Dropbox Tutorial: What Is Dropbox and How Does It Work?

Whether at home, in the office, or on vacation: With Dropbox, you can access files anytime, anywhere, without lugging around a physical hard drive. But that's just one of the many benefits of this cloud storage system.

We'll show you what you can do with Dropbox and how to use the platform's key features.

Dropbox is a pioneer among cloud storage systems, launched in September 2008.

What seemed revolutionary back then is now standard: With Dropbox, users can store, sync, and share their files across devices. This makes it possible to access files from anywhere, without being tied to a specific location or computer.

Despite growing competition, Dropbox has maintained its standing as a strong competitor. It now offers much more than just a digital storage space for your files. Dropbox has evolved into a versatile platform where you can manage your work, coordinate tasks, and collaborate seamlessly with others.

Here are the key features of Dropbox. Note that not all features are available in every plan:

Want to organize your files with Dropbox or just try out the platform? We explain step-by-step with screenshots how to use Dropbox's basic features:

First, you need to create a Dropbox account, which takes just a few minutes. You can start with the free version that offers 2 GB of storage or choose a premium plan right away.

You can sign up using a Google or Apple account, or the traditional way with email.

You can use Dropbox directly in your web browser without installing anything. However, there are also Dropbox apps you can install on your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

These apps automatically sync your files across your devices. So, if you edit a file on your computer, it updates automatically on your smartphone or tablet (and in the web portal). You don't have to worry about transferring files manually anymore.

Step 1: Download the Dropbox desktop app from the Dropbox website.

Step 2: Click on the install file to start the installation process. Once it's done, you can log in with your credentials.

Step 3: After logging into the Dropbox desktop app, you'll be asked to create a Dropbox folder on your computer. This folder works like any other folder on your system, except everything you move or create in it automatically syncs with your Dropbox account in the cloud.

Step 1: Search for the Dropbox app in the Google or Apple app store and install it.

Step 2: After installing, you can log in with your credentials.

Once you've set up your account and installed the Dropbox apps on all your devices, you can start adding files. There are several ways to do this:

In the Dropbox web portal, you have two options to add files. You can drag and drop them from your computer into the web interface or click the "Upload or drop" button in the "All Files" section.

You can upload entire folders or import content from Google Drive, not just individual files.

On your desktop, you have several options. You can easily drag and drop files into the designated Dropbox folder on your computer.

Alternatively, right-click on files or folders and move or copy them to Dropbox from the menu.

You can upload files, photos, and videos from your smartphone to your Dropbox account in seconds. Here's how it works on Android:

Step 1: Open the Dropbox smartphone app and tap the plus icon at the bottom right.

Step 2: Choose which files you want to save to Dropbox and how. On your smartphone, you can conveniently scan documents or take photos and save them directly to Dropbox.

A big advantage of Dropbox is that you can share your stored files and folders with others in just a few clicks—even with users who don't have a Dropbox account. This is possible both on the web portal and through the apps.

Step 1: Hover over the file or folder you want to share. You can either click the link icon to instantly create a link to the folder, or click "Share" to open a sharing menu with more settings.

Step 2: In the sharing menu, enter the email address or name of the people you want to share with. Once you've added everyone, click "Share Folder." Alternatively, you can click "Copy Link" to create a link to the folder.

In the dropdown menu, you can choose whether to give people read or edit access.

Step 3: You'll find more access options in "Settings." Here, you can set an expiration date for the share link, add a password, or disable downloads—separately for "Editor" and "Viewer" links.

You'll find the same buttons for sharing in the Desktop App when you click the Dropbox icon in the taskbar.

Alternatively, open your Dropbox folder and right-click on files or folders to share them or generate share links.

Step 1: Tap the three-dot menu on the folder or file tile you want to share.

Step 2: Tap "Share."

Step 3: Invite people or tap "Copy Link" to copy the share link to your clipboard. Use the three-dot menu at the bottom right to share the link directly via messaging apps like WhatsApp or by email.

Syncing with Dropbox means you only need to delete files from one access point to remove them from all devices.

It's super easy in all apps and interfaces: On dropbox.com and in the app, click or tap the three-dot icon next to a file or folder and select "Delete."

On your computer, you can just open the Dropbox folder and move the file to the trash like any other file.

You can restore deleted files and folders within a specific time frame based on your plan, but at least for 30 days. This option is only available on dropbox.com:

Step 1: Click "Deleted Files" in the left sidebar.

Step 2: Select the file(s) you want back and click the "Restore" button on the right.

Alternatively, you can permanently delete files in the trash so they can't be restored.

Dropbox syncing is not the same as a traditional backup, where you make a full copy of your data and store it in a separate place.

Setting up a backup is only possible with the Dropbox desktop app.

Step 1: Open the Dropbox app by clicking the Dropbox icon in the taskbar.

Step 2: Click the profile icon at the top right and select "Settings" from the menu that opens.

Step 3: In the sidebar, open the "Backups" menu and click "Manage Backups".

Step 4: Just follow the instructions to set up cloud backups for your computer or external hard drives. To set up a PC backup, click "Get Started".

Step 5: Choose which folders you want to back up and click "Set Up" to start the backup process.

Thinking about switching to another cloud storage provider or don't need Dropbox anymore? You can cancel your account with just a few clicks.

You'll automatically be downgraded to the free plan, but your account will still exist. Of course, you can also delete it completely. Here's how to do both:

If you have a paid subscription, you can cancel it in the management section at the next possible date.

Step 1: Click on your initials in the top right corner of the Dropbox web portal and select "Manage Account" from the menu.

Step 2: Scroll down and click on “Cancel Subscription.”

Step 3: Choose a reason for your cancellation, click “Continue to Cancel,” and follow the instructions. You'll get a confirmation email after.

If you want to remove all account and file data and stop accessing your Dropbox account, you can delete your account completely. You can do this on the web portal:

Step 1: Click on your initials at the top right and select “Settings” from the menu.

Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom of the "General" tab and click "Delete Account" on the right.

Step 3: Enter your password, choose a reason for leaving, and click "Permanently Delete".

Have questions or issues with Dropbox? Here are quick solutions for common concerns:

If syncing isn't working, there could be many reasons. Here are some tips to fix the problem:

For a more detailed list of possible issues and solutions, visit the Dropbox Support page.

If you're nearing your plan's storage limit, you have several options:

No, the files in your Dropbox account are visible only to you by default. Others can access files and folders only if you explicitly share them or provide a link.

Dropbox generally offers a high level of security by encrypting data both during transfer and at rest:

However, there's no absolute guarantee for the security and privacy of your data. Here are some possible risks:

No, Dropbox doesn't directly show who downloaded a file. However, if you use a shared link, you can at least see how many times the link was accessed, but you won't get specific information about who downloaded the file.

If you share the file with a specific person through a Dropbox folder or a shared file, you can see activities within the folder (like who added or edited the file) – but not if it was downloaded.

If viewer info for files is enabled, you can also see who is currently viewing a shared file. This only applies to team members and users with edit or view access. Users outside your team and people not specifically invited to the file will only appear as guests (without names or email addresses).