Why can't I share a folder or join a shared folder?

Updated Mar 04, 2024

Every member of a shared folder can add and modify files, so the shared folder takes up space in each member's account. If you're having trouble joining a shared folder—or sharing one with others—it's likely that insufficient space is the cause.

Why don’t I have enough space in my Dropbox account to access a shared folder?

The amount of space in your Dropbox account prevents you from accepting a shared folder invite if:

The shared folder is larger than your space quota (for example, the shared folder is 5 GB but your account is 2 GB total)
The shared folder is less than your total space quota but you don't have enough space available to accept it (for example, the shared folder is 2 GB but you only have 1 GB of available space in your Dropbox account)

I have plenty of space in my account—why can’t my collaborator accept a shared folder invitation?

All members of a shared folder must have enough available space to accommodate a shared folder.

For example, a Pro user with 1 TB of space can’t share a 5 GB folder with a Basic user who has only 2 GB of available space.

Can I share a folder without taking up Dropbox space?

If you'd like to share a folder without impacting the recipient's quota, you can share a view-only link to the folder instead. A view-only shared link allows users to view or download copies of the files in the folder. This means it won’t take up any storage space for the person who receives a link to the shared folder.

Can I leave a shared folder?

Yes, you can leave a shared folder without impacting other shared folder members.

Can I add free space to my Dropbox account?

If you don’t have enough space on your Dropbox account but you don’t want to pay for more space, there are a couple of options that are available to you.

You can add more space to your account quota by learning about Dropbox or referring people to Dropbox.