How to send and track files on dropbox.com
The features described in this article are available to customers on Dropbox Essentials, Business, and Business Plus.
The dropbox.com send and track workflow operates separately from DocSend standalone plans. To learn more about DocSend, visit the DocSend help center.
Important:
- Standard file recovery periods and options don’t apply to files deleted directly from the Send and track feature. Deleting a file from Send and track is permanent, and any associated metadata or data analytics can’t be recovered once the file is deleted.
- Any files added to Send and track before February 15, 2024 won’t be added to the “Send and track” folder on your Dropbox account. Deleting these files is permanent, and any associated metadata or data analytics can’t be recovered once the files are deleted.
You can use the send and track workflow to securely share files and receive real-time information on how recipients view and engage with your content.
The following file types are supported in Send and track:
- Documents: .doc, .docx, .pdf
- Images: .3fr, .ai, .arw, .bmp, .cr2, .crw, .dcr, .dcs, .dng, .dwg, .erf, .gif, .heic, .jpeg, .jpg, .kdc, .mef, .mos, .mrw, .nef, .nrw, .orf, .pef, .png, .ppm, .psd, .r3d, .raf, .rw2, .rwl, .sr2, .svg, .svgz, .tif, .tiff, .wbmp, .webp, .x3f
- Presentations: .ppt, .pptx
- Video: 3gp, 3gpp, 3gpp2, asf, avi, dv, m2t, m4v, mkv, mov, mp4, mpeg, mpg, mts ogv, rm, ts, vob, webm, wmv
- Audio: aac, aif, aiff, m4a, m4r, mp3, oga, ogg, wav, wma
- Spreadsheets: csv, xls, xlsx
The following file types are only supported for download information, analytics will not be included:
- Compressed: .7z, .rar, .zip, .zipx
- Text: .rtf, .txt
Note: If you’re an admin for Dropbox Business or Business Plus, you can also manage your team’s usage and access of Send and track.
How to send files with tracking
To send a file with tracking:
- Log in to dropbox.com.
- Click Send and track in the left sidebar.
- Note: You can also click the “…” (ellipsis) next to a file name on dropbox.com, then select Send and track.
- Click Track file.
- Choose where to upload a file from:
- Computer
- Dropbox
- Note: Choosing a file stored in your Dropbox account creates a copy of that file.
- OneDrive
- Google Drive
- Follow the prompts to select a file.
- Choose the link name and security settings.
- Click Create link. A link to your file will be created.
- Click Copy link.
- Paste the link wherever you’d like.
Notes:
- Files uploaded to Send and track won’t appear in your Recents page or in Dropbox Rewind.
- When you create a link for a file uploaded to Send and track, that link displays the file at that point in time. If you make changes to a file after sending it through Send and track, you’ll need to upload the edited file to Send and track as a new file, then create a new link to share with your recipients.
- Files uploaded to Send and track will be backed up to the “Send and track” folder. Deleting a file from the “Send and track” folder will delete it from Send and track as well.
- Files uploaded to Send and track before February 15, 2024, won’t be backed up in the “Send and track” folder. Deleting any of these files from Send and track is permanent.
How to delete files in Send and track
When you upload a file to Send and track from your local drive, OneDrive, or Google Drive, a copy of that file is created in the “Send and track” folder. Files in the “Send and track” folder count towards your storage space.
Uploading a file from your Dropbox account to Send and track doesn’t create a file copy in the “Send and track” folder.
Note: Deleting a file in Send and track is permanent and can’t be undone. The file and any associated metadata and data analytics, can’t be recovered.
How to view engagement information
When you share files through the send and track workflow, you’ll receive daily email notifications that show how many times your files have been viewed. You’ll also be able to see how your shared files were opened and engaged with.
To do this:
- Log in to dropbox.com.
- Click Send and track in the left sidebar.
- Click the desired file name.
- Note: You may need to click See all files if you have more than 5 files.
From here, you can view which link was used to access your file, when it was viewed, and for how long. You can also click Copy link to the right of a file link to share, edit link names and security settings, or disable file links.
Note: When a viewer is required to use an email address, you’ll also be able to see who viewed your file and for how long.
