How to share a Dropbox file or and folder with someone who doesn't have a Dropbox account

Updated Feb 12, 2024
person icon

The information in this article applies to all Dropbox users.

You can share files with anyone, including people without Dropbox accounts, by sharing a link to any file or folder.  If you share a link to a file with someone who doesn’t have a Dropbox account, they won’t need to create a Dropbox account to open and preview that file.
highlight icon

Note: Until you share a file or folder with someone who has a Dropbox account, it will say “Only you” have access to that file or folder. So if you share a file or folder with someone who doesn’t have a Dropbox account, it will still say “Only you” have access.

How to share a file or folder with someone outside Dropbox


You can send a shared link by email, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), instant message, social networks, wherever you want. 
 

Dropbox Professional, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise customers can also add passwords and expirations to shared links.

To share a file or folder on dropbox.com:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the file or folder you’d like to share and click the share icon (rectangle with an up arrow).
  3. From the dropdown, select Can view to give them view-only permissions.
    • If a link hasn't been created, click Create.
    • If a link has been created, then click Copy link.
       
  4. The link is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an email, message, or wherever people can access it.

To share a file or folder on your computer: 

  1. Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).
  2. Right-click or command-click the file or folder you’d like to share.
  3. Under Quick Actions, click Share….
  4. From the dropdown, select Can view to give them view-only permissions.
    • If a link hasn't been created, click Create.
    • If a link has been created, then click Copy link.
       
  5. The link is copied to your clipboard. You can then paste it into an email, message, or wherever people can access it.

How to stop sharing a file or folder with someone outside Dropbox

You can delete the link to immediately stop the person you have shared it with from accessing that file or folder. Learn how to remove a link to a Dropbox file or folder.

Was this article helpful?

We’re sorry to hear that.
Let us know how we can improve.

Thanks for your feedback!
Let us know how this article helped.

Thanks for your feedback!

Community answers

Other ways to get help