We’re Still Here to Help (Even Over the Holidays!) - find out more here.
Why did I receive an email that my files will be deleted?
Dropbox Advanced Plan (Unlimited) Question or Issue Hello Dropbox Community and Support Team, I am writing this post out of genuine concern and urgency, hoping someone from Dropbox can provide clarity, accountability, and a viable resolution. I was a long-time user of the Dropbox Advanced plan, back when it offered unlimited storage. At the very beginning of my Dropbox journey, I asked Dropbox Support one very specific and critical question: If I use Dropbox for years and end up storing a large amount of data (for example, 50TB), and later decide to stop my paid plan, what happens to my data? Will it be deleted, or will it remain safe on my account? I was clearly told by Dropbox Support that: All the data I had already uploaded would remain permanently on my account My data would not be deleted as long as my account remained active The only limitation would be that I would not be able to upload any new data This was a fair and reasonable policy, and it was a major factor in my long-term trust in Dropbox. Discontinuation of Unlimited Plan & Reconfirmation from Support When Dropbox discontinued the unlimited storage plan and moved to per-terabyte pricing, the cost became completely impractical for a personal user with ~50TB of data. Before making any decision, I again reached out to Dropbox Support to reconfirm what would happen if I chose not to continue with an active paid plan. Once again, I was explicitly told: My existing data would remain safe My data would not be deleted As long as my account stayed active, Dropbox would retain my files This was escalated and reconfirmed by higher-level support in March 2024. Sudden and Alarming Deletion Notice Now, completely out of the blue, I received a notification stating that: My data will be deleted by January 30, 2026 I am required to reduce my account usage to under 2GB This is extremely alarming and directly contradicts multiple written assurances I received from Dropbox Support over the years. My Concerns How is this allowed? This is the exact scenario I proactively asked about—multiple times—and was clearly assured would neverhappen. How am I supposed to download 50TB of data? Even with fast internet, downloading this volume of data within a limited time window is unrealistic, costly, and technically challenging. Why is Dropbox not standing by its own commitments? Trust was built on explicit support assurances. Changing this retrospectively puts long-term users at severe risk. What I Am Asking For A formal clarification from Dropbox on why previous commitments are no longer being honored An exception, grandfathering, or alternative solution for legacy unlimited-plan users like myself At the very least, a realistic and humane transition path that does not put decades of work and data at risk This situation is extremely stressful and disappointing for someone who trusted Dropbox for years as a long-term data archival solution. I sincerely hope someone from Dropbox can step in, review my case, and provide a fair resolution. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I look forward to a response. — A long-time Dropbox user and supporter
I'm concerned about what will happen to my files after downgrading my account
Hello Dropbox Community Team, I’m writing to raise a serious concern regarding a written assurance from Dropbox support that now appears to be contradicted. At the time of using Dropbox, a Dropbox support assistant confirmed via email that I had unlimited storage for life, and that even if I changed plans in the future, my existing files would never be deleted. Over time, the cost of the newer plans became ridiculously expensive and simply not affordable for me. However, based on Dropbox’s assurance, I believed that at the very least, my existing files would remain safely stored on the platform, even if I could not continue on an upgraded plan. I’m now facing a situation where: My plan has shifted from unlimited to limited storage I’m receiving warnings about storage limits My files are being deleted or are at serious risk of deletion This directly contradicts the written assurance provided by Dropbox support and puts important personal and professional data at risk. I’m not asking for additional storage or new benefits — only that the files already uploaded under the original promise remain intact, as explicitly communicated by Dropbox. I respectfully request: Immediate protection or restoration of my existing files A clear explanation for why the earlier assurance is no longer being honored A fair resolution that respects the commitment made by Dropbox support I would appreciate this being reviewed and escalated by a Dropbox moderator or support representative. Thank you for your time and understanding. Chirag
My account shows 2000% usage when I don't have any files
My dropbox Basic account shows over 2000% all files storage usage. All files, backups and deleted files are empty (expent 700 MB file). I believe there are orphaned / hidden computer backups on my account. Can a Dropbox staff member please remove them? Thanks!
Cannot open a shared folder despite having plenty of space available
I currently have the basic plan. I invited someone to join so I have 3 GB allotted to me. I am currently only using 1.12 GB. This shows in my profile. A friend sent me an important file today, and I am unable to open it. I get an error that says I am out of space and I need to upgrade for $11.99 a month. I saw another post that referred to checking backups and I did verify that I have nothing backed up. I was at 1.3 GB, so I deleted a few photos that were saved. And now I’m down to 1.12 GB. Why am I not able to open this new file? There should be no problem as these are our family Christmas photos. The same person takes them every year, the file size should be about the same as the last five years that are already saved in dropbox. So this file should be nowhere near large enough to use up the remaining amount of storage. I need to access these files so that I can get photos printed for Christmas for family that we’re going to visit. Time is of the essence. Can you please help me??Ineligible referrals possibly due to sharing the same network. What can I do?
Dropbox Plan Free Device Panasonic Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 11 Question or Issue A friend I referred to created a new Dropbox account and installed the Desktop app on a newly purchased laptop. But my referral was deemed ineligible. I suspect it is due to sharing the same WiFi network. We are both students using the department's WiFi. There were many similar cases before, and I brushed them off because I was too lazy to come here for support. But after so many ineligible friend referrals, I need to seek support here.
My (free) Dropbox account appears to have lost its extra referral space.
Dropbox Plan Standard Device Desktop/iphone Operating System/Browser (if using the web) Windows 11 Question or Issue I was a very early adopter and recommended Dropbox to many others, earning the maximum (I believe) storage space through my efforts. I have a number of not-for-profit files on the system, which are now under threat because Dropbox is now saying I only have a 2GB allowance. This came about after I uploaded some files on a temporary basis and hit my maximum storage space. This was quickly addressed, but I seem to have lost the space that I previously enjoyed, having earned it via referrals. I need to know whether or not it is recoverable, as I will have to make other arrangements for my not-for-profit activities if it isn't recoverable.
Dropbox mails says I'm out of space, but I'm using only 17%.
Dropbox Plan Basic Device Macbook Air M2 Operating System/Browser (if using the web) MacOS 26.0.1 Dropbox App Version (if using the app) Question or Issue Some time ago Dropbox notified my that my storage was above threshold because another user shared some huge files with me. I quickly deleted those files and several other and now my storage use is now down to 16,64%. However, Dropbox keeps sending me mails insisting that I need to upgrade my plan in spite of my low storage usage. It been a few weeks since I lowered my usage to 16,64% but the out of space-mails keep coming. How do I make this stop? Support rejects my question and has closed the ticket #25687729: Submission from Get Help
