All folders have disappeared and I no longer have access to my desktop

[Margaret2003]

Hello, I don't know where to begin so I'm not sure I'm posting on the correct board. I'm incredibly frustrated and almost went into a panic attack as I decided to not subscribe to a business account. I was on a "teams" trial basis (I think it was called teams) and so I was connected with someone who I was doing work with. The files that needed transferred were all set and I have no other reason to pay for a membership so I disbanded that. In doing so, I now have a completely blank desktop. And I no longer have ability to put anything on my desktop. Thankfully, I can see my files in the hard drive under the dropbox icon and I have access to them. I've had a free dropbox account for as long as I can remember and I've never had an issue until I joined a file sharing folder with someone over the transferring of files and then disbanded. 

I also cannot take any screenshots since this happened. When I do, a message pops up saying "Your screenshot can't be saved. Cannot write file to intended destination."

I am beyond frustrated that there is no way to get a hold of technical or customer support. I have a low amount of need on file storage space, so I really don't want to pay for yet another monthly subscription. I am very tech savvy and have many ways through my own means and through my line of work to have backup of my files. Through this experience and having to resort to posting on a community board(?!?!) In order to receive support is ludicrous to me. If any one has answers, please let me know! 

[Megan]

Hi @Margaret2003, let's jump into this! 

Based on the info you provided to me, and since you mentioned that your desktop is now blank, it sounds like you might have enabled our Dropbox Backup on your end. 

If you access your Dropbox account online, can you see your desktop content? If so, feel free to take a look in this Help Center article, in order to find out more as to how you can disable the feature. 

You also mentioned a slight issue when taking screenshots. Let's try to disable the feature, then try to take one, just to see how this behavior is going.

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!

[Margaret2003]

When I go through the steps to do that based on the article linked in your reply, I get to the part where I click manage backups in the desktop preferences, and I get a screen that prompts me "Want to keep your Mac backed up?" and I have to chose to set up or not. So do I have to set up a backup of all my files again? I thought most my files were backed up. But is it because I don't have enough space with Dropbox Basic? So I have to upgrade right? This feels like a catch 22.

[Margaret2003]

I'm going through with the free trial for premium so I can get this resolved. It's telling me I cant back up my computer without permission and that I need to do so through the settings for my desktop folder, download folder, etc. Where do I change permissions? I'm not seeing it in preferences.

[Margaret2003]

When I search the dropbox community and articles I'm not finding anything about changing permissions for backing up folders, I'm only seeing changing permissions for sharing folders which I do not need to do.

[Megan]

Hi @Margaret2003, could you clarify to me what your end goal here is? 

Do you wish to disable Backup, enable it, or to be able to save your screenshots?

You initially mentioned: "I now have a completely blank desktop. And I no longer have ability to put anything on my desktop." is this still the case on your end?

If so, could you send me a couple of screenshots? 

Also, based on the latest info you provided here, it sounds like our Backup might not be enabled on your end. Could you check your Backup tab online, and let me know what you see there?