What happens when I delete a file from my Dropbox account?

Updated Jan 31, 2025

How long does Dropbox keep deleted files?What happens when I permanently delete a file or folder?What happens when I delete a shared folder?What does Dropbox do with deleted files?What happens when I delete a Send and track file?

The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.

When you delete a file from Dropbox, it's no longer visible in any of the folders you see in your account. However, the file isn’t deleted until after your recovery window.

How long does Dropbox keep deleted files?

Your default file recovery period depends on your Dropbox plan:

Dropbox Basic, Plus, and Family customers have 30 days.
Dropbox Professional, Standard, Essentials, and Business users have 180 days.
Dropbox Advanced, Enterprise, Education, and Dropbox Business Plus users have 365 days.

Learn more about the Dropbox data retention policy.

Notes:

Standard file recovery periods and options don’t apply to files deleted directly using the Send and track feature. Deleting a file using Send and track is permanent, and any associated metadata or data analytics can’t be recovered once the file is deleted.
Any files added to Send and track before February 15, 2024 won’t be added to the “Send and track” folder on your Dropbox account. Deleting these files is permanent, and any associated metadata or data analytics can’t be recovered once the files are deleted.

After this recovery window, all files will be deleted within 90 days in the normal course of operations. It may take several additional days to complete the deletion depending on the number of files selected for deletion.

Note: Files may be deleted before the end of your recovery window if they are part of a data disposition policy.

What happens when I permanently delete a file or folder?

When you permanently delete a file or folder, it’s no longer visible in any of your folders and you can't recover it.

What happens when I delete a shared folder?

When you delete a file from a shared folder, any member of the folder can restore the file.

If you own the shared folder

After you permanently delete it, the folder is deleted from the Dropbox accounts of all members and their access is permanently removed.
If you want to leave members with a copy of the folder, you can unshare it instead.

If you don’t own the shared folder

Permanently deleting it removes the folder from your Dropbox account.
All other members of the folder still have access.

What does Dropbox do with deleted files?

Dropbox uses a secure deletion process to delete data from our servers. Additionally, when a Dropbox storage disk reaches the end of its useful life or is damaged, we follow a decommissioning process designed to physically or logically destroy the disk to the point data can't be recovered. Our third-party service providers also follow secure protection processes for media they control.

Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes file recovery and history easy.

What happens when I delete a Send and track file?

Important: Dropbox Send and track will be discontinued starting March 31, 2025. After this date, existing users' files will be stored in the “Send and track” folder on their Dropbox account (Files that predate February 15, 2024, need to be manually downloaded from the Send and track hub or they’ll be permanently deleted). Links will be disabled, but users can reshare the files through Dropbox (without analytics) or through a newly-created DocSend account.

Note: Deleting file copies in Send and track is permanent. Any metadata and data analytics associated with that file can’t be recovered, even if the source file is left intact.

Deleting files directly in Send and track won’t affect the source files in your Dropbox account, local drive, OneDrive, Google Drive, or the “Send and track” folder.

Adding a file to the Send and track feature from your local drive, OneDrive, or Google Drive creates a file copy in the “Send and track” folder. This copy takes up storage space and counts towards your storage limit.

Deleting this copy from the “Send and track” folder automatically removes the file stored in Send and track, along with any associated metadata and analytics. Restoring the file copy restores the Send and track file and its data.

Note: Files added to Send and track before February 15, 2024, won’t be added to this folder and deleting those files will be permanent. Any metadata or analytics associated with that file can’t be recovered once deleted.

Adding a file to Send and track directly from your Dropbox account doesn’t create an additional file copy in the “Send and track” folder.

Deleting the original file from your Dropbox account automatically removes it, and any associated metadata and analytics, from Send and track as well. Restoring the original file restores the Send and track file and its data.

Note: Deleting any files added to Send and track before February 15, 2024 is permanent. Any associated metadata or data analytics can’t be recovered once the file is deleted even if the source file is restored to your Dropbox account.

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