Shared link asks viewers to request access. Why does this happen?

[skepticalthinker]

Greetings.  I have a shared file set to be viewable by anyone with the link, and I've sent the link to those I want to view the file (see screenshot).  However, when they access the link, Dropbox states they "do not have access to this file" and offers the option to request access, which I must individually approve.  I have other files configured with these same settings, and those with whom I've shared those links can access them without any separate approval.  I don't know why this particular file is different.  Am I missing something?

[Hannah]

Hey @Bm22782, sorry to hear about this.

Are you on a Dropbox team or an individual account?

If you have a Dropbox team, are the people that have this issue members of your team, external users or both?

[JasonSilverDBX]

Hi @vrdesign and @Bm22782 ,

I'm a Product Manager in the sharing area here at Dropbox and sometimes chime in to help out.  Sometimes these specific cases are easier for support to debug, but I can provide some insight into how things should work.  

Depending on the content you're sharing there are two types of shared links - edit and view - granting those respective permissions to your recipients.  At a high level, folders offer both, most files only offer view links.  To answer your question about how to tell what type of link it is - you can't tell by the URL alone.  (something for us to think about adding in the future 🤔)

We also offer the ability to secure your links further with settings for each link.  For your link to be accessible to anyone including recipients who don't have a Dropbox account, the link audience must be set to "Anyone with Link".  Anything else - only those invited, team members - would require the recipient to login.  That's how Dropbox knows the visitor meets your security requirements.

And btw, @vrdesign , the links will work the same no matter how they are shared (i.e. email, text, slack, website, etc.).  Just in case you thought that might be causing an issue.

@Bm22782 it's curious that you've noticed the problem off and on?  Is it only certain types of recipients - i.e. people outside your team?

@Hannah fyi, these are both members of our Standard Team plan.

Tip:  One way to check that a link can be accessed by anyone is to try visiting it from a private or incognito browser window.

[Bm22782]

We are a Dropbox team and we all have had this issue.  I have been told it's a problem on Dropbox's end.

[jerryltaylor]

Same problem.  I have the info set to ANYONE WITH LINK ADDRESS...

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anyone who has the link can access no sign-in required 

But whoever I send that LINK to gets a blue box in top right corner saying "sign-in" 

HERE IS THE LINK!

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