2025 sparked some incredible conversations across our community 👩💻. Discover the highlights and see what’s ahead in 2026.
Forum Discussion
HappyCake
2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Stop saving uploaded photos on my phone
Hello. Thank you for any help you might provide. (I take it because I am not a paid user I can’t call tech support?)
I hope this is the correct board. If not, please advise? This is my first ti...
Jay
Dropbox Community Moderator
2 years agoThe mobile app is mainly used to preview and upload files. It might take a short time for files to appear deleted from within the mobile app after they were deleted from the computer and site.
If you're not on a Dropbox Basic plan with more than 3 devices connected, could you try uninstalling the app, rebooting the device, and re-installing it to see if this helps?
HappyCake
2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Hi Jay. I can't do this. I'm sorry.
I just want DB to stop all connection to photos I have on my phone's Internal Storage. I want DB SEPERATE from my files unless I specifically load them into DB.
Just becuse I take a photo with my phone, doesn't mean I want DB to display it or in any way connect to it on its own.
When I open DB, and click FILES, and then UPLOAD, I see all my photos.
I think, now, that this is purposeful. DB is then saying, great... what do you want to upload?
Just figuring this out.
So... I don't want DB accessing my photos.
Ugh.
THANK YOU for your help!
Victoria
- HappyCake2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
PS. I realize... those photos are not in my Internal Storage. They are on my SD Card.
I want DB to stay out of my SD Card, please.
- HappyCake2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Oh.. LOL
Ok... Yes... DB is connecting to pics on my SD Card, and ALSO new pics I take, which go to the Internal Storage.
- Hannah2 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey HappyCake, just to see if we can clarify this situation.
Dropbox cannot connect to your SD card. You can only manually upload files from the SD card to Dropbox.
But regarding the files that you move out of Dropbox, when you're on your computer; is it possible that you're copying them to the folder of your choice, instead of moving them?
Because if you're copying them, it would make sense that they'd stay in Dropbox, unless you actually delete them.
- HappyCake2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Hi Hannah! Thank you...
The copying... no, I am sure I am not doing that.
Let me show you a couple of screenshots?
So, due to this issue, I removed everything from my SD Card.
Then I went to DB, Files, Uploads and got what you see in Picture 1. It says I haven't taken any photos yet.
Then I took a screenshot of that message. That screenshot saves to my Internal Storage.
Then I took a photo with the camera.
That photo (of the bird) also saves to my Internal Storage.
Then, just for this, I put one pic on the SD Card - it's of two dogs at the beach.
Then I went to DB, Files and Upload, and saw what you are seeing in printsceen #3. All 3 photos.
- The message saying no pics had been taken
- The photo of the bird taken with the camera
- The photo of the dogs I have on the SD Card
I don't want Dropbox displaying ANY of this. I know if accesses them for me to upload, but I don't want it looking into my pics in the Internal Storage or the SD Card.
Is there a way to turn this OFF?
All i want Dropbox to do is be a shared folder between my devices.
On my computers, it doesn't look into my folders.
I want it to STOP doing that on my phone.
Any ideas?
- Jay2 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Okay, so from what you're describing, you don't want the Dropbox mobile app from knowing what is on your internal storage or your SD card at all.
Currently, this isn't possible for the mobile app. If you don't want this to occur, then don't attempt to upload files from the mobile app, so it won't show what's in those locations.
Bear in mind that any other app on your mobile that has access to your files, such as social media, emails, or other services, will be able to access your files the same way.
- HappyCake2 years agoExplorer | Level 3
Thank you Jay!
About Create, upload, and share
Find help to solve issues with creating, uploading, and sharing files and folders in Dropbox. Get support and advice from the Dropbox Community.
The Dropbox Community team is active from Monday to Friday. We try to respond to you as soon as we can, usually within 2 hours.
If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X, Facebook or Instagram.
For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.
If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!