This workflow corresponds to n8n.io template #2075 — we link there as the canonical source.
The workflow JSON
Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →
{
"meta": {
"templateId": "2075"
},
"nodes": [
{
"id": "e3df7c90-fd1e-4e56-b4b8-ee2095720077",
"name": "Schedule Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
380,
240
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.1
},
{
"id": "fd37f3cc-b42c-43db-ba4c-8f760d620050",
"name": "PURGE DAYS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dateTime",
"position": [
920,
460
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"duration": 30,
"magnitude": "={{ $now }}",
"operation": "subtractFromDate"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "88d38a16-3dad-466f-adab-5c5ac846a65e",
"name": "DELETE OLD BACKUPS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dropbox",
"position": [
1520,
460
],
"parameters": {
"path": "={{ $json.pathDisplay }}",
"operation": "delete",
"authentication": "oAuth2"
},
"credentials": {
"dropboxOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "ff2b37de-8bc8-446a-8369-9bc52a54addd",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
820,
-20
],
"parameters": {
"width": 932.4394074276975,
"height": 223.80675203725258,
"content": "MOVE CURRENT BACKUPS TO OLD FOLDER"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "732eeb83-f552-4c4a-b0dc-e7e25e7a74cb",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
820,
220
],
"parameters": {
"width": 931.4765002625034,
"height": 185.32013969732247,
"content": "BACKUP ALL CURRENT WORKFLOWS"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "fb8e941b-343a-47c0-9806-10f13a0e1c2d",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
817.111278504417,
420
],
"parameters": {
"width": 932.4394074276973,
"height": 203.55064027939466,
"content": "PURGE BACKUPS OLDER THEN 30 DAYS\n"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "cbf0c9a8-f188-499f-ba9b-68ea6bfdb38b",
"name": "GET WORKFLOWS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
1100,
260
],
"parameters": {
"filters": {}
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "43436e4f-83e8-422c-8726-6257976dd9ab",
"name": "MAKE JSON FILES",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.moveBinaryData",
"position": [
1300,
260
],
"parameters": {
"mode": "jsonToBinary",
"options": {
"fileName": "={{ $json.name }}"
}
},
"notesInFlow": true,
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "4a3df15e-3679-415a-bcfc-51b19961b08b",
"name": "UPLOAD WORKFLOWS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dropbox",
"position": [
1520,
260
],
"parameters": {
"path": "={{ $('DESTINATION FOLDER').last().json.folder }}{{ $('GET WORKFLOWS').item.json.name }}.json",
"binaryData": true,
"authentication": "oAuth2"
},
"credentials": {
"dropboxOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"notesInFlow": true,
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "1350580e-a6b8-4d18-b2f3-322f3dbefd0b",
"name": "DESTINATION FOLDER",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
580,
240
],
"parameters": {
"fields": {
"values": [
{
"name": "folder",
"stringValue": "/n8n_backups/"
}
]
},
"include": "none",
"options": {}
},
"notesInFlow": true,
"typeVersion": 3.2
},
{
"id": "920c837e-f328-47bc-ac01-da4584640e01",
"name": "WAIT FOR MOVE TO FINISH",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.merge",
"position": [
900,
260
],
"parameters": {
"mode": "chooseBranch",
"output": "input2"
},
"typeVersion": 2.1
},
{
"id": "8798f472-5a7f-442b-880e-3bffe3597d0b",
"name": "GET CURRENT BACKUPS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dropbox",
"onError": "continueRegularOutput",
"position": [
1100,
40
],
"parameters": {
"path": "={{ $('DESTINATION FOLDER').last().json.folder }}",
"limit": 250,
"filters": {},
"resource": "folder",
"operation": "list",
"authentication": "oAuth2"
},
"credentials": {
"dropboxOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "b524ac5f-08bf-4c87-9c53-8e9150068690",
"name": "IGNORE FOLDERS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
"position": [
1300,
40
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "a13e9fd6-ef31-4e23-bde6-955ffab5849b",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notEquals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.type }}",
"rightValue": "folder"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "7ca4c3d3-93dc-4da0-a4d0-c9282d0e7689",
"name": "MOVE INTO OLD FOLDER",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dropbox",
"onError": "continueRegularOutput",
"position": [
1520,
40
],
"parameters": {
"path": "={{ $json.pathDisplay }}",
"toPath": "={{ $('DESTINATION FOLDER').last().json.folder }}old/{{ $json.name }}_{{ $('GET CURRENT DATE').last().json.formattedDate }}.json",
"operation": "move",
"authentication": "oAuth2"
},
"credentials": {
"dropboxOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"executeOnce": false,
"notesInFlow": true,
"retryOnFail": false,
"typeVersion": 1,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "60505840-821b-43e1-8aa0-6478955c5f3a",
"name": "LIST OLD BACKUPS",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dropbox",
"onError": "continueRegularOutput",
"position": [
1100,
460
],
"parameters": {
"path": "={{ $('DESTINATION FOLDER').last().json.folder }}old",
"limit": 500,
"filters": {},
"resource": "folder",
"operation": "list",
"authentication": "oAuth2"
},
"credentials": {
"dropboxOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1,
"alwaysOutputData": true
},
{
"id": "ffab6a02-a9f9-4a91-b4f1-dbc157d079e7",
"name": "CHECK DATES",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"position": [
1300,
460
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "e0aa83a7-a65b-4008-9010-bf4f14c0c398",
"operator": {
"type": "dateTime",
"operation": "before"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.lastModifiedServer }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $('PURGE DAYS').item.json.newDate }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "6bb40592-b599-4511-9e29-fdb1d374053f",
"name": "GET CURRENT DATE",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.dateTime",
"position": [
900,
40
],
"parameters": {
"date": "={{ $now }}",
"format": "=yyyy-MM-dd_HHmm",
"options": {},
"operation": "formatDate"
},
"typeVersion": 2
}
],
"connections": {
"PURGE DAYS": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "LIST OLD BACKUPS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"CHECK DATES": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "DELETE OLD BACKUPS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"GET WORKFLOWS": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "MAKE JSON FILES",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"IGNORE FOLDERS": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "MOVE INTO OLD FOLDER",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"MAKE JSON FILES": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "UPLOAD WORKFLOWS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"GET CURRENT DATE": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "GET CURRENT BACKUPS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"LIST OLD BACKUPS": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "CHECK DATES",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "DESTINATION FOLDER",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"DESTINATION FOLDER": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "GET CURRENT DATE",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
},
{
"node": "WAIT FOR MOVE TO FINISH",
"type": "main",
"index": 1
},
{
"node": "PURGE DAYS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"GET CURRENT BACKUPS": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "IGNORE FOLDERS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"MOVE INTO OLD FOLDER": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "WAIT FOR MOVE TO FINISH",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"WAIT FOR MOVE TO FINISH": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "GET WORKFLOWS",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
Credentials you'll need
Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.
dropboxOAuth2Apin8nApi
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How this works
This workflow automates the routine task of purging outdated backups from your Dropbox account, freeing up storage space and maintaining an organised file system without manual intervention. It suits individuals or small teams managing digital assets who need reliable, hands-off maintenance to avoid storage overload. The key step involves a scheduled trigger that activates the dateTime node to identify files older than a set period, followed by the Dropbox node executing targeted deletions, with additional nodes like n8n for workflow retrieval and moveBinaryData for handling file operations.
Use this workflow for regular, low-volume cleanup of Dropbox folders, such as monthly archive management, where precision in date-based filtering is essential. Avoid it for high-traffic environments requiring real-time processing or when dealing with non-Dropbox storage, as it is tailored specifically to that integration. Common variations include adjusting the cron schedule for daily runs or extending it to archive files to another service before deletion.
About this workflow
Datetime Schedule. Uses scheduleTrigger, dateTime, dropbox, stickyNote. Scheduled trigger; 17 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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