How to share files and folders with Dropbox

[Graham]

If you’re new to Dropbox and want to start sharing files and folders with people, you might be wondering where to start. Well, we’ve got you covered! This quick guide will walk you through everything you need to know about sharing files and folders. 

This guide will show you how to share files and folders with people who have a Dropbox account, as well as those who don’t. 

How to share files or folders with people who have a Dropbox account

Sharing files or folders with people who have Dropbox accounts is really easy. Here’s how to do it.

Gif showing steps taken to share a file or folder with someone who has a Dropbox account using dropbox.com

• Login to dropbox.com
• Hover over the file or folder you want to share and click on the share icon
• You can select whether to make the file or folder can view or can edit
• Enter the name or email of the person you would like to share the files or folder with
• Click the Share file or Share folder button
• The person you have shared with will receive an email prompting them to add the file or folder to their Dropbox account

The person you are sharing with will need to be logged in to be able to view or edit the files or folders you share with them.

You can also do this very easily using the desktop app. Here’s how it’s done.

Gif showing steps taken to share a file or folder with someone who has a Dropbox account using the desktop app

• Open the Dropbox folder in Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows)
• Control click or right click on the file or folder you would like to share
• Under quick options select Share
• Then, just follow the same steps mentioned above

 

How to share files and folders with people who don’t have a Dropbox account

Just because someone doesn’t have a Dropbox account, doesn’t mean that you can’t still share content with them. To do this, you’ll need to create a link to the file or folder you would like to share. Here’s how to do it.

Gif showing steps taken to share a file or folder with someone who does not have a Dropbox account using dropbox.com

• Login to dropbox.com
• Hover over the file or folder you want to share and click on the share icon
• Make the file or folder can view 
• Click on Create and copy link
• You will now have the link copied to your clipboard and you can share it through email, private message, text message, or any other way you like

This can also be done just as easily using the desktop app. Here’s how to do it.

Gif showing steps taken to share a file or folder with someone who does not have a Dropbox account using the desktop app

• Open the Dropbox folder in Finder (Mac) or File Explorer (Windows)
• Control click or right click on the file or folder you would like to share
• Under quick options select Share
• Then, just follow the same steps mentioned above

We hope you found this guide helpful and you’re now ready to share to your heart’s content. Want to learn more about sharing? Read our guide on file sharing. Let us know what you’d like to learn next, we’re here to help.