Folder called 'My files in dropbox'

[Jason30]

I have a new laptop and just installed dropbox app on it.

It seems to have taken it upon itself (or I have unwillingly ticked something) to backup most of my documents to dropbox.  I only have free personal use so my dropbox is now full and not fully synchronised. 

I now have a shortcut called "my files in dropbox" where my files used to be.

From what I have read, now deleting a file from my pc or the dropbox folder will delete the file from both locations so I cant just delete the files I don't want stored in the dropbox cloud because it will be deleted from my pc as well.  I need all these files gone from the backup to create space for files I do want there.

How do I reverse this.  I followed advice from one thread that didn't work the way it was explained (or I misunderstood the instructions?)

Hope I've explained myself OK for somebody to be able to help as I'm very concerned about losing files here!

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Hannah]

Hey @Jason30, thanks for joining us on the Dropbox Community!

It sounds like you enabled the computer backup feature on your Dropbox application. 

You can disable it and move your files back to their original locations, though, by following the steps here.

Let me know if you have questions!

[Liz2020]

Dropbox has moved all my folders to dropbox from my computer.  I do not want this.  I cannot figure out how to disable and bring my folders back to my desktop.  I have reviewed the instructions to disable but the steps don't match what is on my computer.  I am on a MAC so don't know if that makes a difference.  I am really concerned that these files are missing from my computer.  How do i get these files back to my computer?  This article about disabling backup is not working 

[Megan]

Hi @Liz2020, thanks for posting today! 

Can you send me a screenshot of what you see on your end when you open the app's preferences, and click under Backup?

Let me know more.

[Liz2020]

[Megan]

Thanks so much for sending it over @Liz2020! 

Is it possible that you're using a different device to disable the feature?

If you're using the same device as you used to activate computer backup, then the feature appears to be disabled from the screenshot.

[illustratoreric]

Hannah,

I believe I have the same problem as Jason. 

I currently have a folder named "My files in Dropbox" on my desktop.

I followed the steps at the link you sent, and in my settings, I do not have any backups turned on.

Here is a screenshot of my current preferences:

And here is the rogue folder that I want to go away:

 

Since the instructions at the link you've provided haven't worked for me, is there anything else I can do about this?

Thank you,

–Eric

[Hannah]

Thanks for the nudge here, @illustratoreric. 

Can you please let me know what you see in that folder?

Do you see your actual desktop files, or shortcuts to your desktop files?

Also, if you go to your Dropbox folder, do you see your desktop files there, perhaps?

[kundrnik]

Is it because the name of the computer itself might have changed, causing this issue?

@Dropbox — how does that affect this situation, and get fixed?