How to share a link to a Dropbox file or folder

Updated Oct 30, 2024

The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users, unless otherwise stated.

Learn how to create a Dropbox link to share content. You can create a link to a file or folder in your Dropbox account to share it with others. When you share a file or folder via a link, you can give people with that link edit or view-only access. You can also manage this in your default sharing settings.

Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox helps you easily share folders.

Things to be aware of when sharing links to Dropbox files and folders

Customers on Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Standard, Advanced, Business, Business Plus, and Enterprise can set additional shared link permissions like passwords and expiration dates.
You can't create a shared link to a restricted folder.
Team admins may change default link sharing settings, but team members can still choose who they want to share the link with.
If you receive a shared link, you'll only be able to access the file or folder on dropbox.com.

Will my Dropbox link automatically grant edit access to my folder?

If you’re on a Dropbox Basic, Professional, or Plus account, you can give other Dropbox users edit access to your Dropbox files or folders via a link.

If you share with someone without a Dropbox account, they’ll only be able to preview the file or folder.

If you give another Dropbox user access to a file or folder, they can create their own link to share that content with others. If you’re an admin on a Dropbox team, you can control the link settings for the rest of your team.

If you’re a member of a Dropbox team account, you can still adjust settings for certain items even if the team admin changes default link sharing settings.

Important: Dropbox is moving to an updated shared link architecture where links are based on content rather than on users. This will affect how links are created and shared.

The new links can be identified by the presence of an ‘rlkey’ parameter in the URL. For these links, the above behavior will perform differently:

Users with edit access can create both edit or view-only links if links have not been created already.
If you share a file or folder with an external partner using a link, they can share it with other external parties with the same link. They can’t create their own shared link since each file or folder can only have one edit link and one view-only link.
If you create a shared link with edit access, anyone who accesses that file or folder via that link can add that content to their Dropbox account, making them members of that content with edit access.

How to create and share a Dropbox link with edit access

Log in to dropbox.com.
Hover over the file or folder you’d like to share and click Share.
- Note: You can view pages in a document, scrub through a video, or flip through the contents of a folder without opening it. To do so, make sure you’re using grid layout, then move your cursor horizontally across the file or folder.
Click Copy link.
Click Manage.
Select Link for editing.
Click Copy link.

The link is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an email, message, or wherever people can access it.

Note: If the link recipient is a member of a Dropbox team, their ability to edit content depends on their team’s permissions.

How to create and share a Dropbox link with view-only access

If someone receives a shared link or shared file with view-only permissions, they won't be able to edit the original file.

How to create and share a Dropbox link with view-only access on dropbox.com

Log in to dropbox.com.
Hover over the file or folder you’d like to share and click Share.
- Note: You can view pages in a document, scrub through a video, or flip through the contents of a folder without opening it. To do so, make sure you’re using grid layout, then move your cursor horizontally across the file or folder.
Click Copy link.
Click Manage.
Select Link for viewing.
Click Copy link.

The link is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an email, message, or wherever people can access it.

How to create and share a Dropbox link with view-only access on your computer

Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
Right-click or command-click the file or folder you’d like to share.
Click Copy Dropbox link under Quick Actions.

The link is automatically copied to your clipboard. You can paste it in an email or message to share it with recipients. Once your recipients click the link, they’ll be prompted to request access to the content you’re sharing. You’ll receive these requests via email, and can approve them there.

How to manage links with edit or view-only access

You can make changes to a file or folder link after sharing it.

Learn how to manage Dropbox sharing permissions.

There are some exceptions to this, including if:

You remove someone’s access and they still have a file or folder link, they could regain access. To prevent them from regaining access, remove the link to the file or folder.
Someone you’ve shared a folder link with has joined that folder, the link permissions you set will no longer apply.
You invite someone to a file or folder with access, they can create their own link to share with someone else. You can’t manage those shared links, so be sure to only share with people you trust.