Free up app storage

Free up Dropbox storage

Dropbox keeps your files in the cloud. This phone stores files you made available offline, camera uploads waiting to send, and a preview cache. Clearing cache does not delete Dropbox files. Deleting a file in Dropbox or emptying Deleted files does.

See how much space Dropbox is using

iPhone

1. Open the iPhone Settings app.
2. Tap General > iPhone Storage.
3. Tap Dropbox.

Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps.
2. Tap Dropbox.
3. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.

Remove offline files

1. Open Dropbox.
2. Find files marked for offline use (often under a section named Offline, or a pin / offline icon on the file).
3. Tap More next to the file.
4. Turn off Make available offline (some versions say Available offline).

The file stays in Dropbox. Only the copy on this phone is removed. Open it later to download again.

Camera uploads

1. Open Dropbox and tap your account / Account tab.
2. Tap Settings (gear) or look for Camera uploads.
3. Turn Camera uploads off if you do not want new photos copied into Dropbox from this phone.

Camera uploads are extra copies in Dropbox. They do not replace the originals in Photos. Turning the feature off stops new uploads. It does not delete photos already in Dropbox or in Photos.

Do not delete a Camera Uploads folder item from Dropbox unless you also have the original in Photos or another backup.

Clear Dropbox cache

1. Open Dropbox > account > Settings.
2. Tap Clear cache if you see it.

Cache is thumbnails and recently previewed files. Offline files stay until you turn offline off.

Downloads saved outside Dropbox

If you used Export, Save to Files, or Download, those copies live in Files or Downloads. Delete them there. That does not remove the Dropbox original.

Deleted files

Files you delete in Dropbox go to Deleted files for a limited time, then they are permanently gone. Emptying that list frees Dropbox quota, not just phone cache.

Clear Dropbox cache on Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > Dropbox.
2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to sign out. Pending camera uploads on this phone can be lost.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and Dropbox still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

1. Files already in Dropbox stay in your account. Finish camera uploads and any files that show as waiting to sync. Offline-only edits on this phone need to finish uploading first.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install Dropbox again from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After Dropbox is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.