I got an email about an inactive Dropbox account. What do I need to do?

To keep an account active, log in and we'll know you want to keep it. Or, if you no longer want your account, you can close it.

If you actively use Dropbox but received an email about an inactive account, you can contact us using the instructions at the bottom of this article.

What does inactive mean?

Dropbox determines inactive accounts by looking at log-ins and file activity (adding, editing, or deleting) anywhere on Dropbox (including things like Dropbox Paper or Dropbox Capture) over the last 12 months. If you've logged in or had any file activity on Dropbox within the previous 12 months, then your account is considered active.

Note: Activity on other services operated by Dropbox (such as Dropbox Sign or DocSend) doesn’t count as activity.

Keep your account

• I received an email about my account, but have been actively using Dropbox
• I want to keep my account active
• I want to continue using my Dropbox account, but I forgot my password

Close your account

• I no longer want my account
• Can I close my account now?
• I want to save my files before closing my account
• What happens when my account closes?

Other questions

• I tried to log in, but got a message that my account doesn't exist
• I have another question about account closure

I received an email about my account, but have been actively using Dropbox

If you recently used your Dropbox account, but still received an account-closure email, it's likely that we contacted you about a separate, unused Dropbox (possibly one that you forgot you created). Many of our users have multiple Dropbox accounts, and even the addition or removal of a period (".") from the email address can indicate a separate account.

I want to keep my account active

You can keep your account active by:

• Logging in to the Dropbox app on your computer, the Dropbox mobile app, or dropbox.com
• Using any Dropbox app on your account
• Viewing, adding, editing, or removing files or folders
  

Note: Only sharing files and folders won’t count as activity to keep your account active.

I want to continue using my Dropbox account, but I forgot my password

You can reset your password if you’ve forgotten it.

I no longer want my account

If you no longer want your Dropbox Basic (free) account, you can simply leave it alone. Your account will be automatically deactivated—and your files deleted—90 days after you reach 12 months of inactivity.

Can I close my account now?

If you wish to close your account, you can do so by visiting our account deletion page. You can also read further instructions on closing a Basic (free), Plus, Family, Professional, or team account.

I want to save my files before closing my account

You can log in to dropbox.com or the Dropbox mobile app and save your files onto your hard drive or mobile device.

Note: Logging in again will reset the 12-month clock. After you’ve got the files you need, you can manually close your account.

What happens when my account closes?

After your account is closed, any remaining files in your account will be subject to deletion, and you won't be able to sign into the account on dropbox.com or any of the devices on which you have installed the Dropbox app. Remember, you'll have 90 days after receiving the first email to log in to your account before it's closed, and we'll send you multiple reminders along the way.

Learn more about our closed-account policy.

I tried to log in, but got a message that my account doesn't exist

The Account doesn't exist message is usually caused by a mistyped or incorrect email address. In other words, the actual email address on your account is different than the one you typed in. If you see this message, first try logging in again. Be sure to check the email address and its spelling.

If this doesn't work, or if you received an email notification from us about an inactive account, it's possible that your account may have already been deactivated. If this is the case, feel free to contact us using the instructions below.

I have another question about account closure

If you have another question about account closure, or about an email notification you received, you can contact us. To do so:

1. Log out of your Dropbox account.
2. Navigate to https://www.dropbox.com/support/sign-in-issues. 
3. Click Disabled account.
4. Complete the form.
   • Note: Under email, enter the email associated with the account you have a question about. 
5. Click Submit.

Note: Account closures will only affect users on Dropbox Basic. If you have a paid account and you received an email about your account being deleted due to inactivity, you probably have a Basic account connected to that email address.

Please note that most questions can be answered by reading the sections in this article.