Delete files from a mobile device

There are two ways to remove a file from your phone or tablet. You can either remove them from your local memory, or you can choose to delete the file from your Dropbox.

Removing files from your phone's memory

Local copies of your files download to your phone or tablet whenever they are opened via the Dropbox app. Once they have been opened, you can open them directly from your phone or tablet, even if you're offline. The files are saved directly to your phone's memory in what's called a cache. To remove the files from your phone or tablet, all you have to do is clear your cache from Settings.

Clear your cache on phones with Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) or lower

To access your cache settings on phones and tablets with a menu button at the bottom of the screen:

1. Launch the Dropbox app and tap the Menu button on your phone or tablet to open the Dropbox menu.
2. Tap the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the resulting menu and tap Clear Cache.

Clear your cache on phones with Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or higher

1. Launch the Dropbox app and tap the Menu button at the top left of your screen (marked by three horizontal lines).
2. Tap the gear icon to open the Settings menu.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the resulting menu and tap Clear Cache.

Delete files from your Dropbox

1. Launch the Dropbox app and navigate to the file you'd like to delete from your Dropbox.
2. Tap the blue down arrow to the right of the file.
3. Tap Delete to delete the file from Dropbox, your phone, and all computers connected to your account.

Remove a file from your iPad

The Dropbox iPad app only stores local copies of files if they are made available offline. The Offline icon will be highlighted in the file list view for files currently available offline:

To remove the file from your Offline list and your iPad:

1. Tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the filename.
2. Select Remove from Device.

Tapping the highlighted Offline icon while previewing a file will also remove it from offline access.

Delete a file from your Dropbox

To delete a file from your iPad, all of your computers, and devices simultaneously:

1. From the screen listing all of your files, tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the filename.
   
2. Select Delete. You’ll be prompted to confirm your choice to delete the file.

You can also delete a single file while previewing it by tapping the ellipsis (…) icon at the top right and selecting Delete.

To delete multiple files from your iPad, the Dropbox website, and all the computers linked to your Dropbox account:

1. Tap the ellipsis (...) icon at the top right of the screen.
2. Tap the Select option.
3. Check the files you want to delete and tap the Delete button at the bottom of the screen.

To delete a folder from your iPad, the Dropbox website, and all the computers linked to your Dropbox account:

1. From the screen listing all of your files and folders, tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the filename.
   
2. Select Folder Settings.
3. Select Delete Folder.

Remove a file from your phone

The Dropbox iPhone app only stores local copies of files if they are made available offline. The Offline icon will be highlighted in the file list view for files currently available offline:

To remove a file from being available offline:

1. Tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the file name.
2. Select Remove from Device.

Tapping the highlighted Offline icon while previewing a file will also remove it from offline access.

Delete a file from your Dropbox

To delete a file from your iPhone, all of your computers, and devices simultaneously:

1. From the screen listing all of your files, tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the file name.
   
2. Select Delete. You’ll be prompted to confirm your choice to delete the file.

You can also delete a single file while previewing it by tapping the ellipsis (…) icon at the top right and selecting Delete.

To delete multiple files from your iPhone, dropbox.com, and all the computers linked to your Dropbox account:

1. Tap the ellipsis (...) icon at the top right of the screen.
2. Tap the Select option.
3. Check the files you want to delete and tap the Delete button at the bottom of the screen.

To delete a folder from your iPhone, the Dropbox website, and all the computers linked to your Dropbox account:

1. From the screen listing all of your files and folders, tap the ... (ellipsis) icon next to the file name.
2. Select Folder Settings.
3. Select Delete Folder.