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Deleted files keep reappearing

Deleted files keep reappearing

Gonoza
Helpful | Level 6
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Hi all,

 

I know that many threads on this issue exist in the forum, but I couldn't find anyone that helped in my case, or the issues are slightly different. Before contacting support directly I thought that it might be good to describe it here in the forum (and hopefully someone can help me :)).

 

I have in my dropbox a couple of PDF files in the main Dropbox folder and a subfolder (which has also one subfolder with ca. a hundred PDF files) that always keep reappearing after I deleted them, usually within half an hour (sometimes it happens instantly). They are not shared. I got this issue only very recently, and some time after I upgraded to Dropbox Plus (last month). Before, I had Dropbox Basic and I really never had this issue (which makes it even more frustrating).

 

I have tried everything that I could possibly imagine. I unlinked all of my devices, reinstalled Dropbox, I reverted to an older version of the files, I put them on the hard drive and back again in Dropbox, I (permanently) deleted them in the browser...nothing helps. When I rename them, they are still added with the original name (the renamed copies stay - I probably could multiply them infinitely like that).

 

These files are not old files from two years ago (saw some people in the forum having this issue). The issue appeared when I put these files and folders originally at the same place where they keep reappering now with their original name. Last week, I moved them to another folder and renamed them, but they stayed in my Dropbox. So I have these files/folders with different names and directory, but their "original" versions keep reappearing at their "original" place.

 

It's a bit like these "original" files are stuck in the cloud servers forever, and they are always put back like that in my own Dropbox. I don't know if there was an issue with the syncing, or some other technical problem. It can also be something I did wrong, though I don't really know what. As I said, never had these issues before and use Dropbox a lot, on at least three devices regularly (Mac and Windows). No device has been added shortly before or since I have this issue.

 

I hope that I could describe my problem with as many details as possible, and hopefully as clear as possible.

 

Thank you very much in advance for your help!

 

11 Replies 11

Rich
Super User II
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@Noelle N. wrote:

... I see that the deleted file is reappearing from the "API app". What does that mean?


It means a third-party app (using Dropbox's API) that you've linked to your account is placing the file in your Dropbox. You can see all the apps linked to your account on the following page:

Noelle N.
New member | Level 2
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Thank you Rich, that helped me solve my problem!

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    Noelle N. New member | Level 2
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