Clear Dropbox Cache & Other Junk

Dropbox, much like any other app, uses a cache to store temporary files for processing. The use of cache helps Dropbox to speed things up and improve the application performance. Your Dropbox cache may contain a variety of files in different formats. The cache may also contain a copy of files that are being currently uploaded or synced online.

Nevertheless, the cache may become corrupt over time. If you’re experiencing issues while using the Dropbox app or the sync isn’t working correctly, you may want to clear the application cache. Thankfully, the process is fairly simple and straightforward.

Microsoft Windows

  1. Exit the Dropbox application by right-clicking it’s system tray icon and selecting the Quit option.
  2. Press the Windows + R keys simultaneously.
  3. In the newly opened Run dialog box, type one of the following:
    • If you’re using Dropbox Personal:
      %HOMEPATH%\Dropbox\.dropbox.cache

    • If you’re using Dropbox for Business:
      %HOMEPATH%\Dropbox (Organization)\.dropbox.cache
  4. Click on OK.
  5. File Explorer will automatically open up the Dropbox cache folder (.dropbox.cache) and show up the files it contains.
  6. Select all the files inside the Dropbox cache folder by using the Ctrl + A shortcut keys combination.
  7. Press the Delete key.

Mac OS

  1. On your Desktop, click on the File menu and select the New Finder Window option.
  2. Click on Go to folder… (Alternatively, you may press Shift + Command + G).
  3. Enter the following cache folder path:
    ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache
  4. Press Return.
  5. Your Mac will open the Dropbox cache folder (.dropbox.cache).
  6. Select all the files from your cache folder and then drag & drop them into the Trash.

Linux

1.Open the Terminal. There are two ways to do so:

  • Press Ctrl + Alt + T keys simultaneously;
  • Right-click on an empty area of your Desktop, and select Terminal.

2. Type the following command:
rm -R ~/Dropbox/.dropbox.cache/*

3. Delete all the files in the cache folder (.dropbox.cache).

Android

  1. Tap on the Settings icon.
  2. Tap on Apps.
  3. Select the Dropbox app.
  4. Tap on Storage > Clear Cache.
  5. Confirm the action.

Deleting Dropbox Junk

Dropbox offers 2 GB of free storage. As you use Dropbox, you find yourself bumping up against a narrow storage limit. Luckily, there is an easy way to hunt down on junk that’s taking up a big amount of your Dropbox storage.

A fully Web-based service Cloud Duplicate Finder helps you find duplicate documents, photos, videos, music and other files stored on your Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and Box Cloud accounts. Within a few minutes, you can free-up a handsome amount of storage.

Steps:

  1. Visit the Cloud Duplicate Finder website.
  2. Sign up for an account and sign in to the website.
  3. Click on Dropbox.
  4. Click on Add New Drive.
  5. CDF will prompt you to sign in to your Dropbox account.
  6. After signing in, click on Scan.
  7. Once the scan results are displayed, mark the files you want to delete and keep remaining files unmarked. All unmarked files will be kept unchanged.
  8. Click on Select Duplicates and choose whether to mark newest files/ oldest files, etc.
  9. Lastly, click on Select Action and choose Move to Recycle Bin option to move all the marked duplicate files to the Dropbox Trash folder. To move files to a separate folder, choose the Move to Deleted files option instead.

Cloud Duplicate Finder Features:

  • Fully Web-based. No need to download any files from your Dropbox account.
  • Secure: CDF uses industry-standard file encryption technology to protect your data against Man-in-the-Middle attacks and hackers.
  • File Previews: Use the in-house file previewing function to view the previews for files.

Vikas

Vikas is a technology enthusiast who loves writing articles on computers and technology. He writes on various topics related to software, software reviews, troubleshooting and tips & tricks to make people's digital lives better.