Dropbox can help you collaborate with others and stay on top of your projects. All without stressing about file sizes, version mix-ups, and lost feedback. Collaboration just got a whole lot easier.
10 minute read
The new and improved way to work together
Working with others on projects big and small just got easier and more delightful.
Choose a sharing method that suits your way of working
No matter how you get work done, you’re covered with collaborative folders and shared links.
Each method has its own distinct advantages, depending on what you want to do.
You can tell that a folder is private if the front of it is blank. A private folder works like any other folder: You can move it, rename it, add content to it, or delete it.
Note: Only you can access what’s inside a private folder in your Dropbox account.
If you invite someone to that folder, then it’s no longer private.
Shared folders
Shared folders have an icon of people on the front of the folder.
Sharing folders allows others to review and edit your files. All collaborators need a Dropbox account to edit or review. Sharing folders means that the person sees every file or image in that folder.
You can also rename a shared folder, and it will only change for you. That way, if you receive a shared folder invite for “Holiday photos,” but already have two other folders labelled Holiday photos, you can change it to “Mexico 2021 holiday photos” without causing confusion for anyone else.
However, if you change a subfolder, that folder’s name change will reflect for everyone else.
Links
You can also share files with anyone, even non-Dropbox users, by creating a link to a file or folder. You can send the link through email, instant message, even social networks. Recipients can view, comment, or download a copy of the shared file but can’t edit the original file in your Dropbox. They’ll be able to see the latest updates, even after the link is created. You can also control permissions for shared links by setting passwords and expiration dates. And Dropbox links shouldn’t break, even if you rename or move a folder or file in your Dropbox. Need to intentionally break a link to prevent access to a shared file or folder? No problem, just remove the shared link from the file.
While comments on shared links are great for reviews, links don’t allow for two-way collaboration. So if you want to let others edit the content, create a shared folder instead of just sharing the link.
File requests
File requests allow you to collect and receive files from anyone, perfect for large files or large collections of files. It organizes everything you’re collecting in one place and keeps your own files on Dropbox private. Only you can view what others have uploaded—unless you want to share!
Sharing on your own terms
With Dropbox, you can pick and choose how you share your most important files and folders.
If you need others to give feedback on your work, you can give them edit access to your shared folder. But if you don’t want others to edit your work, you can share links instead, which will give them view-only access.
And you never have to worry about the safety of your files. You can share files securely by giving only certain people access to your file (this is called “authenticated sharing”). This limits who recipients can share those files with and it means they’ll have to sign in to view your file.
With all of these options available, you can share your own way, on your own terms.
Want to learn more about sharing files and folders in Dropbox? Watch ourfile sharingtutorial.
Sharing links, your way
Creating a shared link is an easy way to share a file or a folder with anyone—even if they don’t have a Dropbox account. Dropbox gives you the ability to customize how and what you share through settings and permissions.
Add your own branding
If you’re on a Dropbox Professional plan, you can use branded sharing to add your company name and logo to the files and folders you share. When you send shared links or direct sharing invitations, recipients will see the branding elements you’ve added to your account settings.
Hover over the file or folder you’d like to share and click Share.
Note: You can view pages in a document, scrub through a video, or flip through the contents of a folder without opening it. To do so, make sure you’re using grid layout, then move your cursor horizontally across the file or folder.
Enter the Email, name, or group of the person (or people) you’d like to share it with, and click to select them from the results.
Note: You can invite as many people as you’d like.
Select Can edit or Can view.
Add a note if you’d like.
Click Share file or Share folder.
The person or group will receive an email with a link to the file or folder.
Share a file or folder from the Dropbox folder from the Dropbox desktop app
Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
Click the file or folder you’d like to share.
Click Share… next to the Dropbox icon.
Enter the Email, name, or group of the person (or people) you’d like to share it with, and click to select them from the results.
Note: You can invite as many people as you’d like.
Click Can edit or Can view.
Add a note if you’d like.
Click Share file or Share 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.
Share view-only access with shared files or links
If you need someone to be able to see your files but not edit them, you can use Dropbox to share in two ways. You can invite people directly from a file or folder, or create a unique link to them instead, then send via email or your favorite messaging app.
When you invite someone directly with view-only permissions, the recipient will receive an email with a link to your content. They will have access to the file or folder in their own Dropbox account, but they can’t edit the content. For added security, you can change permissions or make the item private again.
When you share with a view-only link, recipients can see a preview of the file or folder on dropbox.com, and can view or download the content—even if they don’t have a Dropbox account.
Add passwords and expiration dates
Dropbox gives you control over who can access your shared files, and for how long.
To add additional controls like passwords or expiration dates, select Share and then select Link settings in the pop up. You’ll see options to limit who can view the link, set up a password, and put an expiration date on that link.
Authenticated sharing
Authenticated sharing allows you to share sensitive documents securely since recipients are limited in their ability to further share documents. All the people you share with need a Dropbox account to view or download that document.
The file is only available for the specific names or email addresses you’ve invited to the file.
Add your own branding
If you’re on a Dropbox Professional plan, you can use branded sharing to add your company name and logo to the files and folders you share. When you send shared links or direct sharing invitations, recipients will see the branding elements you’ve added to your account settings.
Hover over the file or folder you’d like to share and click Share.
Note: You can view pages in a document, scrub through a video, or flip through the contents of a folder without opening it. To do so, make sure you’re using grid layout, then move your cursor horizontally across the file or folder.
Enter the Email, name, or group of the person (or people) you’d like to share it with, and click to select them from the results.
Note: You can invite as many people as you’d like.
Select Can edit or Can view.
Add a note if you’d like.
Click Share file or Share folder.
The person or group will receive an email with a link to the file or folder.
Share a file or folder from the Dropbox folder from the Dropbox desktop app
Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
Click the file or folder you’d like to share.
Click Share… next to the Dropbox icon.
Enter the Email, name, or group of the person (or people) you’d like to share it with, and click to select them from the results.
Note: You can invite as many people as you’d like.
Click Can edit or Can view.
Add a note if you’d like.
Click Share file or Share 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.
Share view-only access with shared files or links
If you need someone to be able to see your files but not edit them, you can use Dropbox to share in two ways. You can invite people directly from a file or folder, or create a unique link to them instead, then send via email or your favorite messaging app.
When you invite someone directly with view-only permissions, the recipient will receive an email with a link to your content. They will have access to the file or folder in their own Dropbox account, but they can’t edit the content. For added security, you can change permissions or make the item private again.
When you share with a view-only link, recipients can see a preview of the file or folder on dropbox.com, and can view or download the content—even if they don’t have a Dropbox account.
Add passwords and expiration dates
Dropbox gives you control over who can access your shared files, and for how long.
To add additional controls like passwords or expiration dates, select Share and then select Link settings in the pop up. You’ll see options to limit who can view the link, set up a password, and put an expiration date on that link.
Authenticated sharing
Authenticated sharing allows you to share sensitive documents securely since recipients are limited in their ability to further share documents. All the people you share with need a Dropbox account to view or download that document.
The file is only available for the specific names or email addresses you’ve invited to the file.
Add your own branding
If you’re on a Dropbox Professional plan, you can use branded sharing to add your company name and logo to the files and folders you share. When you send shared links or direct sharing invitations, recipients will see the branding elements you’ve added to your account settings.
Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the top-right corner.
Click Settings.
Click the Branding tab.
Click Set up branding next to Brand name and logo to add your logo and the name of your company or brand.
Click Choose image next to Background image to select a background image, if you like.
Keep it (even more) secure
When dealing with confidential or sensitive materials, you have options to control how your content is accessed. You can set who can view your shared link, and you can add passwords and expiration dates to your link.
Another way to further control access to shared files is to enter the specific people you want to have access. To do this, click the Share button on dropbox.com, the desktop app, or the badge on any Microsoft Office files saved in your Dropbox. Then type in the email addresses of the people you want to have access.
Sharing and collaboration tutorials
Have a look at these tutorials to learn more about how to share and collaborate.
Sharing is caring (and easy)
One of the first things you may want to do when you start collaborating is to share a folder. It’s a great way to make sure everyone has access to what they need and help keep everyone in sync.
Sharing folders and setting permissions
Giving others access to your folders through Dropbox is a great way to collaborate. Want to learn how?
Sharing links and setting permissions
If you only want certain people to view the file, you can share links instead of whole folders.
Sharing tips and tricks
Ever wonder how to rename or move a shared folder? Or the best way to structure your folders in a way that makes sense to you?
Common questions
Got a question about sharing or collaborating? We’ve likely got an answer. If you have a question that’s not listed here, check out help.dropbox.com for more answers.
Can I unshare a folder?
Yes, you can unshare a folder. When you unshare, you’ll be able to decide whether members can keep a copy of the folder.
Why isn’t my shared link working anymore?
There are a few reasons that might cause a link to not work. For example, the link might have expired, the owner might have changed the settings of the link, or you might not be logged in to Dropbox. Authenticated links require viewers to be signed in.
I added a folder I don’t want or need access to anymore. How do I get rid of it?
It’s easy. First, log in to dropbox.com and click Shared in the left sidebar. On the Folders page, scroll down to the folder in question and click the (…) ellipsis next to the folder. Then click Remove from Dropbox.
Note: Don’t delete the folder. Remember that any action you take on a shared folder will affect everyone in that folder, even deleting.
Share from File Explorer or Finder
You can easily share directly from your desktop too. Simply right-click the folder and select Share.
Sharing on dropbox.com
It works the same way on dropbox.com. Hover over the file you want to share and click the Share button to the right.
Add someone else's shared folder
If someone invites you to a shared folder, you’ll get an email invite and a notification in tray or menu bar.
Add the folder
Add the folder to your Dropbox account to begin collaborating with your team.
