Dropbox File Transfer
Dropbox File Transfer is a tool used for those with an Enterprise Dropbox account to securely send copies of files to others. A Dropbox account is not required to receive file transfers; however, a Dropbox account is required to send files. Dropbox Transfer is a recommended tool to facilitate the transfer of protected files with entities outside of the 鶹ýenvironment. Files sent using Dropbox Transfer must be password protected to prevent unauthorized access.
For sharing files with individuals who have a 鶹ýaccount, 鶹ýFileDrop may be used as it requires individuals to log in.
Creating a File Transfer
To create a File Transfer to send an existing file in Dropbox, go to . You will see a dashboard that contains all of your active Dropbox Transfers.
To create a new transfer, click “Create Transfer”. You will be provided with the option to upload files.
After uploading the file(s) that you want to transfer, you may choose to create a link for your transfer or to send the transfer over email. Click on the gear icon on the bottom left of the transfer window to open the transfer settings.
Within the transfer settings, you will have the option to set an expiration date and a password for your transfer. You will also have the option to enable or disable download notifications.
Important: Set a Password to Secure your Transfer
Please ensure that you set a strong password on your file transfer. File transfers without a password may be accessible to anyone via the link. It is recommended that the password is negotiated through an alternative channel. Listed below are options for communicating your Transfer password:
- In-person (most secure)
- Call or video chat (good options)
- Text
- Chat – private channel
- Email (least secure)
When you are ready to create the transfer, click “Create Transfer”.
Managing Dropbox Transfers
Once you have created a Dropbox Transfer, you will receive an email notification letting you know that the transfer has been created.
Within the Dropbox Transfer dashboard, you will be able to track and manage your existing transfers, change the expiration date, or end transfers at any time. Expiring your transfer will prevent individuals from downloading the files, with the option to re-enable the transfer. Deleting the transfer will delete the files and is recommended when a transfer is complete. You will also be able to see how many people have viewed or downloaded your transfer.
Receiving a Dropbox Transfer
When sending a Dropbox Transfer via email, your recipient will receive the following email from no-reply@dropbox.com. You may optionally include a message in your email to the recipient:
Best Practices for File Transfers
- Always set a strong password. File transfers without passwords are accessible to anyone with the link.
- Do not share file transfer links beyond their intended scope including forwarding links that you receive to unintended recipients. Links to file transfers are not unique to an individual and may be accessed by others.
- Do not include sensitive content in the file name of transferred files or the email message.
- Set the expiration date of your file transfer to be as short as possible (no longer than 7 days). If your recipient does not retrieve the files by the expiration date, you can always re-enable the transfer.
- Expire or delete the file transfer link as soon as you have confirmed that your recipient has received your files.
- Monitor your file transfers. If your transfer is receiving an unexpected amount of downloads, expire it immediately. To report a potential security incident, please contact infosec@hawaii.edu.
Dropbox File Request
Dropbox file request is a built-in tool within Dropbox to allow those with a 鶹ýEnterprise Dropbox account to securely retrieve files directly into a designated Dropbox folder from multiple individuals without requiring the uploader to have a Dropbox account. Dropbox file requests may be configured to remain open to collect files over an extended period of time, or be configured to expire by a deadline. There is also an option to configure a password to ensure only authorized individuals may upload files.
Creating a File Request
To create a file request, go to the Dropbox homepage at and login. From the home page, click on the File requests tab as shown below:
The file requests dashboard will show all existing open and previously closed file requests. To create a new request, click on the “New request” button. The following page will appear allowing you to set a name for your file request, provide a description to the recipients, select a folder to upload files to, and optionally configure a deadline and a password.
Once the file request is created, you will be provided with the option to email the request to individuals or copy a link to provide to individuals that you are collecting files from. Please note that if you have not configured a deadline, the link will remain open for individuals to upload files to your folder.
Managing File Requests
The file request dashboard will show all of your existing file requests including the creation date, expiration date, number of submitters, and number of files uploaded. Clicking on an entry will allow you to modify the request settings, change the upload folder, view uploads, copy/share the link, or cancel the file request.
