Find every Dropbox conflicted copy — and know which ones are safe to clean up.
Dropbox creates a conflicted copy when the same file is edited or synced from two places, and its content may differ from the original. ClearCopies compares byte sizes and Dropbox's own content_hash fingerprint to show which conflicted copies are exact duplicates of another file — safe to move to trash — and which differ and deserve a closer look. The scan is free, read-only and metadata-only.
Why conflicted copies spread — and why hunting them by hand doesn't scale
Dropbox creates a conflicted copy whenever it can't tell which version of a file should win. It keeps both rather than lose anyone's work — the right call, but it leaves the cleanup to you.
The same file, edited from two places
A document open on your laptop and your desktop, an offline edit that syncs hours later, a shared folder where two people save at once — each of these makes Dropbox keep a second file instead of overwriting either version.
Filename search finds them but can't judge them
Searching "conflicted copy" lists the files, yet says nothing about whether each one still matches its original. To know, you would have to open and compare every pair by hand — across every folder they landed in.
Some are redundant, some hold unsaved work
A conflicted copy may be byte-identical to the file next to it, or it may carry edits that exist nowhere else. Deleting them all risks losing work; keeping them all wastes space and buries the real conflicts.
Four steps from scattered conflicted copies to a clean Dropbox
The free scan and review show you the evidence first; the paid cleanup happens once, after you have approved every move.
- 01
Scan Dropbox read-only
ClearCopies indexes file metadata — byte sizes, folder paths, timestamps and the content_hash values Dropbox already computes. File bodies are never downloaded, and the scan never modifies anything.
- 02
Review conflicted copies in exact groups
Conflicted copies that share a byte size and content_hash with another file appear in exact duplicate groups; you pick the keeper in each group, and at least one copy is always retained. Copies whose content differs stay out of exact groups, flagged for manual review.
- 03
Approve one bulk cleanup pass
Once you approve the plan and pay, ClearCopies moves the selected copies in a single pass, scaling to thousands of files, and revalidates each one against live metadata immediately before it moves.
- 04
Recover anything from Dropbox trash
Approved copies go to the Dropbox trash, where they stay recoverable — ClearCopies never deletes anything permanently. You get a progress report and a receipt for the pass.
Safeguards for the copies that actually matter
The risky conflicted copies are the ones that differ. The whole design keeps those out of the automatic path.
Differing copies are never auto-selected
A conflicted copy joins an exact group only with an identical byte size and a matching content_hash. ClearCopies does not merge files or resolve genuine edit conflicts — it tells you which copies need that human decision and leaves them to you.
The scan only reads
Nothing moves until you have reviewed the plan and paid for the cleanup.
Trash-only moves, checked at the last moment
Every selected file is revalidated against live Dropbox metadata just before it moves; changed or missing files are skipped. What does move lands in the Dropbox trash, recoverable — never permanently deleted.
One flat payment per cleanup — after the free scan
The scan, the full review and the exportable cleanup plan are free. You pay only when you decide to run a cleanup pass, and the price is based on how much recoverable space your plan frees.
One-time payment per cleanup — no subscription. Start with the free scan; your exact price ($9.99, $19.99 or $39.99) is shown after the scan, before you commit to anything.
Bulk cleanup, answered
Straight answers about scale, safety, pricing and what happens to every removed copy.
What is a Dropbox conflicted copy?
Dropbox creates a conflicted copy when the same file is edited or synced from two places and Dropbox can't tell which version should win, so it keeps both instead of discarding either. The copy's content may be identical to the original, or it may hold edits that exist nowhere else — which is why they shouldn't all be treated the same way.
Why do I have conflicted copies everywhere in my Dropbox?
Every conflict event produces another file: the same document open on two devices, offline edits that sync later, or shared folders where several people save changes. Over months these accumulate across many folders, which is why a filename search alone tends to underestimate them.
Is it safe to delete Dropbox conflicted copies?
Only when a copy's content is identical to a file you are keeping. ClearCopies confirms that with a matching byte size and content_hash — Dropbox's own content fingerprint — and flags copies that differ for manual review instead of selecting them. Approved copies are moved to the Dropbox trash, where they remain recoverable.
Can I bulk delete conflicted copies across my whole Dropbox?
Yes, after review. You choose the keeper in each exact group, approve the cleanup plan, and ClearCopies runs one cleanup pass that scales to thousands of files, revalidating each one immediately before it is moved to trash. Nothing is removed automatically or without your review.
Does ClearCopies merge conflicted copies or resolve the conflict?
No. ClearCopies never merges files or resolves genuine edit conflicts. What it does is separate the two cases: conflicted copies that are byte-identical to another file, safe to move to trash, and copies whose content differs, which it leaves for you to compare and decide.
Does the scan download my Dropbox files?
No. The scan is free, read-only and metadata-only: it reads byte sizes, folder paths, timestamps and the content_hash values Dropbox already exposes. File bodies are never downloaded, and the scan never modifies your files.
Keep exploring
- Dropbox duplicate finderHow ClearCopies scans Dropbox: what it reads, content_hash evidence and what the scan can and cannot see.
- Bulk delete Dropbox duplicatesClean up thousands of exact duplicate files — conflicted copies included — in one reviewed cleanup pass.
- Scan Dropbox read-onlyRun the free metadata scan and see your conflicted copies grouped with content_hash evidence.
- Conflicted copies vs exact duplicatesWhat separates the two, and how content_hash tells you which conflicted copies are truly redundant.
Start with a free read-only scan of Dropbox
See every exact duplicate group and the recoverable space before paying anything. The cleanup pass is a separate, reviewed step.