Anyone who has access to a Dropbox file can leave a comment and view other comments, unless commenting is turned off.
New to Dropbox? See how you can easily add annotations to your collaborative work.
How to comment on a file
To comment on a file:
- Sign in to dropbox.com.
- Click All files in the left sidebar.
- Click the name of the file you want to comment on.
- Click Comments in the right sidebar.
- If the right sidebar isn’t open, click the arrow or Comments button on the right-side of the screen.
- Type your comment.
- To mention someone in your comment, type @ and then their name or click the @ icon.
- Click Post.
How to comment on a specific part of a file
To comment on a specific part of a file:
- Sign in to dropbox.com.
- Click All files in the left sidebar.
- Click the name of the file you want to comment on.
- Click Comments in the right sidebar.
- If the right sidebar isn’t open, click the arrow or Comments button on the right-side of the screen.
- Click the circle with a plus sign next to Add your thoughts.
- Click and drag a box around the area of the file you’d like to comment on.
- Click the comment box in the right sidebar.
- Type your comment.
- Click Post.
Learn how to comment on a specific time in a video or audio file.
How to edit or delete a comment
To edit or delete a comment:
- Sign in to dropbox.com.
- Click All files in the left sidebar.
- Click the name of the file you want to comment on.
- Click Comments in the right sidebar.
- If the right sidebar isn’t open, click the arrow or Comments button on the right-side of the screen.
- Click the comment you’d like to edit or delete.
- Click Edit or Delete.
How are comments ordered in the comment pane?
Comments are listed in different orders, depending on the type of file you’re viewing.
- If you’re viewing an audio or video file, the default sort order is by timeframe. For example, a comment posted at 01:11 will be listed before a comment posted at 02:07.
- If you’re viewing a file with multiple pages, the default sort order is by pages. For example, a comment posted on page 1 will be listed before a comment posted on page 5.
- If you’re viewing any other type of file, the default sort order is from newest to oldest comment.
For any file you’re viewing, you can change the sort order by clicking the Sort by dropdown below Comments in the right sidebar.
Who is notified when I leave a comment?
The following people will receive an email and a notification both on dropbox.com and on their connected devices:
- The file owner
- Anyone who has subscribed to the file
- Anyone who has commented on the comment thread
- Anyone who was @mentioned in the comment thread
Learn how to change your notification preferences.
What timezone are comment timestamps shown in?
Comment timestamps are shown in your device’s time zone. For example, if your device is set to Pacific Standard Time, then all comment timestamps you see will be shown in Pacific Standard Time.
