Dropbox How To Create A Shared Link

Stress-free file sharing

Share files securely and effortlessly in real-time

Share any file or folder easily, with anyone

File sharing with Dropbox is quick and simple. By just sharing a link, you can send anything – from photos and videos to zipped folders and large CAD files – with anyone, even if they don't have a Dropbox account. Share links and files from anywhere, using your phone, tablet or computer.

And unlike email attachments, you don't have to worry about file size limits—share files as large as your cloud storage space quota (2 GB and up).

User creating a link to a file to share online

Get real-time updates when you share files

Find out exactly when someone has made changes to a file. With cloud file sharing services from Dropbox, you'll immediately see who's added, edited, deleted, renamed, moved, or signed an online file. Any changes made to a shared file will be automatically updated and synced for all recipients.

User notified of a shared file change and opening the file

Organize shared folders

Dropbox cloud storage is a great place to help teams get organized and add files to one central location. It's easy for team members to see where everything is, and which files are the most recent—and in need of immediate attention.

Shared folders: Working on a file-heavy project with several team members? Shared folders give everyone rich workspaces where they can get coordinated by uploading content, sharing files, adding folder descriptions, and assigning to-dos. And any edits you make within the folder will be immediately synced to other members, for quick and easy collaboration in real-time.

Groups: With Dropbox, you can easily upload files and share materials with relevant parties by creating a group, adding a list of members, and inviting the group to shared folders.

User adding an image file to a shared file

Control what you share

Manage folder permissions: Ensure secure folder sharing with multiple folder permissions. Choose if you want to give recipients editing or view-only access to your folder and manage your sharing options.

Sharing options and controls: Sending a file as an email attachment can put your data's security at risk. With Dropbox, you can share a link to a file or folder that is limited to view-only access. Plus, you can add password protection to a shared link, set a link expiration date and disable downloads.

Granular folder permissions: Share a specific subfolder without giving access to the entire folder it lives within. Give your vendors access to just one "Final Images" subfolder, for example, located inside your larger "Graphic Design" folder.

User selecting edit access when sharing a folder

Frequently asked questions

What is file sharing?

File sharing is the public or private sharing of digital information or resources. Common ways to share files include the web, removable USB drives, FTP servers, or peer-to-peer networks. The most convenient method used today is online or cloud file sharing or file transfer, a way to grant access to files and content from one user to another over the internet. Dropbox can be used as a cloud file sharing system and an online backup storage service.

How do I send or share files from Dropbox?

It's simple to send or share files from Dropbox with anyone you want—and they don't even need a Dropbox account. Create a shared link from your Dropbox desktop or mobile app for iOS or Android and share that link via chat, text, or email. Anyone with the shared link can view and download the file.

How do I share a Dropbox folder?

Sharing a Dropbox folder with anyone you want is easy. Create a shared link to the folder you want to share, and then send the shared link via email, chat, or text to whomever you like. Anyone with the link can view and download the content of the folder you've shared.

Can I share a folder with someone who doesn't have a Dropbox account?

You can share files and folders with anyone you like, including people without Dropbox accounts for file storage. Simply send them a shared link to the file or folder via email, chat, or text.