No Longer Able to Create Shared Links

[Run_DMC]

This afternoon, I was in Windows Explorer and tried as I have many times before to create a link to share a file. However, the option to create a link was no longer available. After restarting my computer and having the same experience, I logged in using my web browser and found that I couldn't create a shared link from there either.

I then contacted Support and they had me restart Dropbox, etc., but nothing restored the create a shared link option.

While online with Support on my Windows machine, I logged in to Dropbox using my MacBook's web browser, and saw the following message: "Sharing for backed up files is going away". Their explanation was that "To help prevent accidental sharing, we've removed the option to share files directly from backup." They then went on to say that "You can still share with others by dragging files into your dropbox.com folder."

This is totally ridiculous, as one of the reasons I signed up for Dropbox is the ability to directly share files from Windows Explorer (or Finder in the macOS). With that removed, Dropbox isn't that different from iDrive, where you create a shared folder and use that to share documents (iDrive is what I left to join Dropbox).

It should be up to the user how and where they want to share files. If I accidently share a file, that is my problem, and taking that option away to protect people from doing so makes this service far less than it was when I signed up.

I also just paid for a full year's subscription about 6 weeks ago and inquired as to whether or not I could get a partial refund since the current service is NOT what I signed up for. As you could imagine, the response was "No".

I urge everyone who is having this issue to flood Support to get Dropbox to reverse this stupid decision. In the meantime, I I'll be evaluating other options to see if there's anything that can give me what I'm looking for.

[Здравко]

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@Run_DMC wrote:

..., I I'll be evaluating other options to see if there's anything that can give me what I'm looking for.

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Hi @Run_DMC,

Other thing you can do (and I advise you do it) is turn off your so called Dropbox Computer Backup completely at the beginning. Next, once everything completes, you can move whatever you want ( file(s) and/or folder(s) ) to share into Dropbox folder and share it/them from there (as before). That's it. 😉 Even more - such a way is much more safe!

Hope this helps.

[Run_DMC]

Thanks for your response, but this does not solve my issue. Basically, Dropbox removed an important feature, and it needs to be restored. Unless that happens, I'm done with Dropbox.

[jirwandi]

I feel exactly the same. Without this feature, I could do backups and syncing with other, cheaper, cloud services. 

[Megan]

Hi @jirwandi, I hope you're doing well!

Do you still face this issue on your end? Do you notice that with all of your files and folders? 

Let me know! 

[judybirkenhead]

Me too - I just tried to share a file and was told I did not have permission to do this!!!  I am the only owner of my dropbox - it's me!

I did as suggested below and took it out of my back ups and uploaded it into my drop box account through the browser.  But still no. 

How ridiculous.   This is the very thing that made Dropbox great.    

We should be able to share a file if necessary

So said file has just gone via wetransfer and I can no longer see why I should be paying big bucks for just a back up service.

very cheesed off.

[Jay]

Hi @judybirkenhead, if you're not able to share from your normal Dropbox folder, then you might be experiencing this behavior.

You you clarify the exact error message you're getting? Is this for creating new shared links, or even accessing your previous shared links online?

[Run_DMC]

My annual subscription expires soon, and I will not be renewing, as I have transitioned to OneDrive. While it is not ideal, between not being able to name your devices - instead, you get PC, PC (2), PC (3), etc. - and being unable to share links except through a shared folder, Dropbox does not meets my needs.

Hopefully you have a month-to-month subscription and didn't sign up for a year like I did.