How to export your data from Dropbox

Dropbox lets any user download their own files and folders as originals (or as a .zip for multiple items) straight from dropbox.com, while Business/Business Plus admins can generate CSV reports of team member data and storage; there is no single 'export my whole account' button, but Dropbox also publishes HTTP API endpoints for bulk/automated data portability.

Formats: Original file formats, ZIP, CSV, TXTPlan: Any plan (including free Basic) for downloading your own files; Business or Business Plus for the Admin console CSV reportsRole: Any team member for personal files/folders; Team admin, User management admin, Reporting admin, or Security admin for member/storage CSV exports

✓ Verified against Dropbox's official documentation, September 2026

Step by step

1Log in to dropbox.com and go to 'All files' in the left sidebar
2Hover over each file or folder you want, click the checkbox, then click Download - select multiple items to download them together as a .zip
3For Dropbox Paper docs: open the doc, click the more-options menu, click 'Save as...', pick a file format, then download the converted file
4For comments on a file: open the file, open the comments panel, click more options, then click 'Download comments' to save a .txt file
5As a Business/Business Plus admin, go to Admin console > Members > more options > 'Export member data' > 'Start export' to get a per-user CSV of storage usage and file access
6As an admin, go to Admin console > Content > 'Export storage report' > 'Start export' for a CSV breakdown of storage by folder
7Check the folder named 'Dropbox Business reports' in your Dropbox for the generated CSV files (you'll also get an email when ready)
8For bulk/automated migration, use the Dropbox HTTP API endpoints (files/download_zip, files/export, files/list_folder, sharing/list_shared_links, etc.) documented for EU Data Act portability

What the export includes

✓Your files and folders in their original formats
✓Folders bundled as .zip archives when downloading multiple items
✓Dropbox Paper docs converted to a chosen file format via 'Save as'
✓File comments as a .txt file
✓Team member data report (name, email, role, status, storage usage, file/folder access counts, group membership, 2FA status)
✓Team storage report (storage by folder path, folder owner, file counts)
✓Via API: file metadata, revisions, shared link and folder membership info, file requests, tags

What it doesn't include

✗There is no single 'export entire account' package like Google Takeout - you download files/folders and run admin reports separately
✗Account settings, notification preferences, and app/integration configurations are not included in file or CSV exports
✗Dropbox Sign, DocSend, and Forms data require their own separate export flows (e.g. Forms CSV export, DocSend visit-data CSV export), not covered by the file download or member-data report
✗Full version history beyond what's currently synced isn't captured by a simple folder download

Before you start

⚠Folder downloads are capped at 250 GB uncompressed and fewer than 10,000 total files (files in nested subfolders count toward the 10,000 limit); the resulting .zip is also capped at 250 GB
⚠Individual files have no size limit for download, but browser/network limitations can cause large downloads to fail - Dropbox recommends the desktop app for large files
⚠Downloaded files land in your computer's default Downloads folder unless changed
⚠Member data and storage CSV reports are only available to Business/Business Plus team admins (Team, User management, Reporting, or Security admin roles); for large teams the report can take up to an hour to generate
⚠If you delete your Dropbox account, file deletion begins 30 days later - make sure you've exported everything first, since only a team admin (not the member) can disable accounts and delete files on a team
⚠Free Basic accounts that exceed their storage quota may have data deleted, so export before you go over quota

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Dropbox export. See all Dropbox alternatives →

Google Drive

Alternatives Dropbox vs Google Drive

Upload the downloaded files/folders (or unzipped archive) directly via drive.google.com's upload button or drag-and-drop; use Google's desktop 'Drive for desktop' app for large batches.

pCloud

Use pCloud's web uploader or desktop sync client to upload the unzipped Dropbox folders; pCloud also offers a direct cloud-to-cloud transfer tool that can pull files straight from a connected Dropbox account.

iCloud+

Drop the exported/unzipped files into the local iCloud Drive folder (Finder on Mac or the iCloud app on Windows) to sync them up to iCloud+.

Exporting from Dropbox: common questions

Can I export my entire Dropbox account in one click, like Google Takeout?+

No. Dropbox doesn't have a single 'export everything' archive tool - you select and download files/folders (as originals or .zip), and admins run separate CSV reports for team/member data.

Is there a size limit when downloading a whole folder?+

Yes. A folder download is limited to 250 GB uncompressed and under 10,000 total files (including nested files), and the resulting .zip file is also capped at 250 GB.

Do I need a paid plan to download my own files?+

No. Downloading files and folders from dropbox.com works on any plan, including the free Basic plan. The CSV member-data and storage reports, however, require a Business or Business Plus admin account.

What happens to my files if I delete my Dropbox account?+

Dropbox initiates deletion of your files 30 days after account deletion, so you should complete your export before deleting the account.

Can I automate the export instead of clicking through the UI?+

Yes. Dropbox exposes HTTP API endpoints (such as files/download_zip, files/list_folder, and files/export) that can be scripted to pull files and metadata in bulk for a migration.

Will exporting include shared folders owned by other people?+

You can download shared folders/files you have access to, but ownership, sharing permissions, and link configurations aren't preserved in a plain file download - use the API's sharing endpoints if you need that metadata.