Did Jay’s previous suggestion help with the issue you were facing on your desktop app? 

    If not, don’t hesitate to reach back to us and we can further assist.

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