Collaborating with Dropbox

Dropbox makes it easy to collaborate on projects with colleagues. You may want to set up Dropbox on your Mac or Windows PC first.

Sharing file links with others from your Mac

Use this method to send a quick file/folder to a recipient or two. Your files can be as big as your Dropbox limit (generally 2 GB for free accounts). And you can skip emailing large attachments!

  1. Open your Dropbox folder.
  2. Place the files or folders you want to share into your Dropbox.
  3. Right-click (or control-click) the file/folder and choose Dropbox-Copy Public Link.
  4. Address an email to the recipient and paste the link.
  5. Send the email. The recipient clicks the link and the file downloads to their downloads folder or desktop.

Sharing a folder with another Dropbox user

Here’s another option: Instead of sharing a link, you can you share a folder inside your Dropbox. Shared folders appear in their Dropbox folders as well. When any of you make changes to the contents of the folder, those changes are reflected on all the other computers and devices. It's a great way to collaborate on a project without the complexity of emails, FTP or server access.

  1. Open your Dropbox folder in the menu bar, dock or sidebar.
  2. Create a folder or drag one you want to share into the Dropbox folder.
  3. Right-click (or control-click) the folder and choose Dropbox-Share This Folder.
  4. Type an email address and message, then click Share Folder.
  5. The recipient will receive instructions for joining Dropbox (if they haven’t used it before), then they can access your files on the web, desktop or device such as iPhone or iPad.
  6. Invite more people to the shared folder by repeating steps 3-5.

Changing sharing options (web)

Some sharing options can only be modified on the web.

Sharing or unsharing a Dropbox folder

  1. Sign into Dropbox on the web. See instructions.
  2. Locate the file or folder in the list. It may be inside another folder. Or click the new folder button at the top.
  3. Point to the item and click the Share button on the right.
  4. To add a new person, type their email address at the top. 
  5. To change a person’s access, click their current access (such as Can edit or Can view) and choose a different option, such as Remove.
  6. If you remove a person, you can allow them to keep the files (they won’t get new updates) or delete the files from their Dropbox.

Sharing tips:

  • Don’t want to see a folder someone has shared with you? Follow the steps above to remove yourself.
  • To see only shared items, click the Sharing icon on the left side of the webpage.
Learn more about Dropbox.
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