How to connect Dropbox and Gmail accounts

Updated Dec 11, 2023
You can attach Dropbox files to your Gmail messages, save Gmail attachments to Dropbox, or connect your Dropbox and Gmail accounts with the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on.
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In August of 2021 Dropbox ended support for the Dropbox for Gmail Chrome extension.

The Dropbox for Gmail add-on is available on any browser or platform, including mobile apps. With the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on, you can:

  • Share your Dropbox files directly through your Gmail account 
  • Save attachments from Gmail directly to your Dropbox account

Admins can enable the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on for their entire team from within the Google Admin console.

Not using Dropbox yet? See how Dropbox makes it easy to send large files.

Attach Dropbox files to your Gmail messages

To attach a Dropbox file to a Gmail message:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com and download the file you’d like to attach to your computer or download the Dropbox desktop app.
  2. Follow the instructions in Gmail Help to attach a file to a Gmail message. 
  3. Attach the file:
    • If you downloaded it from dropbox.com, you can find the file in the “Downloads” folder on your computer, in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). 
    • If you downloaded the Dropbox desktop app, you can find the file in the Dropbox folder on your computer, in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac).

Save Gmail attachments to Dropbox

To save a Gmail attachment to Dropbox:

  1. Follow the instructions in Gmail Help to download a Gmail attachment to your computer.
  2. Find the file in the “Downloads” folder on your computer.
  3. Add the file to your Dropbox account on dropbox.com or the Dropbox desktop app on your computer.

Install and enable the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on

To enable the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on:

  1. Click the white plus sign (+) icon on the right side panel. When you hover over the plus sign, you’ll see “Get Add-ons.”
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Note: If you don’t see the right side panel, click the left-facing arrow at the bottom right to open it.

  1. Search for Dropbox for Gmail. Select it.
  2. Click Install.
  3. Follow the prompts. You may need to log in to your Dropbox account if you aren’t already logged in.

The Add-on will appear in your Gmail account on the righthand sidebar, above the white plus sign (+) icon when you open an email with attachments or with Dropbox or Google Drive links.

Share files using the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on

To share a Dropbox file using the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on:

  1. From your Gmail account, click Compose.
  2. Click the Dropbox icon at the bottom of the Compose window.
  3. Select the file you'd like to share from your Dropbox in the pop-up window.
  4. Click Insert link.

You'll see the files you selected to share in the body of your email.

Save files using the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on

To save a Gmail attachment directly to your Dropbox account using the Gmail Add-on:

  1. Open an email with file(s) attached in your Gmail account.
  2. Click the Dropbox icon in the righthand sidebar.
  3. Select which file(s) you’d like to save to Dropbox. 
  4. Select where you’d like to save those file(s). 
  5. Click Save.
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