Password protect folders

[ElenaM]

With GDPR looming, how do I protect customers' data in a folder, from being seen by colleagues? Can I password protect the folder?

[Sanchez]

Hey @ElenaM, welcome to our forum! 

I’m afraid that password-protecting a folder isn’t currently an option. Can you give me an example scenario that you anticipate having to face, or are currently facing? 

Thanks

[Walter · Accepted solution]

Hello there @ElenaM - just checking in with you!  

As Sanchez has already outlined, it's not possible to password protect any of the folders in your Dropbox account because Dropbox is not a network drive and our software has no control over access to the folder(s). The Dropbox folder is just a normal folder and is no more or less secure than every other folder on your computer so I would recommend that you follow good security practices to protect your entire computer. A good idea is to require a password to log in to your account, and to resume from sleep, screen savers and lock screens. 

For more information on GDPR and our renewed Terms of Service you can browse this page. 

I hope this information helps and if you have any more questions, let us know and we'll take it from there. 

[Forbidden1]

If I cannot set a password for a FOLDER, can I set a password for specific FILES?

[Jane]

Hey @Forbidden1, just to re-iterate Sanchez & Walter’s comments above, in case you’re inquiring whether this is possible for individual files synced with Dropbox on your device, it would be worth mentioning that this pertains to the security measures you implement on your pc/ Mac. However, a quick web search yields some results that may be useful to you in the event that this functionality is a fundamental part of your workflow. 

From there, (depending on your plan) please note that Dropbox allows to modify permissions for shared links (i.e. you can add a password, set an expiration date & disable downloads), that would be helpful in case you’d like to restrict access to sensitive shared content. 

Let me know of how our advice works for you & I’ll follow-up with you a bit more closely on this discussion. Thanks for reaching out to us on our Community & enjoy your day until we talk again!