How do I see who's viewing my files?

Updated Oct 10, 2023
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The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.


With viewer info, you can see if someone is currently looking at a file. Depending on the Dropbox plan you have, you may also be able to see when someone last viewed a file. For example, Dropbox Business customers can see who viewed what files and when they were last viewed.
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Note: The information in this article about viewer info may differ for web-based files, like Google Docs/Sheets/Slides, Paper docs, or Microsoft Office Online files.

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How to check if someone is viewing your file

When someone is viewing a shared file, their avatar appears in color on the preview of the file on dropbox.com. If you hover over their avatar, it says: Currently Viewing.
 

If someone has Can view or Can edit permissions on a file, and they aren't currently viewing the file, their avatar appears in gray next to the Share button. If you share with a team member through a shared link, their avatar doesn't appear until they view the file.

How to check when someone last viewed your file

Customers on these plans can see when someone last viewed a file:
 

  • Dropbox Standard
  • Dropbox Advanced
  • Dropbox Enterprise
  • Dropbox Education
  • Dropbox Professional
  • Dropbox Essentials
  • Dropbox Business 
  • Dropbox Business Plus

 

Hover over a gray avatar on the preview of a file on dropbox.com to see when they last Viewed the file.

 

You can also see the full history of when people viewed files.

See when someone last viewed a file

How to invite someone to join your team from the viewer info of a file

Viewer info shows whether a person who has viewed a file is a member of a Dropbox team account or not. You can invite people to join your team directly from a file that you're viewing.

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Note: This option isn’t available for admins on Dropbox Standard.

To invite someone to join your team:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click the file you’d like to open.
  3. Click the avatar (profile picture or initials) of the person you’d like to invite.
  4. Click Invite to team.
    • Certain types of admins can invite new members. If you’re not an admin, you’ll see Suggest invite instead of Invite to team. Click Suggest invite to send a notification to your admin saying that you’d like to invite someone new to the team.

How to disable viewer info for specific files or folders

Viewer info should be enabled by default for your account. If it isn't, enable viewer info.

When viewer info is enabled, viewer info is automatically enabled for all files you own. If you don't want to see viewer info, you can disable it on specific files or folders.
 

To disable viewer info for a shared file or folder:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the file and click Share.
  3. Click ☑ (settings) in the bottom right.
  4. Select the File settings tab.
  5. Next to Viewer info, click to toggle Off.
  6. Click Save.
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Notes:

  • Only the owner of a shared folder can disable viewer info for the entire folder. Anyone who can manage access to a folder can disable viewer info on shared files inside a shared folder. You can also disable viewer info for your entire account.
  • If viewer info is enabled and you’re viewing a file, you can’t hide your viewer info from the owner of a file. People who view your content also can’t disable viewer info on your shared file or folder.
    • For example: A team has viewer info turned off. A team member is invited to a shared folder owned by someone not on the team who has viewer info enabled. Viewer info for that team member is shown on that shared folder.

How do I disable viewer info for my whole account?

If you don’t want viewer info to be displayed for anyone, including yourself, you can disable it on your content:

To disable viewer info for your Dropbox team account

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click Admin console.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click Viewer info.
  5. Change the dropdown to Off by default or Off completely.
    • Off by default: Team members can turn viewer info on for files or folders they own.
    • Off completely: Team members can't turn viewer info on for files or folders they own.
  6. Save changes.

To disable viewer info for your Dropbox team member account

If you’re a Dropbox team member, your admin chooses the default for your team.

  • On by default or Off by default: You can change the viewer info setting for specific files and folders that you own.
  • Off completely: You can't turn viewer info on for any files or folders you own.

To disable viewer info for your personal account

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the bottom-left corner.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Toggle See info about people who view my files to Off.
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Note: If you choose Off, you can turn viewer info on for specific files or folders you own.

FAQs about privacy and access

Whose information is and isn't shown?

You can see viewer info about members of your team or people with Can edit or Can view permission.

 

When someone accesses a shared link and isn’t a team member or wasn’t specifically invited to the file, they appear as a Guest viewing the file. You can't see the name or email address of a Guest on a file. Guests can’t see viewer info.

Who can access my files?

Only you, or people you invite to edit a file, can invite others to your shared files.

 

Learn how to change permissions for your shared folders and shared links.

 

Note: If someone downloads a shared link without viewing it on dropbox.com, they won't show in viewer info.

How do I enable viewer info for my whole account?

Viewer info may be enabled by default for your account.

 

If viewer info isn’t displayed on content you own, you can enable it for all files you own.

 

To enable viewer info for your Dropbox team:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com using your admin credentials.
  2. Click Admin console.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click Viewer info.
  5. Change the dropdown to On by default.
  6. Save changes.

Note: If you’re a Dropbox team member and your admin disabled viewer info, contact your admin to enable this feature.

 

To enable viewer info for your personal account:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Click your avatar (profile picture or initials) in the top-right corner.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Toggle Viewer info on all files I own to On.

How do I enable viewer info for specific files or folders?

If viewer info is disabled for your account, you can enable viewer info for specific files or folders:

 

To enable viewer info for a shared file or folder:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the file and click Share.
  3. Click settings (settings).
  4. Next to Viewer info, click to toggle On.
  5. Click Save.

Which platforms support viewer info?

When viewing a preview of a file on dropbox.com, you can see when someone is currently viewing a shared file using dropbox.com. If someone uses the Dropbox badge with a Microsoft Office file, you can see when they're currently viewing the file. 

 

Note: This doesn't apply to Paper docs or showcases.

Which platforms support viewer history?

If you have access to viewer history on dropbox.com, you can see when someone used the following to view a file:

  • dropbox.com
    • Note: This doesn't apply to Paper docs or showcases
  • The Dropbox mobile apps
  • The Dropbox desktop app

For people using Windows, you can see when people viewed files in most applications.

 

If you're using macOS 10.9 or later, you can see when someone viewed a file using:

  • Adobe Acrobat Pro
  • Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 & 2016
  • Microsoft PowerPoint 2011 & 2016
  • Microsoft Word 2011 & 2016
  • Microsoft Excel 2011 & 2016
  • iWork Keynote, Numbers, Pages
  • Preview
  • TextEdit

Note: If someone is viewing your file using macOS 10.14 (Mojave) they may need to enable additional settings first.

How did someone get access to a file?

Shared folder members who Can edit the folder can invite people to the folder. Click Share and Who can access on a file or folder to see what permissions (Can edit or Can view) someone has.

 

If you’re the owner of a shared folder, you can restrict who can invite people to the folder.

 

Learn how to restrict files and folders permissions.

 

If you see a Guest on your file, that guest accessed the file through a shared link. A Guest may be someone who can access a file, but is viewing a shared link when they’re not logged in.

Why don't I see a person I gave access to?

If more than four people viewed a file, you see an icon with a number on it on the preview of the file on dropbox.com. This icon shows how many people viewed the file. Click this icon to see everyone who accessed the file.

 

If you don’t see the person you’re looking for, they might not have viewed the file yet, or viewed the file when they weren’t logged in. If they’re not logged in, they’re shown as a Guest when they view the file.

How do I remove someone from my file?

To remove someone who has can view or can edit access, remove them from the shared file or folder.

 

If you shared a file with someone through a shared link, you need to delete the link to remove their access.

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