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Dropbox web interface - Copy Link function now changing folder icon to shared?

I've noticed this week that simply choosing "Copy Link", not "Share" on a folder is now giving the folder a shared icon.

These folders have never been shared in the traditional way, so there are no options to "Unshare" them.

I have generated/copied links for other folders which were added last month, and they show the plain folder icon.

However, if I simply choose "Copy Link" again on those same folders now, they also change to a shared icon.

These folders are not synched with my PC, and only exist online.

I saw another thread about something similar, but their issue was due to the folder having been copied from a Team folder.

I am not using any features like that.

Did something change?

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Megan

Hi @deckard, thanks for posting on our Community!

Here is what I'd like for you to check: Can you create a new file/folder, and then hover over the file or folder you’d like to share (on the right part of the screen), and click the share icon (rectangle with an up arrow)?

You will see a pop-up window. Can you let me know if the link has editing, or viewing rights?

Keep me posted, and we'll take it from there!

deckard

My previous reply was marked as spam. Possibly because I kept editing it while trying to attach a screencap.

I created a new folder via the web UI (previous folders were uploaded from my PC, then moved to a folder that is not synced).

When clicking the Share icon, I noticed the dialog box defaulted to "can edit" as opposed to "can view".

I've never had to set this option previously, so I guess the default is now "can edit"?

That said, I would think that if you just want to send someone a download link for a folder or file, the Copy Link default should be view, not edit.

Jay

Hi @deckard, this would be the expected behavior since a shared link with edit permissions was created, which makes it a shared folder with edit rights.

If a link with view-only permissions was created, the this wouldn't be the case.

If you have any further queries, feel free to message back.

deckard

I understand that, but I am not copying the link from the "Share" dialog. Please see my initial post.

I've been simply hitting "Copy Link" (which shows up when you mouse-over the folder), and the default must have always been can view/view only, as the folder icon never changed before.

That said, I just tried this again, and now hitting "Copy Link" on a freshly created folder shows "Allows Viewing", but the folder icon no longer changes to shared. Something must have changed since my first post.

Jay

It's possible that when you originally clicked the copy link, it was set on an edit link. When you're creating a link now it appears to be a read-only link.

If you're experiencing the edit link behavior on other files or folders, please let me know.

deckard

So I just tried this again with a new folder, and the default action for "Copy Link" was "Allows Editing".

Again, I am talking about the option that shows up when mousing over a line in List view:

This is absolutely NOT what has been happening up until recently.

The only way to get a link for viewing only now, is to hit the Share icon next to it, change "Anyone with this link can edit to can view, then hit Copy link from that dialog.

On top of that, the folder icon changes to shared, yet there is no option to unshare.

How do I make the default action for Copy Link be View instead of Edit (like it was up until a couple weeks ago)?

Megan

Hi @deckard, I apologize for the delay!

It seems this is expected due to recent changes. If you need to change permissions, you can see more about this here.

I hope this clarifies.

Здравко

@deckard wrote:
...
How do I make the default action for Copy Link be View instead of Edit (like it was up until a couple weeks ago)?

Yes, stupid move is the changing default settings of any kind (I fully agree). Of course, the available new option can and should be possible to be set as default (without automatic change). Anyway, it's set already in such a way. Drawback is the miss of any proper documentation (even Dropboxers have no idea about 🤦 - illustrative enough). In spite, you can change the default sharing mode (can view or can edit) for shared links in sharing settings of your account. 😉

Hope this helps.