How do I set team-wide sharing permissions?
Customizing your team’s permissions is a great way to make the most of your Dropbox team account. Scroll down to learn more.
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Team sharing permissions
Setting team-wide sharing permissions is key to any admin’s job. These permissions can apply to shared links, shared folders, and Paper docs. Whether you want users to be able to share files and folders externally or keep everything within the company, you’ve got the power to make that call.
It’s important to understand how your team operates before you set those permissions. Do they send content back and forth for reviews with clients? If yes, limiting their ability to share externally might slow everyone down.
One helpful tip: permissions aren’t retroactive! If you change sharing permissions to limit external sharing, files, folders, and links previously shared with people outside the company will stay that way.
Shared folder permissions
Shared folders are great for groups of people who work and collaborate on the same files. If a user owns a shared folder, then they can change permissions, which gives users a lot of flexibility in how they work. Keep in mind that any user can own a shared folder and set permissions for it—this isn’t just for admins.
If you own the shared folder
If you create a shared folder, that means you’re the owner (unless it was created in a team folder). Owners can:
- View folder content
- View the members of the shared folders and their roles
- Invite, remove, and email members
- Change member roles
- Leave or unshare the folder
- Determine who can be invited and who can manage the folder
- Make another member the owner
If you’re an editor
By default, members of a shared folder have edit permissions. Editors can:
- View folder content
- View the members of the shared folders and their roles
- Invite and remove members (except the owner)
- Leave the folder
- Email members
- Edit folder contents
- Change member roles
If you’re a viewer
Viewers can:
- View folder contents
- View the members of the shared folder and their roles
- Leave the folder
- Email members
If you have view-only permissions, you’ll see a small lock icon on the shared folder.
Shared link permissions
If you want to share access to a file but don’t want someone to edit that file, you can share a link.
As an admin, you can control how your team members share links with people outside of your team from the admin console. Take a look at the different permissions below.
Team only, new links
If you choose to make shared links Team only, your team members who create links won’t have the option to make those links accessible to non-team members.
Team only, existing links
If you choose to make shared links Team only, that setting will apply retroactively. Any existing shared links will no longer be accessible to non-team members.
Setting team-wide sharing permissions
Customize your company’s Dropbox experience by setting specific sharing permissions.
Common questions
Got a question about team-wide permissions? We’ve likely got an answer. If you have a question that’s not listed here, check out help.dropbox.com for more answers.
My shared link stopped working! Why?
If a shared link stops working, there can be a few different reasons why. Check to see whether the link was disabled or expired. An admin may have also changed sharing settings for the team, so it may be worth checking with them.
Why did my shared folder stop syncing?
It’s possible that the folder isn’t actively shared between collaborators. Log in to dropbox.com and select the Shared tab. If the folder says Not added, it means you haven’t yet added it to your Dropbox. Just select Add and it should sync back to your Dropbox.
Does joining a shared folder count against my storage space?
Yes, unless all members of the folder are part of the same Dropbox team account. If that’s the case, the shared folder will only be counted against the team’s shared storage space once.
Adjust shared link permissions
Make sure your team is sharing links with all the correct permissions in place.
How to share a file or folder from your Dropbox account
Share a file or folder from dropbox.com
Log in to dropbox.com.
Hover over the item you’d like to share.
Click the Share icon that appears.
Type the email or name of the person, people, or group you’d like to share with.
Select Can edit or Can view from the dropdown menu.
Click Settings to customize who has access or disable downloads. You can require a password and set an expiry date too.
Click Share file or Share folder. Recipients will receive an email invitation to the content you shared.
You can also click Copy link (If a link hasn't been created yet, click Create and copy link).
The link will be copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an email, chat, or other message.
Share a file or folder from the Dropbox folder from the Dropbox desktop app
Click Share.
Type the Email, name, or group of the person (or people) you’d like to share with.
Select Can edit or Can view from the dropdown menu.
Click Share. They’ll receive an email with a link to the file or folder.
Share a file or folder using the Dropbox mobile app
Navigate to the file or folder you want to share.
Tap "…" (ellipsis).
Tap Share.
Tap Create a link.
If a link was already created for this content, tap Share link next to Anyone with the link can view.
Select the way you'd like to share the link from the options Can edit or Can view. Either option will allow them to comment.