Cloud accounts · Cloud files and your Mac's space
If I uninstall Google Drive for desktop or Dropbox, are my files deleted?
Short answer: No — your files stay in your cloud account. Local copies may be left or removed depending on the provider, so let syncing finish and copy anything you need offline before you uninstall.
Your files stay in your cloud account — uninstalling or signing out of the app doesn't delete them online. What happens to the copies on your Mac depends on the provider: some leave the downloaded files behind, others remove the folder when you sign out, and online-only placeholders are of no use once the app is gone.
Before you uninstall:
- Let the app finish syncing, so nothing is waiting to upload.
- If you want a local copy, make the folders you need available offline first, or copy them somewhere outside the cloud folder.
- Then sign out and uninstall following the provider's own instructions.
After that, you can still reach a Google Drive or Dropbox account from Storage Studio by adding it as a cloud account — it connects directly, without the provider's app.