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I'm concerned about what will happen to my files after downgrading my account
Hello Dropbox Community Team,
I’m writing to raise a serious concern regarding a written assurance from Dropbox support that now appears to be contradicted.
At the time of using Dropbox, a Dropbox support assistant confirmed via email that I had unlimited storage for life, and that even if I changed plans in the future, my existing files would never be deleted.
Over time, the cost of the newer plans became ridiculously expensive and simply not affordable for me. However, based on Dropbox’s assurance, I believed that at the very least, my existing files would remain safely stored on the platform, even if I could not continue on an upgraded plan.
I’m now facing a situation where:
- My plan has shifted from unlimited to limited storage
- I’m receiving warnings about storage limits
- My files are being deleted or are at serious risk of deletion
This directly contradicts the written assurance provided by Dropbox support and puts important personal and professional data at risk.
I’m not asking for additional storage or new benefits — only that the files already uploaded under the original promise remain intact, as explicitly communicated by Dropbox.
I respectfully request:
- Immediate protection or restoration of my existing files
- A clear explanation for why the earlier assurance is no longer being honored
- A fair resolution that respects the commitment made by Dropbox support
I would appreciate this being reviewed and escalated by a Dropbox moderator or support representative.
Thank you for your time and understanding. Chirag
Hey chiragsadhnani, thanks taking the time to post to our Community.
I completely understand your concern over this, and I really appreciate your feedback, so I'll give you some info to clarify the situation.
Our colleague was right in telling you that your files will stay in your account even if you downgrade it.
However, there are some parameters that affect this, like your available storage space.
You can see more about what happens if you exceed your available storage space here.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
3 Replies
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- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey chiragsadhnani, thanks taking the time to post to our Community.
I completely understand your concern over this, and I really appreciate your feedback, so I'll give you some info to clarify the situation.
Our colleague was right in telling you that your files will stay in your account even if you downgrade it.
However, there are some parameters that affect this, like your available storage space.
You can see more about what happens if you exceed your available storage space here.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for the response.
While Dropbox did provide time to adjust, my concern remains that the original assurance was not conditional. I was told that my files would remain in my account even if I downgraded, with no indication that later enforcement of storage limits could result in deletion.
I also want to clarify that I didn’t move to Basic by choice. I was forced to because the cost increase was incredibly high, not a marginal 20–30% hike, and simply not sustainable.
Offloading 40TB of data is not a trivial task, especially when the very reason for using Dropbox was long-term cloud storage. This was a major shift initiated by Dropbox — from unlimited to limited storage.
I’m not asking for additional storage. I’m only asking that existing files uploaded under the original terms remain intact, as assured by Dropbox support.
I’d appreciate this being reviewed and escalated.
Best,Chirag
- Dell_Dropbox
Community Manager
chiragsadhnani we appreciate your patience and understand your concerns, hopefully I can provide some info to clarify the situation.
The information that you were previously provided was accurate at that time. However, our policies may change from time to time, and when that happens we provide notice to our customers to ensure they are aware of any changes that may impact them with ample time to take action.
In this case, Dropbox subsequently began enforcing quota limits for our free tier (Dropbox Basic). For Basic users, files may be deleted until they are under quota. You can find out what will happen to your files if you exceed your available storage space here.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any additional questions.
