How to create and send a transfer

Updated Jun 24, 2024
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 This article describes a feature available to all Dropbox users.

You can create and send transfers via shared links or email from anywhere you use Dropbox. If you’re on Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, or Enterprise, you can also customize your transfers with custom expiration dates, passwords, logos and backgrounds. After you send a transfer, you can view and manage your sent transfers on dropbox.com.

How to create and send a transfer

To create and send a transfer on dropbox.com:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click the grid icon in the top-left corner.
  3. Click Transfer from the menu that appears.
    • You’ll see a list of any active or expired transfers.
       
  4. Click Create transfer on the right.
  5. You can add files to your transfer in the following ways:
    • Drag and drop files from your computer.
    • Click Upload files.
    • Click the dropdown next to Upload files.
      • To choose folders from your computer, select Upload folders.
      • To choose files or folders from your Dropbox account, select Add from Dropbox.
         
  6. Click the edit icon (pencil) to enter a name for your transfer, if you’d like.
  7. Click the gear icon to set an expiration date or password.
    • Depending on your plan, transfers are automatically set to expire after 7 or 30 days. Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers also have the option to add a password and increase the expiration, up to a year. To do so, click settings (gear icon) in the bottom-left corner. From here you can also choose to be notified when someone downloads your document.
  8. Click Create transfer.
  9. Click Send email or Copy link.

To create and send a transfer from the desktop app:

  1. Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
  2. Right-click the file or folder you’d like to add to the transfer.
  3. Click Transfer a Copy…
  4. Click the edit icon (pencil) to enter a name for your transfer, if you’d like.
  5. Click the gear icon to set an expiration date or password.
    • Depending on your plan, transfers are automatically set to expire after 7 or 30 days. Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers also have the option to add a password and increase the expiration, up to a year. 
  6. Click Create transfer.
  7. Click Preview transfer to see what your recipients will receive, if you’d like.
  8. Click Copy link or Send with email to share your transfer link.
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Note: The Dropbox desktop app must be installed to send transfers from your computer.

To create and send a transfer from your iOS device:

  1. Open the Dropbox app on your iPhone/iPad.
  2. Tap "+” (plus icon).
  3. Tap Send copy of files.
  4. Tap Add from Dropbox and select files to add to your transfer.
    • Note: You can’t add folders to a transfer on iOS.
       
  5. Tap Continue.
  6. You can choose a new name for your transfer, toggle the switch to get download notifications, and set an expiration date.
    • Depending on your plan, transfers are automatically set to expire after 7 or 30 days.
    • Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers also have the option to add a password and increase the expiration, up to a year. 
  7. Tap Continue.
  8. Tap Share link and paste the transfer link where you’d like to share it.

To create and send a transfer on your Android device:

  1. Open the Dropbox app on your Android device.
  2. Tap “+” (plus icon).
  3. Tap Send copy of files.
  4. Tap Continue.
  5. Check the box next to the file(s) or folder(s) you want to transfer.
  6. Tap Transfer [x] file(s).
  7. Tap Continue.
  8. You can choose a new name for your transfer, toggle the switch to get download notifications, and set an expiration date.
    • Depending on your plan, transfers are automatically set to expire after 7 or 30 days. Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers also have the option to add a password and increase the expiration, up to a year.
  9. If you’re on Dropbox Professional, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, or Enterprise, you can tap Add password to password protect your transfer.
  10. Tap Continue.
  11. Tap Copy link to share and paste the transfer link where you’d like to share it.
  12. Tap Start new Transfer or Done in the top right corner.

How to customize your transfers

If you're on Dropbox Professional, Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, or Enterprise, you can change the background of your transfers or add a custom logo. The background and logo you choose will appear on all your transfers until you change them again.
 

Dropbox Professional

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click the grid icon in the top-left corner.
  3. Click Transfer.
  4. Click Setup Branding.
  5. Add your brand name and website:
    • Type the name you'd like clients to see in the Brand name field.
    • Enter a link to your website, if you'd like.
      • Note: Clicking on the logo will redirect users to the website you linked.
  6. Add your social media links, if you'd like.
  7. Add your logo and background:
    • Click Upload a logo to upload your brand's logo.
    • Click Choose a background to select a background color or upload a background image.
  8. Click Save changes.

Dropbox Education, Essentials, Business, Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click the grid icon in the top-left corner.
  3. Click Transfer.
  4. Click Set up your branding.
  5. Click the dropdown next to Choose background or Choose logo to add a background color, background image, or logo.
    • Note: Backgrounds and logos have a file size limit of 5 MB. Logos are resized if they're too big.
  6. Click Save.
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