Dropbox lost all my files

[Sawyer1971]

I lost all my files (totally everything) from my dropbox. I certainly didn't delete it. It was my history of jobs I do as a freelancer. More than a decade of history! Dropbox is not able to restore it. Oh, how I wish I had made back-ups!

[Sawyer1971]

Hi Megan,

It was 3 or 4 months ago. I have the mobile app but use web-based as well. I lost all my files (totally everything) from my dropbox. I certainly didn't delete them.

[Mark]

Dropbox can only replicate what it is told to do @Sawyer1971 - what is www.dropbox.com/events showing?

And yes, sadly, everybody should ALWAYS have multiple backups available. Been burnt that way myself 😞

[Sawyer1971]

Hi Mark,

My dropbox is completely empty: no files, no folders, no history, no events. Just the one file "how to get started with Dropbox." I get that computers only do what they're told to do, but in this case I most certainly never told anything to delete the files. 

Best, Erik

[Megan · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sawyer1971, is it possible that you have two Dropbox accounts, and that you opened a new account by mistake? 

[Rich]

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@Sawyer1971 wrote:

You say Dropbox cannot delete the files, but I lost all my files (totally everything) from my dropbox.

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That's correct; Dropbox cannot delete files from your account. The only time they're able to delete anything is if your account is unpaid and idle for more than a year, then the entire account is deleted due to inactivity. Otherwise all deletions are either triggered by you, a device/service linked to your account or someone else with access to the files, such as in a shared folder.

If files are missing from your account, check your Events page for information. If the files aren't listed on the Events page then they were either deleted beyond the time that the Events page covers, or the files were never synced to your account online. If the Events page is blank, you're likely signed in to a different (empty) account.