Rename or move a shared folder

Updated Jul 23, 2024
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The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.

You can rename or move a shared folder like any other folder on your hard drive. If you rename or move a shared folder, the folder remains shared. To avoid confusion, the rename or move isn't reflected in the Dropbox accounts of other shared folder members. 
 

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Notes on moving a shared folder

  • If your admin or the owner of the folder has set sharing restrictions, moving a shared folder to your other Dropbox will cause you to leave the folder entirely so you'll have a non-shared copy that doesn't sync with other members' changes.
    • We recommend you check with both your admin and the folder owner to see if they've set any restrictions before moving a shared folder to your other Dropbox account.
  • If you move a shared folder from one Dropbox account to another, you’ll receive a notification that you’ve left the shared folder in your first Dropbox and joined the shared folder in your second Dropbox.
    • If you're the owner of the folder, ownership will be transferred to your second Dropbox account.


If you're the owner of a shared folder in your work Dropbox and you want to move it to your personal Dropbox, first take a look at the folder's settings:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the folder and click Share.
  3. Click the gear icon in the bottom right.
  4. Check the setting Folder membership.
    • If it shows "Anyone", you can move the shared folder to your personal Dropbox without a problem. 
    • If it shows "Only team members", moving the folder to your personal Dropbox will break your membership in the folder, and you'll have only a non-shared copy of it in your personal Dropbox.

If there are no sharing restrictions, moving a shared folder from one Dropbox to another will be recorded as an event in your admin's sharing activity log.

Copying a shared folder

Copying a shared folder from one Dropbox to another will have no effect on your membership in the folder.


For example, if you copy a shared folder from your work Dropbox to your personal Dropbox, your work account will still be a member of the shared folder, and a non-shared copy of the folder will be in your personal Dropbox.

How to rename a shared folder for all members

  1. Unshare the folder.
  2. Rename the folder.
  3. Reshare the renamed folder.
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