Rename or move a shared folder

Updated Nov 21, 2023

You can rename or move a shared folder like any other folder on your hard drive. If you rename or move a shared folder, the folder remains shared. To avoid confusion, the rename or move isn't reflected in the Dropbox accounts of other shared folder members. 

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Notes on moving a shared folder

  • If your admin or the owner of the folder has set sharing restrictions, moving a shared folder to your other Dropbox will cause you to leave the folder entirely so you'll have a non-shared copy that doesn't sync with other members' changes
    • We recommend you check with both your admin and the folder owner to see if they've set any restrictions before moving a shared folder to your other Dropbox account
  • If you move a shared folder from one Dropbox account to another, you’ll receive a notification that you’ve left the shared folder in your first Dropbox and joined the shared folder in your second Dropbox
    • If you're the owner of the folder, ownership will be transferred to your second Dropbox account

If you're the owner of a shared folder in your work Dropbox and you want to move it to your personal Dropbox, first take a look at the folder's settings:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the folder and click the share icon (rectangle with an up arrow).
  3. Click the gear icon.
  4. Check the setting, Folder membership.
    • If it shows "Anyone", you can move the shared folder to your personal Dropbox without a problem. 
    • If it shows "Only team members", moving the folder to your personal Dropbox will break your membership in the folder, and you'll have only a non-shared copy of it in your personal Dropbox.

If there are no sharing restrictions, moving a shared folder from one Dropbox to another will be recorded as an event in your admin's sharing activity log.

Copying a shared folder

Copying a shared folder from one Dropbox to another will have no effect on your membership in the folder. For example, if you copy a shared folder from your work Dropbox to your personal Dropbox, your work account will still be a member of the shared folder, and a non-shared copy of the folder will be in your personal Dropbox.

How to rename a shared folder for all members

  1. Unshare the folder.
  2. Rename the folder.
  3. Reshare the renamed folder.
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