How to Upload Files to Dropbox Without Overwriting Others

Dropbox is simple. It'due south merely a folder on your figurer that syncs everything you put in it up to the cloud. Before Dropbox, file sharing and sync was geeky and disruptive, so it'southward no wonder that it quickly became the de facto cloud storage platform afterwards it launched in 2007.

Keep your Dropbox organized, automatically

But if you've but added files to your /dropbox binder over the past few years, and haven't dug into Dropbox.com or its mobile apps, you lot might be in for a surprise. Behind Dropbox's simplicity are sophisticated tools that permit you support your photos, edit documents online, curlicue dorsum fourth dimension, and secure your files from prying optics.

While it's far from the only way to sync your files, the hidden features put Dropbox a footstep ahead of the rest. Here are fourteen of the best features you may accept never noticed in Dropbox earlier.

View whatsoever file without installing extra software

Dropbox's file preview tool is actually one of its more than handy features. If you lot want feedback on an Adobe Illustrator file, and the rest of your team doesn't have Illustrator installed, no problem: Dropbox can preview dozens of file types online, so the merely software you need is a browser. Just open up Dropbox in your browser, so browse to the file you lot desire to preview.

You can read full PDF documents, flip through PowerPoint presentation slides, preview Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator designs, and picket full-length videos right from Dropbox.com. There'south a zoom tool to dig in deeper—particularly handy for larger design files—and fifty-fifty a print push to make a difficult copy.

Dropbox won't let you preview every file, but ordinarily if Dropbox shows an icon or thumbnail for a file online, you tin can click information technology to see a full preview.

Share screenshots quickly

Tired of taking screenshots, dragging them into Dropbox, and then copying the share link?

At that place'southward a quicker mode: all y'all need to do is enable Dropbox'due south screenshot-sharing feature on your Mac or PC. Open your Dropbox app preferences (click the Dropbox icon in your menu bar, click the gear icon, and then select Preferences), select the Import tab, and bank check the Save screenshots using Dropbox box.

Now, just take screenshots every bit normal, and Dropbox will save them to /dropbox/screenshots and copy a share link to your clipboard automatically. You tin can paste the link into your chat app, email, or wherever else you want to share information technology.

Add comments to files

Sharing a Dropbox binder is pretty straightforward: you tin can correct-click on whatever binder or file, and either invite someone to join your folder or just share a link to the file. Dropbox's commenting characteristic, which non everyone notices, lets you talk over your changes to a file.

You can find this feature on the web and mobile version of Dropbox, and in the desktop app (not your arrangement file browser, the actual Dropbox app). Select any file, or open it in the preview tool to run across the sidebar with the comments. Blazon out your comments, and add together your colleagues' names with an @ symbol to mention them in a comment. They'll get a notification in Dropbox or their electronic mail inbox, and you'll run across the comments announced in real-time as they're added.

It's an easy manner to go on the conversation about your files in the same identify, so zilch gets lost. Plus, as you work on the file together in Dropbox, the online preview volition update so everyone always sees the latest version.

Utilize selective sync to relieve local space

With online previews and Office file editing online, y'all might find that you need fewer of your Dropbox files actually stored on your computer. If you need some extra space, you tin can apply Dropbox's Selective Sync to store just your most important files on your reckoner.

Only open up your Dropbox preferences, select the Business relationship tab, then click the Modify Settings … push button beside the Selective Sync entry. There, you lot can select the folders and files y'all want to sync to your computer. Everything else will stay online, where you lot tin still view and annotate on it.

It's an especially handy play a trick on if you lot're using Dropbox to back upwardly your photos, videos, and other larger files. You can upload them to Dropbox, then once they're finished syncing, just remove their folders via Selective Sync.

Support your entire Desktop and Documents folders

Dropbox used to sync merely the files in your Dropbox folder, but these days information technology can besides support your Desktop, Downloads, and Documents folders, if y'all want to. Open your Dropbox settings, and then head to the Backups tab and click the Backups choice. You'll be asked which folders you want to sync.

It's an easy manner to support files that otherwise aren't synced to Dropbox, and you can also use it to automate your Desktop folder.

Favorite files to view offline on mobile

When you're on the go (i.e., using a mobile device), you might need access to specific files fifty-fifty when an internet connexion is nowhere to exist found. Dropbox sync volition keep all your of import files on your desktop and laptop just fine, just on a mobile device, Dropbox relies on your internet connection to download files every bit you demand them.

Only for must-have files, Dropbox includes a favorites characteristic in its mobile apps. Just find the files yous need to view offline, tap the 3 dots beside it, then choose the Make available offline selection. Dropbox will download the file to your device, and y'all can view them when your mobile device isn't online.

Note that the free version of Dropbox can only mark individual files, non entire folders, for offline access.

Access previous versions

In that location'southward a big difference betwixt Relieve and Salve Every bit..., as anyone who'due south accidentally overwritten an important document can tell you.

Dropbox has your back with its Version History feature. Whenever you realize you've messed up a file, just right-click on the file and select Version History. Or, if y'all deleted a file and want to bring it back, find its parent folder in Dropbox.com and click the View Deleted Files push at the top.

Either way, you lot'll go a list of the older versions of your file, where you tin restore the correct version in a click.

For instance, if you shared your resume via Dropbox link, but noticed a typo, y'all could restore an earlier version fifty-fifty after hit send; your potential new employer will see the corrected certificate, not the 1 y'all sent at first.

Dropbox saves changes to your files for thirty days for free accounts; Dropbox Professional and Business accounts can admission 180 days of history.

Remotely delete your files on stolen devices

You wake up on a Saturday morning and realize that you left your telephone in a cab terminal dark (nosotros've all been in that location). In your panic, you realize that your phone was logged in to Dropbox—which, besides some embarrassing selfies, has sensitive info that you lot wouldn't want anyone to go their easily on.

Don't panic. Dropbox still has your dorsum with several features to go on your data safe. First, with any Dropbox account, you can add a Pivot to your Dropbox mobile app. That way, if you exercise lose your phone, someone will need to hack your phone password and your Dropbox PIN before they can get to your files.

If you accept a paid Dropbox account, in that location's another option: you lot can remotely wipe your Dropbox files from any device that'south been synced with Dropbox, as long as it'due south still online. Simply open your Dropbox.com account settings, select the Security tab, and click the trash can icon abreast the device you lost—you will see the option to remotely delete the files after you lot practice then.

If you're worried nearly online hackers, you can add together 2-factor verification to your account, then an attacker would need to know your countersign plus the security lawmaking that's sent to your phone to access your account. It might non assistance if your telephone gets lost, but information technology could protect your files if your password ever gets leaked online.

Notice everything you're sharing

Ever wondered if you've accidentally shared the wrong file in Dropbox? That'd be almost as bad as losing your phone in a cab, simply thankfully Dropbox has a quick way to run across everything y'all've shared. Only open up Dropbox.com, and select the Shared push in the left sidebar.

You volition meet all of your shared folders and files, along with the fourth dimension they were last modified. Note that this shows both shared folders y'all've added to your Dropbox and folders that you have admission to simply haven't added. From hither, you can encounter who can access the folders, and remove or add together contributors equally you similar. The Links screen, in the top bar, volition show you every file or folder you've shared individually with a link. Yous can then see when you shared it, or delete the sharing link and have that embarrassing photograph offline.

Back up all your pictures to Dropbox

Now that you're a scrap more confident with your Dropbox security, why not take advantage of your Dropbox storage and use it to back upwards your pictures?

The Dropbox mobile app can practice that with your phone pictures, and the desktop app can automatically grab photos from whatsoever photographic camera you lot plug in. Merely open up your Dropbox settings, select the Import tab, and Dropbox can automatically import new photos from cameras and SD cards y'all connect to your computer. On mobile, head to the settings and make certain Camera uploads is enabled.

Customize your Dropbox notifications

If you lot're sharing and commenting on a lot of files, Dropbox's e-mail and push button notifications can go overwhelming. Don't worry: you lot can go things nether control.

First, let's modify your email notifications. Caput to Dropbox.com, so to the Notification settings. From there, you can conform your notifications until they're just right.

You tin also change your desktop notifications. Open the Dropbox settings, so caput to Notifications. From in that location, you tin cull which settings practice and don't bear witness up on your reckoner.

Wish you could get these notifications somewhere besides your inbox, or push notifications? The other option is Zapier, an automation tool that gives yous the power to create customized notifications most what's happening in Dropbox. It can sentry specific folders in your Dropbox business relationship, and permit you know via email, a chat app, or any other app you use when annihilation happens in your Dropbox account. You lot tin even add filters, so you'll only go notified when, say, you lot add files of a specific type.

Zapier can also connect Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, and other apps to Dropbox, to add files from other storage apps and more than. Check out Zapier's Dropbox integrations for more great ways to automate Dropbox and read more about how to customize your Dropbox notifications.

Be the first to get new features

Each time Dropbox rolls out a new feature, they do it in stages, starting with a select group of users who get to attempt an update start. If you're eager to get the latest features, and don't mind occasional glitches, you can add yourself to the grouping of early on adopters.

To exercise that, open your Dropbox settings page and toggle the Early releases option.

Be sure to follow the Dropbox Forum and Dropbox Blog to stay up-to-appointment on when the Dropbox team adds new features.

Request files via Dropbox

Dropbox offers a File Requests feature. Information technology's a unproblematic tool to permit you asking files from others, and take them automatically show up in your Dropbox folder—the person sending your files doesn't even have to accept a Dropbox account.

Just go to the File Requests page in your Dropbox account, and add a subject for the files you want to collect—family reunion pictures, project files, or anything else. You'll then get a unique link to share and request files, or tin can send the invite via email.

It'due south a simple fashion to get files from everyone pulled together in one place, even if all your friends and colleagues aren't using Dropbox. And once you accept all the files, you can easily share the folder with them.

Use keyboard shortcuts

If you beloved Dropbox's simplicity, you lot might not actually want any extra subconscious features. How most some keyboard shortcuts to speed up your work instead?

When you lot're working in your Dropbox files on your estimator, you can use your standard keyboard shortcuts to select, move, rename, and remove files. Many of those same keyboard shortcuts volition piece of work online in Dropbox.com, too. Just press ? while browsing the Dropbox site to meet the keyboard shortcuts for your estimator anytime.

This article was originally published in June 2015 with contributions from Matthew Guay. Justin Pot has since contributed updates.

Get productivity tips delivered straight to your inbox

We'll email yous i-three times per week—and never share your information.

tomlinsoncooll1996.blogspot.com

Source: https://zapier.com/blog/dropbox-hidden-features/

Share this post