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Forum Discussion
Can't delete Dropbox folders; they reappear after deletion
I've tried to delete a few folders in my Dropbox, but every time I do they reappear shortly after I delete them. Shortly as in, I don't have time to go to the trash folder on my computer or the deleted files section on the Dropbox website to click and delete them.
I've followed all the suggested solutions and nothing works.
I've checked the permissions; they are all labeled "Only Me." So I should be able to delete them...nope.
I've checked to see if it's still syncing; it is not. Many of the folders are from a range of 1 - 7 months ago.
I've deleted everything in the deleted files folder on the Dropbox site, but those folders are never in there to be able to delete because they restore immediately.
Tried to clear the cache, but the directions to use the command in the Finder on Mac did not work. A cache folder never appeared after I used Command + Shift + . (period).
Checked previous versions to see which device is restoring the file; it's my computer. I still tried deleting it from other computers as well as my own...nothing.
I tried contacting support, but it just gives me a chat box that links me back to the SAME articles I referenced for the previous steps. OR directs me to this Community Forum in which people are having the same issues as me.
According to a couple of replies from the Dropbox Team, they can't go in and delete files from their end either. It's absolutely ridiculous.
This is a newspaper and we use these folders (organized by date) to keep track of files for upcoming editions. I cannot delete, at this point 3 folders (up from 1 persistent one that I've been trying to delete for 7 MONTHS). It's getting cluttered and confusing in the Dropbox and it's becoming more of a hassle than anything. You never know when a file or folder is actually going to delete or not.
What is even the point of having an application that only works when you need to add something, but not delete? Might as well use the Google Drive at this point.
7 Replies
- Hannah
Dropbox Community Moderator
Sorry to see that you're having this issue, TheSavannahTribune.
Is it possible that you have some kind of 3rd party app on that computer, for example an antivirus, a backup service or any 3rd party apps that monitor files in general, that could be looking at those folders and restoring them automatically?
If you turn off the Dropbox application and delete the folders, do they stay deleted?
And do they come back after you relaunch the app?
Let me know and we'll go from there.
Hi Hannah,
We don't have any of those kinds of 3rd party apps at the moment.
When I quit the app and delete the folders, they still return. They come back on the website before the app is relaunched.
This was a persistent problem with just one folder created in March, that would never delete. Now there are 4 folders that won't delete. The last three created in November.
Thanks.
- Hannah
Thanks for the update here, TheSavannahTribune, and happy new year!
It's also possible that this is caused by some kind of 3rd party add-on or integration on your browser; can you check to see if that's the case?
If not, let me know and I can send you an email, so we can look further into this.
Hi Hannah,
I checked the 3rd party apps and extensions and nothing monitors files or would restore deleted files automatically.
- Jay
Hi TheSavannahTribune, it does sound like something on your various computers is preventing the folder from being deleted.
If you quit the Dropbox desktop application on all machines, and then delete the folder, does it reappear?
I quit on all machines, delete the folder, and it reappears immediately.
I tried adding a file to one of the folders, then deleting the whole folder to see if it would reappear. The folder reappeared, but the file is deleted.
There is another folder that has a folder inside. The main folder has nothing inside except this folder and the internal folder is empty. When I check the version history, it's saying that my computer is restoring the folder, but there is no app/extension that should affect this.
I deleted other folders in the same area today and they deleted completely.
There's no reason that I can find for these random folders to not delete when other ones will.
- Jay
As the folder reappears when the Dropbox desktop application is no longer running, then you have a program on your machine that is restoring the folder.
Try quitting all open applications on all your machines, and then try deleting the folder.
Also, could you copy and paste screenshots showing the folder location and the events as they appear on the events page, while hiding any personal information?
