How to add Dropbox to the Files app on your iPhone or iPad
Learn how to use Dropbox seamlessly on your iPhone or iPad. Use the Files app to browse files stored both on your device and in your Dropbox account, all in one place. To do this, you must have the Dropbox iOS app installed on your device.
To enable Dropbox as a location in the Files app:
- Open the Files app.
- From the Browse screen, tap the "..." (ellipsis) in the top right corner.
- Tap Edit.
- Toggle Dropbox to On.
- Tap Done.
To access your Dropbox account in the Files app:
- Open the Files app.
- Under Locations, you’ll see your Dropbox folder.
- Tap your Dropbox folder.
Note: If you uninstall the Dropbox iOS app, your Dropbox folder will be removed from the Files app.
Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes file recovery and history easy.
What Dropbox features are available on the Files app?
In your Dropbox folder on the Files app, you can:
- Browse your files
- View files
Note: If you need to view a file offline, make the file available offline in the Dropbox iOS app.
- Download files
Note: To download a file, you need access to Wi-Fi or cellular data.
- Copy files
- Move files
- Rename files
- Edit files
- Upload files directly to Dropbox from supported apps
If you connected your work and personal Dropbox accounts on your phone, you'll see both folders.
What Dropbox features are not available on the Files app?
Some Dropbox features aren't available from the Files app. These features include:
- Managing shared folder sharing settings
- Searching to find any file within Dropbox folders
- Real-time collaboration on files (currently, if two people edit a file at the same time, they create conflicted copies)
- Syncing "Favorites" from the Dropbox iOS app to the Files app
- Commenting on files
- Opening folders with more than 10,000 files or folders
- Recovering recently deleted Dropbox files from the Recently Deleted menu
- Previewing "bundle" files, like Garageband, Ominoutliner, and iWork '09 documents (you may see Authentication error when trying to open these files)
- Moving files or folders to a folder that you haven't opened yet (some folders aren't listed as possible locations unless you open that folder before attempting the move)
- If a passcode is set up for the Dropbox app, your Dropbox folder isn’t available in the Files app
- Accessing files in the Dropbox folder while offline
- Syncing tags or colors in the Files app
While we work to improve the Dropbox integration with the Files app, you can use the Dropbox iOS app to access some of these features as usual.
