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Edit Photos and PDFs with Dropbox
Want to hear about one of the handiest Dropbox features I use regularly? Check out how easy it is to upload, edit, send, and sign PDFs in one place. No technical wizardry, no back-and-forth file conversions, and no additional software to install. PDF editing features let you add text and more Not all PDFs are ready to go, there's usually some info you need to add or edit, and now, editing them is as easy as click, click, click. There are tools on our PDF editing feature so you can do more without changing programs. Within Dropbox, you can: Add text to documents: Insert descriptions, dates, notes etc., anywhere on a PDF and modify text font, color, size, and emphasis Page zoom: Adjust the page view for easier navigation These features are useful for managing work-related and personal documents. Our own team makes the most of editing PDFs to organize and consolidate receipts at home. Learn how to get started editing PDFs now. Edit PDFs on-the-go Need to make changes when you'er away from your desk? No worries, you can edit PDFs directly on your iPhone or Android device. Edit PDFs on iOS: Add text or a signature to PDFs on your iPhone with the Dropbox mobile app. Edit PDFs on Android: The Dropbox smartphone app makes it easy to edit PDFs on your Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or any other Android device. Work from wherever you are, without needing to switch between devices or apps to get things done. Automatically add watermarks to multiple files No one likes to have their work passed off as someone else’s - and now you can make sure it doesn’t happen to you with a few simple steps. Save time, ensure confidentiality, and protect your brand by applying a watermark automation to a new or existing folder. Then, every PDF and image added to the folder will be automatically watermarked. We’re big fans of automations that truly make life easier, and this one makes us very happy! To create an automation and learn more about watermarking, visit our automations page. I’d love to know how you make the most of these PDF editing features - tell us below!Dropbox Basic: Work Outside the Box
If you work with more than one person, you more than likely have needed to share a document or file to work simultaneously or receive feedback. With your Dropbox Basic account, you collaborate with friends and family and work outside of the box. Even if they do not have an account, you can still collaborate with them! Dropbox has made it easy to share files with friends and collaborate on projects. Share files with friends and family I recently learned that you can share files from Dropbox with friends or family that do not have an account. When you share a file or folder using Dropbox, the recipient receives an email with a link to the file or folder. The recipient does not need a Dropbox account to view or edit it though. Just this past week, I shared a Paper document with my sorority sister, and she was able to view and edit the file without any issue. On the file was a to-do list for the both of us and we worked together on the document. Learn more about how to add to-do list to your paper document. You can also control whether people can edit or view your files and folders when you share them and even after you share them. Edits and comments that’s made to a shared file or folder are updated live for everyone they’ve been shared with. This allows for any changes to projects to be implemented right away and ensures everyone is on the same page. Ways to Collaborate Sharing files is usually top priority when working with others. With Dropbox apps and integrations, sharing, syncing and collaboration is made easy. Whether you are sharing a school project, presentation, bachelor trip details, or planning your 30th birthday party, it is likely that you will pass the file along to someone else for their input. As sad as this may seem, Summer vacation for students and teachers will be ending in about 1 month. The time will come during the school year where you will have to participate in the good ol’ school project. The conversation of how you will collaborate to ensure everyone is working together always comes up, and you can suggest using Dropbox. With your Dropbox account, you can collaborate with your school project team members that do not have a Dropbox account. You can use word processing applications such as G-Suite and Microsoft Office Online. Learn more about how to use these integrations. This will allow for an automatic sync after each team member contributes to the project. Your Dropbox account allows you to collaborate with multiple team members from multiple locations at one time. It’s a big year for celebrating! Gathering in large groups has finally become a norm since 2020. People have planned large parties and events to celebrate weddings and birthdays. To do this, you will likely collaborate with friends and family virtually. Don’t forget that you can use Dropbox Paper to create a guest-list, or a to-do list where you can tag the other party hosts. You can even create the invites with Dropbox’s Canva integration. The beauty of using your Dropbox account for tasks like this is that you can use 3 different applications and all users can access files in one place. Things to know when collaborating When collaborating on a file, Dropbox has features that allows the file to be shared and protected when multiple people are editing. Dropbox has collaboration tools for sharing work, and guards old documents by locking the file or creating a conflicted copy. Here are some tips and tricks you can use to collaborate. Create link: Create a link with Dropbox that allows you to easily share the files with friends and teammates. To create a link: Open the Dropbox folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). Right-click or command-click the file or folder you'd like to share. Click Share…. If a link hasn't been created, click Create link. The link is copied to your clipboard. Create a to-do list: When saving, sharing and collaborating on files and folders, you can add a checkbox that becomes tasks for the people you are working with. When you or someone else with permission click a checkbox, the line of text next to it is crossed out with a strikethrough. Mention someone: To notify collaborators, click the @ icon. This allows you to insert the email address or name of someone in your Dropbox contacts. The person is notified by email and their Dropbox account shows that they have been tagged in a folder. This is a helpful and easy way to communicate asynchronously. Your Dropbox Basic account is a great way to work with family and friends. Leave a comment and tell us how you use Dropbox to collaborate with family and friends!Does Dropbox encrypt my files?
At Dropbox, security is our highest priority, and to keep your files safe Dropbox is designed with multiple layers of protection. Does Dropbox encrypt files? The short answer is, yes, Dropbox does encrypt files. Which encryption method does Dropbox use? Dropbox files at rest are encrypted using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). On top of this, here are some of the additional layers of security that are built into Dropbox; Dropbox uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) to protect data in transit between Dropbox apps and our servers SSL/TSL creates a secure tunnel protected by 128-bit or higher Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption Dropbox applications and infrastructure are regularly tested for security vulnerabilities, and hardened to enhance security and protect against attacks Two-step verification is available for an extra layer of security at login If you use two-step verification, you can choose to receive security codes by text message or from an authenticator app Public files are only viewable by people who have a link to the file(s) If you want to know even more about security at Dropbox, you can check out this white paper. Can you password protect files on Dropbox? Depending on your plan, you can password protect your files in a few different ways. If you’re a Dropbox Business user, you can limit who has access to the sensitive files you password protect. And if someone outside of your team happens to get their hands on the link to a password protected folder or file, don’t worry: They can’t do anything with it unless they have the password. Dropbox makes it easy to password protect PDFs and other files without the need for third-party software. Can you password protect an entire Dropbox folder? Yes, as well as files, you can password protect and entire Dropbox folder as well. Before you share a link to a PDF, Word Doc, or other file or an entire folder in your Dropbox account, just set a password for the link so the recipient can only open it with the password you set. How does Dropbox secure file sharing work? With Dropbox, you can send large file types to anyone on any device. When sharing with another Dropbox user, create a shared link, you already know that. Now, with Dropbox Transfer, you can send files up to 100 GB without taking up space in your Dropbox securely as well. Recipients will be able to view and download your file—even if they don't have a Dropbox account. Your recipients can view, comment on, and download any file link you send from Dropbox but they won't be able to edit the original file. You can also password-protect a shared link and set a date for the link to expire, so these large files are just as secure, and don’t have to be downloaded by your recipient.How to request a Dropbox file
Dropbox is amazing as a collaborative tool - and collaboration goes both ways, so while you might be great at sharing files with your team, not everyone is. Don’t worry though, that doesn’t mean you’re stuck without your files - you can just request access and carry on! You might have seen us sharing tips on how to share your files with others here, well now we are going to flip that, and explain how you can request someone else’s files. Why would I need to request a Dropbox file? Let’s say that you discuss a file with a teammate in a meeting, and they promise to share the file with you. The next day, you notice you don’t have access yet. Looks like your teammate got pulled into a meeting right after you spoke and completely forgot to add you to the file. No problem, you can use Dropbox file requests to eliminate stress for you, and for them! Some other reasons you might want to use file requests: Anyone can send you a file you've requested, whether they have a Dropbox account or not. All the files you collect are automatically organized into a Dropbox folder you choose. People who upload files to your file request cannot access your Dropbox account. Only you can view files uploaded by others, unless you decide to share them. How do I request a Dropbox file? That all sounds good, so how do I request the files I need? Easy, just follow the steps below. Sign in to dropbox.com. Click File requests in the left sidebar. Click New request above the list of file requests. Under Title, enter a name for your request. Under Description, add details about the request, if you’d like. Choose the folder where uploaded files will go. You’ll see a default folder path. f you want to change it, click Change folder and pick a different destination.  (Optional) Set a deadline for submissions (available on some plans).  Click Create. Invite people to upload files: Type the email or name of the person (or people) you want to request files from - they’ll receive an email invitation. Or click Copy link to copy the upload link and share it wherever you want.  If you already know the exact link of the file you want access you can simply add it to the request: To copy a link instead, click Copy next to Share a link instead. You can paste the link into an email, message, or wherever you’d like people to access it. Click Share. You’ll receive an email confirmation, and an email notification when files are uploaded to your file request. Now you can get access to your files in no time! And if that wasn’t enough info, you can learn even more here. Tell us how you collaborate with your team in the comments below.
How do you organize design files for a creative project?
Hey everyone! I’ve been working on a creative project inspired by the 7 Brew Menu and I’m using Dropbox to organize all my design assets, mockups, and images. I’m curious how other designers or marketers keep their Dropbox folders structured when working on something like a café or restaurant menu. I want to keep things neat but also easy to share with my client and teammates. Any suggestions or examples of folder setups that work well for you?Exciting news — we’ve launched the new Sync & Storage Dashboard in the Dropbox desktop app!
This dashboard makes it easier than ever to keep your files organized and your computer running smoothly. With just a click, you can: Get a real-time view of your sync status Quickly spot and resolve any syncing issues Monitor and manage how much disk space your Dropbox files are using Adjust your selective sync and storage preferences To open the dashboard, click the Dropbox icon in your taskbar (Windows) or menu bar (Mac), then select your avatar and choose Sync & storage. We’re excited for you to try it out! Please let us know your thoughts and how we can make it even better!Get the best out of your Dropbox account at work as a Team Member or Admin. 👩💻
If you use Dropbox for business we want to make sure you get the most out of your plan. Whether you’re a team member or a team admin, knowing what your role lets you do (and what doesn’t) can save you a ton of time and headaches. First things first, are you a Team Member or an Admin? If you’re not sure whether you’re a team member or an admin, here is how to find out: Sign in at dropbox.com using your work email. Click your avatar (Profile pic or initials) in the top-right hand corner. Select Admin Console from the dropdown Note: If you see the Admin Console option, you have admin access; if you don’t, you are a team member. If you are an admin, you may have specific admin rights (like managing users, security or billing). To check this: In the admin console go to members Find your name and check the admin role column To understand what each role includes check it out here As a Team Member: What You Can and Can’t Do Depending on your team set-up, you might see or be able to do slightly more or less than what is listed here. Don’t worry, it’s not personal, it just means the admin sorted things to keep everything running as smooth as possible. If in doubt give your admin or team lead a nudge. What you can do: Access your Dropbox from anywhere - web, desktop app, or mobile app. Upload, rename, and organise files and folders. Share files or folders with others, set view/edit permissions. Use team folders if you’ve been granted access. Comment on files an keep track of any updates. Scan and upload documents using the mobile app. Enable camera uploads on mobile for automatic photo backup. What you can’t do: Add or remove users from the team. Change admin settings or view activity reports. Restructure team folders unless given explicit permissions. More guidance is available here in the Dropbox Team Member Learning Guide. As an Admin: What You Can and Can’t Do Just a heads-up – not all admins have the same powers! What you can do will depend on the specific admin role you've been given. What you can do (depending on your admin role): Invite or remove team members. Assign admin roles to other users. Create and manage team folders, control folder-level permissions. Set security policies – such as two-factor authentication device approvals. Monitor team activity through logs and reports. Manage billing and subscription details (if you're the Billing Admin). What you can’t do: View every file by default – Admins don’t have automatic access to user content unless it’s shared with them or in shared/team folders. Act outside your assigned role – For example, a Reporting Admin can’t manage billing or user permissions unless given that access. Need Admin Access? If you believe you should have admin permissions (e.g. to manage users, oversee content, or configure settings), you’ll need to speak to an existing admin on your team. To find out who the admins are: Go to to the admin console (if you can see it) Click Members Look under the Admin role column, This shows who holds admin rights and what type they have If you do not have access to the admin console: As a regular team member on a Dropbox Business/Teams account, you generally cannot directly see a list of admins from your own account interface. The ability to view admin roles is typically restricted to those with admin privileges who can access the Admin Console. To know who your admins are, you can: Ask your team or IT department: They can tell you who the admins are. Look for admin communications: Sometimes, admins send out team-wide messages or manage shared folders, and their names may be visible in those contexts. Check for admin labels: In some cases, when viewing shared folders or team spaces, you might see labels or notes indicating who manages them, which could hint at admin roles. Hint: Look back in your emails and see who invited you to the team - they will be a Team Admin. To wrap things up, knowing the difference between team members and admins in Dropbox can really help everyone work better together. When you understand your role and what you can do, it makes collaborating and sharing resources a breeze.How I Use Dropbox as a Community Manager 👩💻
Hi everyone, it’s Theresa here, and I’m sure you’ve seen me bopping around the Community. I am one of the Community Managers here at Dropbox, and I’d love to share how I use Dropbox on a daily basis. Now, I’m not just saying this… I have relied on Dropbox long before I worked here, but more about that later. Here are some of the ways I use Dropbox to do my job. One of my favourite tools is, of course, Dropbox Paper. It’s amazing for pulling together documents in real time. Whether I’m creating content or helping choose our Community Member of the Month, it’s truly one of the best tools for collaboration. I can easily invite teammates to jump in, edit, and leave comments directly in the document. My favourite feature has to be the ability to tag and create new documents right within the one I’m working on. As a creative, ideas can come to me suddenly - and just as quickly disappear. By simply typing “+” and adding my idea, a new document link is created instantly, so I can capture the thought and return to flesh it out later. The built-in Dropbox Screenshot tool is an absolute lifesaver for sharing visuals. I use it all the time to grab screenshots of Community feedback, social media buzz, or highlights from recent events. It adds a real spark to my reports and presentations, making it much easier for everyone to see the impact of what we’re doing. And because I share them straight from Dropbox, there’s no messing about with endless email threads or bulky attachments. Setting it up is so so easy: just head to your Dropbox preferences, go to the Backups tab, and tick the option to “Save screenshots to your Dropbox.” From then on, every time you press Command + Shift + 4 (or Print Screen on Windows), your screenshot will be saved and ready to share in seconds. Outside of work, I'm a musician. I have been using Dropbox to keep my music projects organised for so many years, it is second nature. So, I am based in Ireland, but the rest of my band are over in the Netherlands, so having a shared space where we can all work together is a massive help. I keep a folder for each song with everything we need - lyrics, demo recordings, MIDI files, staging images, and notes on the music. It means we’re all on the same page, even from different countries. By the time we get to rehearsals, we’ve already done most of the groundwork, so we can hit the ground running. The fact that we can leave comments directly on files by opening a file in Dropbox and clicking the speech bubble icon is an amazing way to keep the conversation, give feedback, or suggest changes in the one place rather than going back in forth in emails/messages. (Handy when the group chat is mostly GIFs and Memes). I hope this inspires others on using Dropbox in their work life (and also their outside work life). It for sure relieves some stress to keep that life/work balance in check.
