Dropbox Rewind FAQs

Updated Dec 11, 2023

Dropbox Rewind is a tool that lets you take a folder or your entire account back to a specific point in time.

Will Dropbox Rewind affect members of my shared folders?

Yes, any changes made during the rewind will be reflected for all shared folder members.

What if I want a few changes back after the rewind?

If you want a few file changes back, you have two options:

Can I rewind outside of my version history? 

Dropbox Rewind is unable to rewind changes outside of your version history

What if I don’t see the correct files or folders?

If you don’t see the correct files or folders after a rewind, your content may be one of the following types of file that Dropbox Rewind is unable to restore:

  • Permanently deleted files or folders 
  • Files or folders that have View only permission
    • We recommend you contact the file owner to get Can edit permission and then rewind again
  • Unshared folders

Why are my files still encrypted? 

Your files may still be encrypted if:

  • The restored files haven’t synced to your device from dropbox.com
  • You haven’t signed back in on your device after signing out
  • You didn’t delete your Dropbox folder before signing back in to your device so it’s re-uploading the encrypted files

We recommend you clean your device and rewind again to a point in time before the encryption. Learn more about what to do if your files have been encrypted.

Can I restore files or folders to a new location? 

Dropbox Rewind can only restore files or folders to their existing locations. 

Why is there a number in parenthesis after my filename?

You may see a number, such as “(1)” or “(2)”, in a filename if:

  • You make changes to a file while Dropbox is restoring it
  • You add another file with the same filename while Dropbox is restoring it

The version that Dropbox restored will have a number in the filename to preserve your edits. You can compare both versions of the file and delete the one you don't need.

Dropbox Business: Can I rewind a team folder?

By default, only admins can use Dropbox Rewind. If you are a team member and don’t see the option to rewind a team folder, contact your admin.

Dropbox Business: Can I rewind more than one team folder at a time?

No. To rewind multiple team folders, you must open each one and rewind it separately.

Dropbox Business: Will everybody see the changes if I rewind a team folder? 

Yes, if you rewind a team folder, all members will see the same files revert to older versions.

Dropbox Business: Can I rewind all my team folders at once?

No one, including admins, can rewind all of your team folders at once or content that they do not have access to. If you are an admin and need to rewind all of your team folders at once or content you don’t have access to, contact Dropbox support.

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