How to password protect folders

[Goliver1]

Hi folks,

The Dropbox website at https://www.dropbox.com/features/share/password-protection clearly states that it is possible to password protect a folder in Dropbox, and has an animation on the page that seems to show this happening in a couple of simple steps.  However, my version of Dropbox (the basic personal free version) looks nothing like that, and this Dropbox forum has a number of (possibly out of date) posts stating it's not possible to password protect a folder.

Can this be done, or do I need to look for a different product?  The options I seem to have around sharing and security seem to have are very limited.  Even in a free version, I'd expect to be able to add layers of good security!

Thanks,

Glen

[Mark]

You can password protect folders that are shared and accessed via the website. 

You cannot password protect folders on your computer - or any other computer using Dropbox. 

[Goliver1]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for coming back to me.    Why doesn't my screen (even on the website) look like the one on the Dropbox page?  It may have something to do with my free version, but I've looked on the Dropbox plans site and there's nothing that explicitly covers this.  I'm not going to pay for upgrading and just hope it's the right version.

If the version is the issue, I'm unclear why Dropbox would ask anyone to have to pay a substantial fee for basic security?

Thanks,

Glen

[Rich · Accepted solution]

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@Goliver1 wrote:

Why doesn't my screen (even on the website) look like the one on the Dropbox page? 

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If you're referring to the share link permissions shown in one of the screenshots, those options are available on Professional and Business accounts.

[Goliver1]

Thanks Mark - setting a password seems really basic security, and Dropbox isn't the solution I'm looking for if they are going to take the approach where I have to pay extra for it.  Disappointing - I'll look for a solution to my underlying requirement elsewhere.

Glen

[eworkman]

I would like to add a Folder under our corporate account.   This folder will contain personal information on our employees therefore, I want this new Folder password protected, the entire folder not just a document in the folder.   How do I do this?

[Walter]

Hi @eworkman; welcome to our Community!

As your query seems to echo the discussion in this thread, I just merged your post here. Feel free to have a look and let us know if you have any follow up questions. 

Thanks!

[Trish S.2]

Using Dropbox Professional

I've set a password for Folder but when I email link to myself (as a test) No password is required to get into folder

[Rich]

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@Trish S.2 wrote:

Using Dropbox Professional

I've set a password for Folder but when I email link to myself (as a test) No password is required to get into folder

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Because you're logged into the account, and Dropbox knows it's you. If you want to test a link  to see how it's received by someone other than you, you need to log out of Dropbox (or use an Incognito/private browsing session) in order to view the link as others would see it.

[Rinzwind]

This is functionality that should just be included at folder level. Heck, the iOS version seems to have lost the generic passcode access feature. The instructions on https://help.dropbox.com/installs-integrations/mobile/passcode-phone-tablet don't make sense anymore (for one thing, there is no gear icon). Hello Dropbox? Aaah to promote your fancy Dropbox Vault you again remove a free feature?

If someone temporary uses your device (very common on iPad and bit less on iPhone & co, but also not uncommon on a family computer)... you want to protect those files. Or at the very least introduce a 'prompt for password' feature.

Considering Dropbox is not the cheaper option out there... and that 3 device limit introduction was not welcome too. New artificial limitations introduced with long-time users.

O also... the gap between free and paid is way to wide. I would advise to add another pricing layer, 1 TB? I'm sure you already heard this before. Also it seems you don't understand that pricing has to be localized too. Different regions, different pricing related to purchase power etc. Steam understands that perfectly and seems to do just that for every publisher automatically if not looked at. Dropbox? The same USD price in USD everywhere... You would think a big player like Dropbox understands how this works.