You can cancel Dropbox through your account settings in under two minutes

Log into Dropbox on the web, go to your account menu (click your profile picture in the top right), select Settings, then click the Billing tab. Find your plan name and click Cancel plan next to it. Confirm the cancellation when prompted. Your access ends on the date your current billing cycle would have renewed — you keep your files until then, but you lose the extra storage that plan provided.

If you have a Dropbox Family plan, only the account owner can cancel it. If you are a family member and want to leave, you must ask the owner to remove you from the plan instead.

Cancelling through the app (on phone or desktop) is not possible — you must use the web version. If you cannot access your account, you can also contact Dropbox support to cancel for you, though this takes longer.

Key Takeaways

  • Cancellation happens in the Billing tab of your account settings and takes effect on your next renewal date, not when ready.
  • You keep your files and can still access them until your paid period ends, but you lose the storage space your plan included.
  • Only the account owner can cancel a Family plan; other members must ask the owner to remove them.
  • If you have a Dropbox Business account through your employer, you cannot cancel it yourself — your workspace admin must do it.

What happens to your files after cancellation

When your plan ends, Dropbox downgrades you to the free Basic account, which includes 2 GB of storage. If you have more than 2 GB of files, you can still see and read them, but you cannot upload or edit anything new until you delete files to get below the limit.

Your files are not deleted. They stay in your account indefinitely, even if you never log back in. You can reactivate a paid plan at any time and regain full access to everything you stored.

Downgrading instead of cancelling

If you want to keep some Dropbox features but pay less, you might downgrade to a cheaper plan instead of cancelling entirely. In the Billing tab, click Change plan next to your current plan name. Dropbox shows you other plans and prorates the cost if you switch mid-cycle.

Downgrading is useful if you only need Dropbox occasionally or want to test a lower storage tier before cancelling completely. You can always upgrade again later if you need more space.

Cancelling a Dropbox Business account

If your Dropbox account is part of a Business plan through your company, you cannot cancel it yourself. Only your workspace admin or the person who set up the account can cancel the entire plan. If you want to leave the workspace, ask your admin to remove you as a member instead.

If you are the admin and want to cancel the Business plan, go to the Admin Console (accessible from your account menu), click Billing, then Cancel plan. This removes the entire workspace and all members lose access, so confirm with your team first.

Getting a refund after cancellation

Dropbox does not refund unused time on monthly plans. If you cancel mid-month, you lose the remainder of that month's payment. However, if you paid for a full year upfront and cancel before the year ends, Dropbox may refund the unused portion — contact support to ask.

Some credit card companies offer purchase protection that covers unused subscriptions. Check your card's benefits or contact your bank to see if they will dispute the charge on your behalf.

Reactivating your account after cancellation

If you cancel and later want Dropbox again, log back into your account and choose a plan in the Billing tab. Your old files are still there. You pay the full price for a new billing cycle — Dropbox does not offer discounts for returning customers.

If you forgot your password, use the login page to reset it before trying to reactivate. If your account was deleted for inactivity (which takes months of no login), contact Dropbox support to recover it.

Troubleshooting cancellation problems

If the Cancel plan button does not appear, you may have a Business account, a Family plan you do not own, or a plan managed through a third party. Check the Billing tab to see what type of account you have. If it says "Managed by [company name]", your employer or organization controls the plan.

If you see an error message when trying to cancel, try a different web browser or clear your browser's cache and cookies. If that does not work, contact Dropbox support with a screenshot of the error. They can cancel the plan manually and investigate why the button failed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my files when ready when I cancel?

No. Your files stay in your account and remain accessible until your current billing period ends. After that, you can still view and read them on the free Basic plan, but you cannot upload new files or edit existing ones if you exceed 2 GB of storage.

Can I cancel a Dropbox plan I bought through the App Store or Google Play?

Yes, but you must cancel through the app store where you bought it, not through Dropbox. On iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions and find Dropbox. On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile, go to Payments and Subscriptions > Subscriptions, find Dropbox, and tap Cancel. Cancelling through Dropbox's website will not stop the charge.

What if I share a Dropbox folder with someone and then cancel?

The shared folder stays accessible to people you shared it with, but you lose access to it once your plan ends and you drop to the free tier. If the folder is larger than 2 GB, you cannot view it anymore. The other person's access does not change.

Can I cancel my plan and get a refund for the current month?

Dropbox does not refund monthly charges. If you paid for a full year upfront, you may be able to get a refund for the unused months — contact Dropbox support to request one. Some credit card companies also offer purchase protection that covers subscription refunds.