- Create a link on dropbox.com
- Create a link from your computer
- Create a link on your phone
- View link or edit link?
- Links don't need a Dropbox account
- Share with a QR code
- Passwords and other controls
- Links and direct sharing are different
- Keep your links under control
- Links for large files
- When a link won't open
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To create a Dropbox link, hover over the file or folder on dropbox.com, click Share and choose Link for viewing or Link for editing. Dropbox copies the link to your clipboard, ready to paste into an email or message, or on your computer you can right-click the file in your Dropbox folder and choose Share. People don't need a Dropbox account to open a view-only link.
A Dropbox link is the easiest way to send someone a big file, a set of photos or a whole folder without attachments bouncing back. You can make a link in seconds from the website, your computer or your phone. The important choice is whether people can only look or can also edit. Here's how to create each kind, plus a couple of extras like QR codes and passwords.
Create a link on dropbox.com
- Sign in at dropbox.com.
- Hover over the file or folder and click Share.
- Choose Link for viewing for view-only access, or Link for editing to let people edit.
- The link is copied to your clipboard. Paste it into an email, message or wherever you need it.
Create a link from your computer
Open your Dropbox folder in File Explorer or Finder, right-click (or Ctrl-click on a Mac) the file or folder and choose Share next to the Dropbox icon, then pick Link for viewing. Dropbox copies it automatically.
Create a link on your phone
In the Dropbox app, tap the more options icon next to the file or folder and choose Link for viewing. Dropbox notes that on Android, files are set to view-only links by default, but for folders you need to choose Link for viewing from the dropdown.
View link or edit link?
| Link type | What people can do | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Link for viewing | Preview and download, not edit | Sending files to clients or anyone outside your team |
| Link for editing | Edit the content | Collaborators you trust |
For most situations, choose view-only. Dropbox says anyone with a view-only link can preview the content without editing it, and they can't change your original file. Save edit links for people you'd happily hand the original to.
Links don't need a Dropbox account
This is what makes links so handy. The person you send a view-only link to can open it in their browser and see or download the file, without signing up. It's perfect for sending a large video to a client, or a folder of brand assets to a printer.
Share with a QR code
Dropbox can turn a link into a view-only QR code, which is brilliant for printed handouts, event signs or slides. Click Share, open more options, choose Create QR code, then Save to download it as an image. People scan it with their phone camera and land on your file.
Passwords and other controls
You can add a password to a shared link so only people who know it can open the file, but Dropbox says that's available to customers on Professional, Essentials, Standard, Advanced, Business, Business Plus and Enterprise accounts. On a free account, treat every link as public: anyone who gets hold of it can open it.
Links and direct sharing are different
Here's a subtle point Dropbox makes: link settings, including passwords, only apply to people who open the file through the link. Anyone you've added directly to a folder keeps their own permissions. So if you've shared a folder with someone and also sent a password-protected link, the password doesn't restrict their existing access.
Keep your links under control
- Use view-only links by default.
- Don't post sensitive files as links on public pages.
- Delete links you no longer need from your sharing settings.
- Share a folder instead of a link for ongoing work, so you can see who has access.
If you send lots of files to clients, my piece on why manual file sharing becomes a risk as you grow is worth a read, and if you need to send documents as PDFs, my guide to converting Word to PDF helps.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Links for large files
Links are the best way to send files too big for email, such as video, design files or a year of photos. Instead of attaching, upload the file to Dropbox and send a view-only link. The person downloads it when they're ready, and your email doesn't bounce. Dropbox says each file uploaded on dropbox.com can be up to 350 GB, so even very large video files are fine, and the person you send it to doesn't need an account to download a view-only link.
When a link won't open
If someone says your link doesn't work, check you copied the whole thing, that the file hasn't been moved or deleted since, and that you didn't delete the link from your sharing settings. On a work account, your team admin may restrict who can open links from outside the company, so ask them if outsiders can't get in.
My verdict
Hover, click Share and choose Link for viewing, and paste it wherever you need it. Use edit links only for trusted collaborators, use a QR code for printed materials, and remember free accounts can't add passwords, so assume anyone with the link can open it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a Dropbox link?
On dropbox.com, hover over the file, click Share and choose Link for viewing or Link for editing. The link copies to your clipboard.
Do people need a Dropbox account to open a link?
No. Anyone with a view-only link can preview and download the file in their browser.
Can people edit my file from a Dropbox link?
Only with a Link for editing. A view-only link doesn't let them change your original file.
Can I password protect a Dropbox link?
Dropbox says passwords are available on Professional, Essentials, Standard, Advanced and business plans.
How do I make a QR code for a Dropbox file?
Click Share, open more options, choose Create QR code and save it.
