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I can't share files with non-members; they're being asked to sign up to Dropbox.

I need to share various files (spreadsheets) with non-members. It is just one file per customer and I only have 30 or so customers. I have tried using both the "share" option and the "copy Dropbox link". Neither works and my customers tell me that they are also being asked to sign up to dropbox rather than just letting them access the file.

All I get is the really annoying response "That didn't work for some reason". I would send a snip showing that response - but as one might expect from dropbox, there doesn't appear to be an easy way to attach a file to this request.

Please don't just tell me to switch to Microsoft OneDrive - I am aware from others that its functionality is much better but I would prefer not to have to migrate to there. Although it is quite unbelievable, considering how much we pay for Dropbox, that it is not capable of doing this easily.

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Nancy

Thanks for posting here today, @pc13.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand that you’re part of a Dropbox team. Is this right?

If yes, have you made sure to enable external sharing for your team? You can also check out this Help Center article on how to do this.

Other than that, you can send me a screenshot here by clicking on the small camera icon in your message box on the forum.

Let me know, once you’re ready.

pc13

Hello Nancy, I have attached both the message I am getting and the current settings. The current settings would seem to me to allow anyone to share - but this being dropbox I suppose "anyone" should be interpreted as "anyone except the person you actually do want to share it with"...

ma2021

Hey @pc13! We usually have to warn our users of the following when they want to share externally with someone who doesn't have a Dropbox account:

"If you intend to share a file/folder with someone who does not have a Dropbox account, we recommend selecting Anyone with link or People with password beside Who has access in the shared link settings.

If the user you want to invite does not have a Dropbox account, do not enter the user's email address in the "Email, name, or group" field and click Share. This will require the invited user to sign in to a Dropbox account whenever they visit the shared link, which is not what you intended."

If you have the file shared with their email address, remove the share and just copy and send the link via a direct email or message. It's the only way we've found to avoid having the user create a Dropbox account to view the content. Hope this helps!

pc13

Hello Maidatk,

As I have come to expect from dropbox, that doesn't answer the question at all. I have already set up my account so as to allow "Anyone with link" in the shared link settings. I have stated that clearly above. The problem is that despite having done so, the other people cannot get access to the file.

ma2021

I'm definitely not affiliated with Dropbox, so I can feel your pain as someone who has to communicate these... "idiosyncracies" (for lack of a better term) to an organization of 100k+ users. 😅 We see this issue come in from users fairly frequently, and the information I suggested is the only way to get around Dropbox's limitation. (We've raised it with our Dropbox CSM with no luck and got the usual "it's just how the service works.")

Based on your admin settings screenshot, you have all the correct settings in place to share files/folders externally, both directly and via link. The issue is that Dropbox requires individuals who are shared directly via their email on a file to create a Dropbox account to access that file. The workaround I suggested is to ensure you do not share their email directly on the file itself.

Your error message, though, is interesting. Are you receiving that after you click Share on a file with someone external to your domain?

I wish you the best of luck with Dropbox Support! ❤️

pc13

Thank you for your response. I get that when I "copy link" to share the file without somebody external to my domain. I still can't quite get over the fact that it is not possible to share files with people outside dropbox!!