What to do if you got an email about an inactive Dropbox account
The information in this article applies to users on Dropbox Basic.
From time to time, Dropbox deletes inactive accounts. If there's no activity on your Dropbox account for an extended period of time, Dropbox will notify you—or the account owner—in an email.
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.
How to keep your Dropbox account
Why did I receive an email about my account when I’ve 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.
How do I keep my account active?
You can keep your account active by:
- Logging into your account on dropbox.com, the Dropbox desktop app on your computer, or the Dropbox mobile app
- 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.
What if I’ve forgotten my password?
You can reset your password if you’ve forgotten it.
What if I’ve lost access to the email address on my Dropbox account?
If you no longer have access to the email address associated with your Dropbox account, you can contact your email service provider (ESP) to try to regain access to your email account.
Or, if you’re not sure what the email address on your Dropbox account is, learn how to find your Dropbox account email.
How to close your Dropbox account
If you no longer want your Dropbox Basic (free) account, you can simply leave it alone. You'll have 90 days after receiving the first inactivity email to log in to your account before it's closed, and we'll send you multiple reminders along the way.
If you’re not notified over email about your account being inactive, your account won’t be subject to deletion for 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.
How do I 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 log into the account on dropbox.com or any of the devices on which you have installed the Dropbox app.
Learn more about our closed-account policy.
Does Dropbox delete files after inactivity?
If you’ve been notified over email that your account is inactive, and you don’t take any steps to keep your account active, your account will be automatically closed and your files will be deleted within 90 days.
If you’re not notified over email about your account being inactive, your account won’t be subject to deletion for inactivity.
Other questions
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.
How to contact Dropbox about account closures
If you have another question about account closure, or about an email notification you received, you can contact us. To do so:
- Log out of your Dropbox account.
- Navigate to our sign in issues support page.
- From the dropdown below the “What’s your issue?” message, select Disabled account.
- Complete the form.
Note: Under email, enter the email associated with the account you have a question about.
- 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.
