The estimated reading time for this post is 6 minutes
When you want to share cherished photos, important documents or adorable videos with others, Dropbox can be an extremely useful tool. By using Dropbox to share you can give multiple people access to files and allow them to edit and share the updates.
Uses for Shared Dropbox Folders
When you want to share files, photos, documents, videos and other data, using a shared Dropbox folder has many advantages.
Collaboration
When you’re working on a document with someone else or a group of people, using a shared Dropbox folder helps ensure that everyone is working on the same document. By using Dropbox you can save a document and know that everyone has access to the same version of the file.
Transfer Large Files
Using Dropbox you can share your large files with others easily. Attachments in email are often limited by the size of the file. You can quickly set up a shared Dropbox folder and add a large file such as a video, so others can access the file instantly.
Share Photos with Others
If you have a group of people you regularly share photos with you can set up a shared Dropbox folder so everyone can have access to the photos. If someone edits the photos or creates a collage, they can share their creations with others using the same shared folder.
After the Deadline
A major advantage of using Dropbox instead of an email attachment to share a document is your ability to make changes after you’ve added it to the shared Dropbox folder. Let’s say you’ve promised to send an essay to some people by a certain time. You finish the essay and save it to your shared Dropbox folder. Five seconds later you realize that you forgot to include an important paragraph, photo, link or other vital piece of information in the document.
You can open the document and make the changes so everyone can see the edited document. No need to send an embarrassing email to everyone with the second version of the document. Your revised version will be the one that everyone sees when they open the file.
How to Create a Shared Dropbox Folder in 3 Easy Steps
To create a shared Dropbox folder:
1. Log into your account at dropbox.com and view your files and folders. You can choose an existing folder to share or create a new folder by clicking on the New Folder icon at the top of the page.
2. Right-click on the folder you wish to share with others and a drop-down menu will appear. Click on Invite to folder:
3. A box will appear where you can enter the email addresses of the people who will be sharing access to the folder:
You have just created a shared Dropbox folder!
The people you wish to share your Dropbox folder with will receive an email invitation from Dropbox they can accept to join the folder.
Sharing from a Mac Computer in 3 Easy Steps
If you have a Mac and have the Dropbox app downloaded, you can share a folder directly from your computer.
1. Open Finder => Dropbox and right-click on the folder you wish to share.
2. A drop-down menu will appear, click “Share This Folder.”
3. A box will appear where you can enter the email addresses of the people who will be sharing access to the folder. (See Step 3 above)
Using the Shared Dropbox Folder
Your shared Dropbox folder will appear with other Dropbox folders in your account and the account of anyone else sharing the folder. You can move and save files into your shared Dropbox folder just as you would a regular Dropbox folder. Any person sharing the folder can add, delete and edit files in the shared folder.
After you have invited at least one person to share the folder, that folder will appear as a shared folder:
Right-click on the shared folder to show who has joined the folder and control the settings for the folder:
Accessibility
Shared Dropbox folders are accessible anywhere you can access your Dropbox files. You can open them using a mobile app, on your computer or on a different computer by going to Dropbox.com and logging in to your account.
Leaving a Shared Folder
You may want to leave a shared folder if you don’t have a need for it anymore and want to free up space in your Dropbox account. You can leave a shared folder by logging into your account at Dropbox.com, right-clicking on the shared folder and clicking on the Leave this folder button on the menu. If you created the shared folder, you can unshare the folder by clicking on the Unshare Folder button.
You can find more information at: How to Leave a Shared Dropbox Folder.
Think Before You Sync
When you create a shared Dropbox folder, be sure to follow Dropbox Shared Folder Netiquette. Sharing a Dropbox folder means that you’re taking up valuable space in someone’s Dropbox account. Use the space in your shared folders wisely. Make sure that others who share the folder have sufficient space in their accounts before you upload a large file.
See, Don’t Be A Dropbox Jerk: Cloud File Sharing Etiquette You Should Know from Make Use Of.
To conserve space, remove any files from your shared Dropbox folder after you’re done sharing. You can move the files to another folder on your computer or delete the files if you don’t need them any more.
Check with the other people to make sure that they don’t need the file any more and give them the opportunity to copy that file into another folder. A quick way to get someone very upset with you is to delete a file from a shared Dropbox folder without asking first.
See, Friends don’t let friends delete shared Dropbox items from Macworld.
What Else You Need to Know
Files in shared Dropbox folders use up the allotted Dropbox data for everyone who shares the folder. For example, if you want to share a 2 GB video in a shared folder, make sure that all of the people you’re sharing with have enough Dropbox space available.
Signing Up for Dropbox
Everyone who shares the Dropbox folder must have their own Dropbox account. Signing up for Dropbox is free and comes with 2 GB of free space.
If someone isn’t signed up for Dropbox yet, this is an opportune time for you to add to your free Dropbox space by inviting them to Dropbox. Each person who joins from your email invitation or link gives you 250 MB (1/4 GB) of free Dropbox space.
See, 8 Easy Ways to Get Free Dropbox Space
If you don’t have a Dropbox account yet, be sure to sign up through a current Dropbox user to give that person free Dropbox space. You can sign up through my Dropbox link: Dropbox sign up or through the link from a reader in the Comments section below. I have plenty of Dropbox space so please help out a Wonder of Tech reader by signing up for Dropbox through a link in the Comments section.
If you already have a Dropbox account, I invite you to leave your referral link in the Comments section for others to use.
Your Thoughts
Have you ever used a shared Dropbox folder? Do you have any tips for using shared Dropbox folders? Let us know in the Comments section below!
Please leave your Dropbox referral link in your comment. Note that only meaningful comments will be approved, with or without a Dropbox link.
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*Technology Sharing photo courtesy of David Duarte
I had to make use of this service a few days ago when trying to send a 90 MB to my partner. At first I wanted to send it by mail, but then realised it was too big. Dropbox came to my rescue.
I don’t know if you have heard of a tool called wetransfer.com that I have also been using for years to transfer large files. What makes it better than Dropbox is that there is no need to create an account and it doesn’t fill up your friends’ storage space. However, with we wetransfer it’s not possible to make changes after a file is sent. When it’s gone, it’s gone. 🙂
Hi Churchill, Yes, I have used wetransfer, but I personally prefer Dropbox. When I have set up shared folders with people who had to join Dropbox to access the shared folder, they have all been excited to discover Dropbox and kept using the service after the need for the shared folder was gone.
I have had quite a few situations where I was collaborating with someone else on a document and then it got confusing which version we were using. Setting up a shared folder on Dropbox solves that problem quickly.
I’ve also encountered a few issues with trying to email large audio and video files. Problem solved easily with shared Dropbox folders.
Some people aren’t aware of how useful Dropbox can be beyond Cloud storage. Thanks for sharing your story with us, Churchill!
Hi Carolyn,
Nice to read this article, as usual you have made a complete review of the process. 3 steps explained and also all other strings attached are very well described.
You are right, having a shared dropbox folder requires one to follow some etiquettes, knowing that the folder is shared, you need to be double careful before dropping any files in there.
I do have a box.com folder shared with my family back in India, and we usually drop our pics to share with them. Works similar.
Have a good day.
Hi Praveen, Yes, there are other services that let you share files in the Cloud, including box.com. That’s great you found one that works well for you and your family. I prefer Dropbox because it works with the most third-party apps.
Recently I too started using Dropbox for business. And am enjoying. Really very cool and easy way.
Before I though why to go out when I can make it in Gmail with Drive. But I was wrong!
~@Khajamoin1
Hi Khaja, I’m so glad you’re using and enjoying Dropbox. It really does make sharing files easy!
Hi Carolyn,
I did not fully understand the important use of Dropbox, not until a colleague sent me a shared PDF link of a file ( about 15MB) to my email ID.
Your post reveals much more ways to enjoy using Dropbox, will sure put them to use.
Thanks for sharing.
Hello Dare, Yes, some email services have tight restrictions on the size of attachments. Dropbox shared folders make it much easier to share files, plus then you can be sure everyone is looking at the same version of the file.
I have been using dropbox for some time, mostly to save pics. Dropbox app on android is smooth and easy to use. Love your post…
Hi Pooja, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! It’s wonderful to hear from another Dropbox fan. Excellent point, having access to your Dropbox files on your smartphone, including the ones in shared folders, is extremely convenient.
Hi Carolyn,
I actually just did share a dropbox folder with someone. I had 27 high resolution pictures that one of my clients wanted, and the best way I could think of was to just share the folder with them. I have also sent people the link to my public folder, so that they can download the files in it (especially if they’re not already using dropbox).
It took me some time to figure out that when someone shared their folder with me, I was actually using my dropbox space.
Great article Carolyn.
Hi Jens, Excellent example of a handy use for shared Dropbox folders. You’re right that the data in the shared folders counts against both Dropbox accounts. The reason for that is Dropbox doesn’t want people setting up fake Dropbox accounts and putting files in shared folders that don’t count against those accounts. Then you could have unlimited Dropbox space.
Thanks for sharing your Dropbox experience with us, Jens!
Hi Carolyn,
I read this because I wondered if it would be useful when I’m helping students. We usually use Skype to chat and share files. I shall have to keep it in mind. I think one of the students might have lost access to wifi when she moved accommodation, which could be awkward.
I’ve been trying to change the CSS on a Zillion Ideas. I want to change the default font. I can change the H1 – H4 headings and change the font for comments, but not the one for posts! I might have to get someone else to look at the file.
You might like this week’s pictures, it was sunny on Sunday for a change and I took quite a few photos.
Hi Mike, Yes, that would be a great way to use Dropbox shared folders. When my daughters want me to look at their school work, I have them put their files in a shared Dropbox folder so I can review the work and make sure I’m looking at the correct version.
I’m not a CSS coder, Mike, so I can’t offer you any advice. The theme I use allows me to change the fonts without coding, but the theme isn’t supported any more.
I certainly did enjoy your photos this week, Mike, as I do every week! :-bd
Hi Carolyn !
Like many other people, dropbox is an important tool for me.I use it to store backups and photos. As i store photos in my dropbox account,i can use this trick to share my dropbox photos with my relatives.Thanks for sharing the info.
Hi Pramod, I’m glad you use Dropbox to share your photos. That’s a wonderful use of Dropbox, especially when you set up shared photos with your family members.
I dont know why i didnt like drop box at all 🙁 anyways thanks for telling me its procedure.
Hi Saim, No worries. No tech is for everyone. If you like the idea of Cloud storage, you have a lot of other services to choose from so you don’t have to use Dropbox.
Hi Carolyn
I’ve been using Dropbox for quite some time now but I’ve never used the shared folder facility as yet.
It makes sense to do it for a number of reasons though such as placing photos in for friends and family to view rather than posting them on Facebook.
I use Dropbox for a number of things included backing up my blog and syncing data between my iPhone and computer.
Here’s my referral link if anyone would like to join: https://db.tt/rBkzm0Q6
Thank you for allowing us to add these Carolyn :-).
Hi Tim, I’m so glad you have been able to use Dropbox so effectively. I believe you’ll enjoy it even more when you use shared folders. If you ever write a guest post or accept one on your blog, it’s a great way to collaborate and edit the article.
Thanks for leaving your referral link, Tim. I hope you get lots of free space!
Hi Carolyn,
I love this. I haven’t used dropbox but I’ll be checking it out.
I especially like tool for sharing documents. If you’re working on a project with someone that could come in very handy.
Thanks for the heads up on this Carolyn.
Blessings,
Liz
Hi Liz, You’re absolutely right. Working on projects with a group can be made much easier by using shared Dropbox folders.
Feel free to stop back by and leave your link here if you’d like more free Dropbox space!
Hi Carolyn,
This sounds very cool. I do not have an account with dropbox, and I’m not sure I really need one, but I sure will go and investigate it further and see if I’d have a use for it.
You’ve got to love those tools. Thanks for sharing them.
Hi Sylviane, I did the exact same thing. I didn’t know what I would use Dropbox for until I signed up for an account. Now I don’t know what I would do without it!
You may want to use Dropbox with the WordPress plugin Backup to Dropbox http://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-backup-to-dropbox/ to back up your blog automactically.
If you sign up for a Dropbox account, you should consider using Tim Bonner’s link above or the link of another friend to give them free space.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Sylviane!
Hi Carolyn – I haven’t tried Dropbox yet and don’t feel I need it at the moment, but I can see how it could be useful in certain situations and I’m grateful to you for this very clear tutorial, which I’ll be bookmarking for future reference – cheers 🙂
Hi Susan, Yes, Dropbox is the type of service that you may not realize you need until you start to use it. Now that I have it, I use it every day.
I imagine you may sign up some day. Be sure to sign up through someone’s referral link when you do sign up to give someone extra space.
Hello,
No doubt dropbox is an amazing platform to store our data and we can share it to anyone anywhere. Dropbox is my favorite site and i usually use it on my android mobile. Creating a shared folder in dropbox is really easy as followed by the steps mentioned above.
Thanks
Hi Sohail, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you’re a fan of Dropbox too and making good use of it with your Android phone.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, Sohail.
Hi Carolyn,
I have a dropbox account and use it occasionally. I understand the technical part. It is easy to create a shared dropbox folder. There are two things I want to know.
a. Is it possible to use Dropbox to host your videos, podcasts etc.? I mean can you use Dropbox in the same way you use Youtube or Amazon S3 (embed a video and place the code on your blog)?
b. How do I know my friends have enough space in their accounts?
Have a wonderful day
Hi Silviu, You’re right, it is easy to create shared Dropbox folders but many people aren’t aware that they can use this handy tool. Once they discover this, Dropbox becomes even more useful!
Great questions. I have never tried to use Dropbox to host images, videos or podcasts but you should be able to do this. Put the files into your Dropbox, go to Dropbox.com and click on the link icon to the right of the file. Go to your blog editor and click on Add Media. Then click on Add Media and then Insert from URL. That should work to embed your media files into your blog.
If the file is a simple text document, then you probably don’t have to worry that your friends have enough space in their Dropbox accounts. But if you’re sending image files, especially high-resolution files, or video you may want to check with your friends first. When you invite them to the shared folder you can ask them if they have enough space. But you can’t tell how much space they have without asking them.
Nice article. Btw, Binfer is a great tool to send entire folders of pictures with a simple drag and drop. Check it out: http://www.binfer.com
Hi Lara, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Thanks for letting us know about Binfer. I hadn’t heard of that service before and I truly enjoy learning about new tech. :-bd
Until 2 weeks ago i used very little Dropbox,but when I had to send some data that had over 150 MB discovered how useful is this service.I read this article and think it is a very well done review on how to use Dropbox for everyone.
Hi Alx, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m so glad you found this article and Dropbox helpful. Yes, when you need to share large files, Dropbox can be very useful. Thank you for your kind words.
Never shared DB folder before. But after going through article, I guess I can do it easily. The way you explained each step makes the process looks simple.
The screenshots of each step is also of much help.
Hi Arun, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you enjoyed this article and learned how easy it is to share Dropbox files. Using screenshots is an effective way of showing people how things work. Hey, a picture is worth a thousand words, right? 🙂
Thanks for stopping by and joining in the conversation, Arun.
Hi Carolyn,
Pretty good writing 🙂 I have been using dropbox for some time and found it very amazing tool for sharing , it provides a good platform to store date which is accessible from anywhere.
Hi Jignesh, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! That’s great that you’re a fellow Dropbox fan. You’re right, Dropbox is an amazing tool for sharing and for storing data.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your experience with Dropbox, Jignesh.
Thanks, its very helpful and basic information for me, i also a dropbox user, but i don’t know more about dropbox, you provide step by step tutorial, thanks for share this.
Hi Robert, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! It’s great you’re already using Dropbox and that you’re exploring other features to use. The more you learn about Dropbox, the more useful it will be for you.
Thanks for your visit and sharing your thoughts with us, Robert.