Copy Link button creates edit link, not a view link. It used to be different.

[David125]

Couple weeks or months ago, when you click on Copy Link, while browsing in your folders, it created view link (/sh/), now it creates access link (/scl/) which creates issues and confusion with our external clients, who now click on buttons they shouldn't click on (like requesting to join the team or access to the folder).

To create View Link, I have to click through a lot more options to generate it (takes more time when doing this for dozens of folders per day). I have to click on Share, then change the setting for View and click on generate link. Is this a bug in Dropbox?

It is said here: https://help.dropbox.com/share/create-and-share-link

that I can set a default sharing settings and choose between edit and view access. But that option is not in my https://www.dropbox.com/team/admin/settings/sharing

Is the setting somewhere else, or can Dropbox fix that? It might seem like a trivial issue for somebody using the feature once a day, but we are generating dozens of links every day and it is a pain. It worked fine in the past.

[Megan]

Hi @David125, how are you today?

At the moment, there's not a default setting that allows you to change how shared links are created. You'd need to individually access them, and change the settings accordingly.

Your feedback regarding this has been very valuable and I will endeavor to make sure your voice is heard.

If you need anything else, let me know!

[David125]

Please escalate this feedback. Changing the way of how the Copy Link button works is not cool. For years it creates view link, now it is sudenly something else, creating extra work for us.

[Huw R.1]

Bump.

I've had clients say they've had problems with my links for months - it's only now that I'm figuring out that it's because Dropbox quietly switched up what link is copied by default.

It's ridiculous to do this on the sly, but it also doesn't make any sense.

How many people go "oh I need to quickly make a link for anyone who has the link to join as an editor?"

I can't imagine it's many. I would imagine most people share with specific email addresses when they want people to actually join.

Surely the overwhelming use of this button was to quickly make links for people to view and download files. I would urge them to change it back.

Yet again, Dropbox messing with what worked for no reason.

[Martinus]

Need to bump this, the interface for link sharing is bad. I create a viewable link and delete the edit link. When I then press on the copy link button, it creates a new editable link and copies that. Why?!

[RichardJTAG]

I'm having exactly this problem and it's infuriating, I can't even find the "viewing" link after creating one, every option seems to recreate an "editing" link.

[Hannah]

Sorry to hear that you're having trouble creating a "can view" link, @RichardJTAG.

Do these steps help?

[RichardJTAG]

Yes, thank you! I did get there in the end, it's just that when you're working in the folder itself the options for creating a link all seem to default to an editing link, and although you can switch it to a viewing link in a pop up window the window doesn't actually let you see or copy the viewing link you've just created which is weird.

[Hannah]

I understand where you're coming from, Richard.

I'll make sure to pass your feedback along to the team and I'm glad you were able to get to the bottom of this after all.

If you need anything else, let us know!