How do I move and/or delete files and folders permanently out of my Dropbox?

[Mickey F.]

I want to completely MOVE certain files and folders out of my dropbox and into an external storage device, because I am out of space and these are for a defunct project.

Additionally, i can't even DELETE an empty and unshared folder from my Dropbox. It seems to go through the motions of deleting but when I refresh my window its still there.

I am trying to do all of this on my iMac desktop; all folders and files are under my ownership, and I have removed all sharing and permissions from the files and folders I want to remove.

Please, someone, help me with this problem; I can't do anything else with dropbox until I get that huge defunct set of project files completely out of dropbox, and I am not finding ANY solutions to, or help topics for, these problems.

[Walter]

Hi there @Mickey F. - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

Can you please clarify if you're doing this via the website or if you're using the desktop app on your computer and send us a couple of screenshots of the steps you take along with any errors you might be getting?

This will help us assist further. 

[Mickey F.]

i have been trying to do this both in the app and on my iPad, and iMac via the dropbox website. The only kind of screenshot that will show whats going on is a timed recording. will I be able to upload this kind of file? I NEVER get any error messages. I try to delete a single, empty folder, it looks like it sucessfully deletes, and then when I refresh the window the folder is still there.

[Walter]

I see, thanks for the additional information @Mickey F. 

Could you clear your browser's cache or try another browser, preferably with no extensions or plugins running and let me know if you get the same results? 

[Mickey F.]

Hi Walter—I tried deleting the folders using the Chrome browser on my desktop, with no success.

The owner of these folders said that he did delete them from Dropbox, but he knows almost nothing about how Dropbox functions. Since he said he did this, I've made many attempts through the app and via the Dropbox website, to delete them using my iphone and iPad, and they always pop right back up in my Dropbox.I'm waiting to hear back from him about whether he still has me named anywhere on these folders as sharing or having any permissions. I'm going to have to manage this myself, and tell him about any instructions or recommendations you have.

[Rich]

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@Mickey F. wrote:

The owner of these folders said that he did delete them from Dropbox ... I'm waiting to hear back from him about whether he still has me named anywhere on these folders ...

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If these were shared folders you can remove them from your account through your Sharing page. Click the ellipsis next to the folder and select Remove from Dropbox.

[Mickey F.]

I've tried doing that umpteen times—they just pop back up in my dropbox, like roaches that can't be killed.

[Jay]

Hi @Mickey F., if the folders are reappearing on your machine, then some other app or service is requesting information from them on your computer via the Dropbox desktop application, and so the folder remains active.

[Mickey F.]

Thank you, Jay. Can you please elaborate and describe possible apps or services that might apply? I have no idea of what to do based on your reply.

[Jay]

It could literally be any open app on your computer. You could try quitting the Dropbox desktop application completely, as well as any open app, and then delete any files or folders you don't want from Finder. 

If they reappear after that, please let me know.