Dropbox says I removed access to a shared folder and I can't get it back

[smurphy773]

I use a shared folder with some coworkers. Two days ago my dropbox app said I deleted the folder about ten minutes before, when I wasn't even at my computer at the time. When I view deleted folders I see the folder, but it shows access as "limited" and when I try to re-add the folder it says it cannot do that. When I go into events page, it says I removed my own access to the folder, but I have no recollection of doing that. The folder is similarly not visible to another coworker who had access also and another coworker appears to be able to see a few of the files. I really need to restore access to all the folder contents.

[Jay]

Hi @smurphy773, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

This message on the events page would mean that your access to the folder was removed by the owner or another editor in the shared folder. 

The only way to regain access to it would be to get the owner or an editor to re-invite you back to the folder, since they are the only ones with permission to do so.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

[smurphy773]

Thanks Jay. What is an editor in dropbox? I think I've figured out that the owner is a colleague who retired last year who may have had access through a university account. Could an editor be an administrator at the university?

[Jay]

An editor would be a normal member of the shared folder who was given edit access to the shared folder, allowing them to add files, but also invite and remove members from the folder as well.

If you were invited to the folder, you might be able to find the invite email in your inbox and who invited you, depending on how long ago it was.

[smurphy773]

That's great.  Thanks.

[smurphy773 · Accepted solution]

This problem was resolved. It turned out that when the folder owner retired, the folder was unshared. I want to flag this for other users because Dropbox gave me bad data about the problem and it was completely baffling. After the folder was unshared, my dropbox app told me I deleted the folder and I got lots of different messages saying I had deleted individual folders. The events page in dropbox said I terminated my own access to the folder. None of these statements were correct. The only thing that was correct was that the folder had been unshared. We were able to restore access to the folder for the owner and then the owner re-shared the folder with me and others and it reappeared in my dropbox and I have access again.