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Even the biggest online cloud storage services might not always fulfill all your needs. Dropbox may have served you well over the years, but there will come a time when you don’t need it anymore and have to consider deleting your account. If you’re looking for steps on how to do so, you’ve come to the right place.
This article shares all there is to know when it comes to deleting a Dropbox account. We’ll include step-by-step instructions for PC, iPhone, and Android users.
How to Delete a Dropbox Account From a PC
If you decide to delete your Dropbox account, it’s important to understand what happens afterward. All your data will be removed and you’ll be signed out of the platform on all devices. Your desktop and phone app will stop syncing and you won’t have access to your Dropbox account any longer, in addition to losing access to shared folders.
However, you will still have the Dropbox folders on your computer, where all files from your shared folders will still be available to other members.
Before deleting your account, it’s essential to download any important files or documents you may have stored online. You can do so by following the steps below:
Download Your Dropbox Files
- Log in to your Dropbox account.
- To download all files at once, hover over to the left of the “Name” label and check the checkbox next to it. This will select all files from the list. To download a few selected files, hover to the left of any file and tick the checkbox next to it. Repeat this step for all files you want to download.
- Click “Download” from the upper right-hand of the screen.
Downloading the files may take a while, depending on their size. Your folders will download in a zip file.
After downloading your important files, you should unsubscribe from any premium subscriptions you may have. This will stop future charges. If you use Dropbox’s Basic version, feel free to skip the following section.
Unsubscribe From Your Dropbox Plan From a PC
If you’re a paid subscriber, follow the steps below to unsubscribe from your Dropbox account:
- Log in to your Dropbox account.
- Click on your avatar and navigate to the “Settings” page.
- Navigate to “Plan,” then click on “Cancel Your Plus or Professional subscription.”
- Enter a reason for downgrading.
Your account will automatically downgrade to Dropbox Basic. If your main goal was to cancel the paid subscription, you can stop here and continue using the free Dropbox Basic version.
Permanently Delete Your Dropbox Account
Now that you’ve downloaded your files and unsubscribed, you can proceed with the final steps:
- Log in to your Dropbox account.
- Click your avatar in the upper right-hand of the screen.
- Navigate to “Settings.”
- Stay on the “General” tab in the navigation menu.
- Select the “Delete account” option. You’ll have to scroll to the bottom of the page to find this button.
- Type in your password.
- Select a reason for removing your account.
- Click “Permanently Delete.”
After deleting your account, Dropbox will start removing all files stored on it over the next 30 days. However, you can’t restore your account after it’s deleted.
Note: You can’t undo deleting Dropbox Basic, Family, Plus, and Professional accounts.
How to Delete a Dropbox Account From an iPhone
Deleting a Dropbox account from an iPhone is a relatively straightforward process, but it does come with a few extra steps. If you’re on a paid subscription plan, you can simply downgrade to the free Dropbox Basic option.
But if you want to delete your account completely, it’s best to unsubscribe from your premium plan first before proceeding with account deletion.
Unsubscribe From Your Dropbox Plan From an iPhone
You can unsubscribe from your premium Dropbox subscription by following the steps below:
- Log in to your iPhone’s Dropbox app.
- Tap on your profile picture and navigate to “Settings,” then “Plan.”
- Tap on “Cancel Your Subscription.”
- Select a reason for your downgrade.
If you’re billed through the App Store, follow the steps below to downgrade your account:
- Open your iPhone Settings and tap on your name from the top menu.
- Navigate to “iTunes and App Store.”
- Tap on your Apple ID and tap “View Apple ID.”
- Head to “Subscriptions,” then tap on “Dropbox.”
- Select “Cancel Subscription.”
- Tap “Confirm.”
Your account is now automatically downgraded to Basic. Proceed with the following steps to permanently delete your Dropbox account:
Permanently Delete Your Dropbox Account From iPhone
- Log in to your Dropbox account using Safari or any other browser on your iPhone.
- Download the files and folders you want to save.
- Tap on your profile picture and navigate to “Settings.”
- Scroll down and select “Delete account.” Note that this step is permanent and you won’t be able to undo it. Also, all files stored on your Dropbox account will be lost.
- Type your password and enter the reason for deleting your account.
- Tap “Permanently delete.”
After deleting your account, Dropbox will start removing your files over the next 30 days. You can proceed to uninstall the app from your iPhone or any other device you have it installed on.
How to Delete a Dropbox Account From an Android
Android users can delete their Dropbox account using their phone browser as the Dropbox app still doesn’t offer that feature. However, there are a couple of things you should do first before permanently deleting your account.
First, if you’re on a premium subscription, you might want to downgrade your account to the free version first. Second, it’s important to save important files and folders from your Dropbox account before deleting them.
If any of this resonates with you, follow the steps below. If not, skip to the “Permanently Delete Your Dropbox Account from Android” section.
Downgrade Your Plan on Android
Before deleting your account, you want to cancel your subscription to avoid any future fees.
- Log in to your Dropbox Android app.
- Go to the “Cancellation page” by tapping on your profile icon.
- Navigate to “Settings,” then “Plan.”
- Tap “Cancel plan.”
- Type the reason for canceling.
You can also downgrade your Dropbox subscription from Google Play if this is where you’re billed from:
- Open the Google Play Store and tap on the three horizontal lines next to the search box.
- Navigate to “Subscriptions” and tap on “Dropbox.”
- Tap on “Cancel subscription.”
- Choose a reason for canceling and tap “Continue.”
- Select “Cancel subscription” to confirm.
You’ll receive a confirmation email after downgrading your account to a Dropbox Basic version.
Before deleting your account, make sure to download all important files. Only carry out the next step after you’ve saved all files and folders you will need in the future.
Permanently Delete Your Dropbox Account From Android
You’ll have to use your Android phone’s browser to delete your Dropbox account. Just follow the steps below:
- Log in to your Dropbox account using any browser.
- Tap on your profile picture and navigate to “Settings.”
- Head to the bottom of the page and tap on “Delete account.” Note that you can’t undo this once done and all your files will be gone.
- Enter the password and give a reason for deleting your account.
- Tap “Permanently delete.”
After deleting the account, Dropbox will start removing your files over the next 30 days. However, you won’t be able to use them or restore your account. You can proceed with deleting the app from your Android phone, computer, and other devices where you have used the app.
Saying Goodbye to Dropbox
Deleting a Dropbox account consists of three important steps. Keeping important files, canceling your subscription, and permanently removing the account. If you skip the first two steps and go directly to the last one, you risk losing important documents and further charges.
This article has provided you with everything you should know about deleting a Dropbox account. If you have any questions, feel free to share them in the comments section below.