How to set or change shared link permissions

If you share a link to a file or folder with someone, you can decide who can see the contents of the link, and what they can do with the link.

Note: You can only delete shared links that you create. If you invite someone to a file or folder with editing access, they can create their own link to share with someone else. You can’t manage those shared links, so be sure to only share with people you trust. If you’re an admin on a Dropbox team, you can control the link settings for everyone. Learn how to manage shared link settings for your team.

• Dropbox is moving to an updated shared link architecture where links are based on content rather than on users. This will affect how links are created and shared. The new links can be identified by the presence of an ‘rlkey’ parameter in the URL. For these links, the above behavior will perform differently:
  • If you have edit access to a file or folder, you can delete any shared links that were created for that file or folder.
  • Users with view-only access can only create view-only links, but users with edit access can create both edit or view-only links if links have not been created already.
  • View-only and edit links are different. You‘re unable to change a view-only link into an edit link or vice versa.

  Add passwords to shared links

  Customers on Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Standard, Advanced, Business, Business Plus, and Enterprise can add a password to a shared link on dropbox.com or on the Dropbox mobile app. When someone opens the link, they'll need the password to see its contents.

  
  To add a password to a shared file on dropbox.com:

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the file and click Share.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Click either Link for editing or Link for viewing depending on which link you’d like to add a password to.
  5. Next to Require password, click to toggle it On.
     • If you don't see the Password toggle, choose People with password in the dropdown next to Who has access.
  6. Set a password.
  7. Click Save.

  
  To add a password to a shared folder on dropbox.com:
  

  1. Log in to dropbox.com.
  2. Hover over the name of the folder and click Share.
  3. Select Copy link.
  4. Click the gear icon in the bottom right.
  5. Click Link for viewing.
  6. Next to Require password, click to toggle it On.
     • If you don't see the Password toggle, choose People with password in the dropdown next to Who has access .
  7. Set a password.
  8. Click Save.
     

  
  To add a password to a shared link on the Dropbox mobile app for Android:
  

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap the “⁝” (vertical ellipsis) next to the file or folder you’d like to add a password to.
  3. Tap Share.
  4. Select Link for editing or Link for viewing, depending on which link you’d like to add a password to.
  5. Tap Modify settings.
  6. Toggle Require password to On.
  7. Enter a password.
  8. Tap Set.
  9. Tap Save.

  
  To add a password to a shared link on the Dropbox mobile app for iOS:

  1. Open the Dropbox mobile app.
  2. Tap the “…" (ellipsis) next to the file or folder you’d like to add a password to.
  3. Tap Manage access.
  4. Tap Edit link or View link (folder), or tap Control access (file).
  5. Toggle Require password to On.
  6. Enter a password.
  7. Tap Save in the top-right corner.

  If someone tries to view a file using a shared link that requires a password, they’ll be asked to enter a password.

  highlighter icon

  Dropbox is moving to an updated shared link architecture where links are based on content rather than on users. This will affect how links are created and shared. The new links can be identified by the presence of an ‘rlkey’ parameter in the URL. For these links, the above behavior will perform differently:

  • If a password is added to a shared link after its creation, recipients who have already added the shared file or folder to their Dropbox accounts will retain their access and won’t need to enter that password.

  Set expiration dates for your shared links
  

  Customers on Dropbox Professional, Essentials, Standard, Advanced, Business, Business Plus, and Enterprise can create, modify, or remove an expiration date for a shared link on dropbox.com or on the Dropbox mobile app. People will only be able to access the shared link until the expiration date. After its expiration date, that link is disabled.