If you share a link to a file or folder with someone, you can decide who can see the contents of the link, and what they can do with the link.
Note: You can only delete shared links that you create. If you invite someone to a file or folder with edit 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. If you’re an admin on a Dropbox team, you can control the link settings for everyone. Learn how to manage shared link settings for your team.
Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes managing file permissions easy.
If you added members to a file or folder, instead of sharing a link, learn how to change their permissions in that file or folder.
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:
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Dropbox Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise customers can add a password to a shared link on dropbox.com or on the Dropbox mobile app. When someone opens the link, they'll need the password to see its contents.
To add a password to a shared file on dropbox.com:
To add a password to a shared folder on dropbox.com:
To add a password to a shared link on the Dropbox mobile app:
If someone tries to view a file using a shared link that requires a password, they’ll be asked to enter a password.
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:
What if I forget my password for the link or want to change it?
You can reset the password for any link you've shared in the same way that you set the password. If you’ve forgotten the password, you can create a new password, or you can always disable the link. For security reasons, we never display your existing passwords.
As a member of a Dropbox team account, does the admin for my team have control over the passwords I set?
While admins can’t set passwords for the links you create, they can control whether you’re able to set them. They can also restrict all shared links to team-only.
Admins: learn how to make links team-only.
Dropbox Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise customers can create, modify, or remove an expiration date for a shared link on dropbox.com or on the Dropbox mobile app. People will only be able to access the shared link until the expiration date. After its expiration date, that link is disabled.
To set an expiration date for a shared link on dropbox.com:
To set an expiration date for a shared link on the Dropbox mobile app:
Once saved, you can copy and paste the link to an email or send it directly through Dropbox. Once the link expires, you need to create a new link to share the file or folder again.
Recipients can’t see the expiration date.
If you need to change the expiration date, use these same steps to change the expiration.
What happens if someone I share the link with accesses it after the expiration date?
If someone visits a link after it expires, they'll see an error that says "This link is expired."
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:
Dropbox Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise customers can disable downloads for a shared link on dropbox.com or on the Dropbox mobile app.
Important note: Disabling downloads for a shared link prevents people from downloading the contents of a link through Dropbox. This doesn’t prevent people from saving the content using other methods.
To disable downloads for a shared link on dropbox.com:
To disable downloads for a shared link on the Dropbox mobile app:
You can share this link through Dropbox or by pasting the link into an email or chat.
Recipients can preview the file on dropbox.com, but the Download button will be grayed out and won’t be clickable. If a recipient hovers over Download button, they’ll see “Downloads disabled.”
If previews aren’t supported for type of file you’re sharing, you’ll see the error “[file type] files can’t be previewed. Downloads must be enabled to share.” Downloads can’t be disabled for that file.
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:
To limit shared link access to members of your team on dropbox.com:
Note: Shared view access links and shared links for web-based files can still be shared externally. Non-team members can create their own shared links based on their access and settings.
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:
To limit shared link access to members of your team on the Dropbox mobile app:
Once saved, you can copy and paste the link to an email or send it directly through Dropbox.