Why can't I share a folder or join another shared folder?
There are a few situations when someone may be unable to join or access a shared folder. Check each of the situations outlined in this article to fix an issue you or a shared folder member is having with joining or accessing a shared folder.
If you’re already a member of a shared folder and it’s not working as expected, learn how to fix issues with shared folders.
Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox helps you effortlessly share files and folders.
You see a "Request access" page
What happened:
If you’re seeing a Request access page, it’s likely that the person you’re sharing with sent the invitation to an account that you don't regularly use. Or they may have sent the invitation to the wrong person.
When someone shares a file or folder, they share it with a specific Dropbox account. Only the account owner can access the content.
How to fix it:
Click Request access. Once the sender approves your request, you can view the shared content.
Or, you can log in to the account that the sharer originally invited.
You don't have a Dropbox account or you’re not logged in
What happened:
You’ll be prompted to log in or create an account when you try to access shared content. If you don’t have a Dropbox account, you’ll need to create one to access the shared file or folder.
How to fix it:
You can log in to your Dropbox account or create an account to see the shared content.
If you don’t want to sign up for an account, ask the sharer to send a shared link instead.
People can’t accept the invite to my shared folder
Each shared folder member needs to have enough space in their account to accept the invite to a shared folder. Shared folders require space in each account, since accepting an invite to join a folder means you’re adding it to your account as well.
If you’re having trouble sharing a folder, it’s possible that the people you’re sharing with don’t have enough space to accept the invite. If you’re having trouble joining a shared folder that someone invited you to, it’s possible the folder is larger than the remaining available space on your account.
For example, you have a 2 GB Dropbox account, but only have 1 GB of available space. If someone shares a 3 GB folder with you, you won’t be able to accept that invite. You’ll either have to earn or buy more space, or ask the person sharing to reduce the size of the folder.
Can I share a folder without taking up Dropbox space?
If you'd like to share a folder without using the recipient's space, you can share a link to the folder. Sharing a link to the folder means that people can view, comment on, and download read-only copies of the files in that folder.
Can I leave a shared folder?
Yes, you can leave a shared folder. This only removes the folder from your Dropbox account. All other members of the folder will still have access.
Can I share Dropbox storage space with others?
If you are interested in sharing a space between multiple users, consider a Dropbox team plan.
