Remove Dropbox Files from Computer Only

Vikas Solutions

Dropbox is one of the oldest cloud storage platforms that emerged in the 2000s. When Dropbox was launched in 2008, it intended to replace the USB drives with a more convenient, flexible and long-lasting solution. 14 years later, Dropbox continues to remain as one of the most widely used and secured cloud storage platforms.

Dropbox offers various plans catering to various customer segments. The first plan — the free trial — offers a limited 2 GB of cloud storage. The paid plans start from 2 TB upto 5000 GB. Enterprises also have an option to get custom quotes for larger data storage needs.

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Removing Locally Stored Dropbox Files from the Computer

If you’re primarily using Dropbox web to store files for your everyday use rather than using Dropbox as a backup medium, you may not need to sync copies of your files locally. There are multiple ways to remove the locally stored copies of your files. This will help you free-up storage and you can make room for new files.

Method 1: Use Selective Sync

The most straightforward solution is to deselect the folders from syncing. This will remove the locally stored copies of your Dropbox files and your online files will no longer be available on the computer.

Windows:

  1. Click on the Dropbox icon on the taskbar. If you don’t see the Dropbox icon, click on the upward icon (More button) to view it.
  2. Click on your profile picture.
  3. Select Preferences.
  4. In the Preferences dialog, click on the Sync tab.
  5. Click on the Selective Sync button.
  6. Uncheck the folders you wish to remove from your computer.
  7. Click on Update.

Mac:

  1. Click the Dropbox icon on the menu bar.
  2. Click on your profile picture on the top-right corner and select Preferences.
  3. Click on the Sync tab.
  4. Click on the Choose Folders button.
  5. Uncheck the folders you don’t want to be synced to your computer.
  6. Click on Update.

Linux:

  1. Click on the Dropbox icon on the panel.
  2. Click on your profile image, select Preferences.
  3. Click on the Sync tab and then Selective Sync button.
  4. Uncheck the folders you don’t want to be synced locally.

Method 2: Unlink your PC from the Dropbox Account

You can also go to the Dropbox settings and unlink your PC from sharing files.

  1. Open up your Dropbox account.
  2. Login to your account.
  3. Click on your account’s picture.
  4. Select Settings.
  5. Click on the Security tab in the new page.
  6. Click on Unlink at the bottom right corner of your screen.
  7. In the confirmation dialog, click on the Unlink computer button.

Method 3: Uninstall Dropbox Application

If you don’t need Dropbox at all, you can uninstall the Dropbox application from your computer. This will help free up your storage and system resources.

Microsoft Windows:

  1. Click on the Start button.
  2. Click on Settings.
  3. Click on the Apps tab on the left panel.
  4. Click on Apps & Features.
  5. Select the Dropbox entry from the programs list.
  6. Click on Uninstall.
  7. Follow the on-screen instructions and reboot your PC.

Mac:

  1. Click on the Dropbox icon on the menu bar.
  2. Click on your account’s profile picture.
  3. Select the Quit option.
  4. Now launch the Finder.
  5. Select Applications.
  6. Drag the Dropbox icon to the Trash.

Linux:

Depending on the Linux distribution you use, the actual steps may vary.

  1. Click on the Terminal icon on the Panel (equivalent of Taskbar in Windows).
  2. Enter the following commands:

remove dropbox files from pc

If you also want to clean your Dropbox from duplicates, use the Dropbox Duplicate Finder, CDF Application made by Sorcim Technologies.