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Folder showing a Share Icon
Why do some folders in Dropbox.com show a sharing icon when the folder is not shared? I am refering to the sharing icon visible on dropbox.com not on the computer version. See the screenshot. ...
JOfE wrote:... I have never shared them. ...
Hi JOfE,
Are you sure you "have never shared them"? 🧐 🙂 I'm sure in just opposite.
At some moment you have shared the folders, in focus, to some people. Later the share recipient(s) remove their-self from the sharing. Finally as a result (most probably a bug) the folder(s) remain "shared" while they are NOT actually. 🤷 That's it.
It could be easily reproduced:
The weird thing here is you cannot unshare a folder non shared actually, but still labeled as a such. In my reproductions is a difference. Such a folder appear everywhere as a shared, not just on Dropbox site, like in your case. On my mobile, for example:
On mobile I can cancel sharing (ellipsis menu). It's really strange why the same can't be done on the Dropbox web site. 🤷
The only other workaround, I can think of, is following the steps (folder name "Test" is used as an example) below:
- Rename folder "Test" to something like "Test.tmp".
- Create new folder "Test".
- Move entire content of "Test.tmp" into "Test".
- Remove "Test.tmp".
Now, there is a same folder "Test" without any "share" label. 😉 If you are disturbed by the "labeling", can repeat the same for all incorrectly labeled folders. The share status get removed only when you unshare file/folder yourself, not by other parties (the actual bug). You can wait for the bug be fixed, but I wont encourage you cause Dropbox will ignore it (I'm pretty sure). The choice is yours.
Hope this helps to some extent.
I recreated the problem also. Its seems to be a very fundamental (albeit cosmetic) bug in dropbox's own website. You would think dropbox would be more conscientious about so simple a thing.
The problem is that my list of shared folders in the Admin Controls is full of shared folders that are not truly shared. It as hard to maintain what is shared and not in my business account.
