Child Item

Error 400 when clicking on a shared link

I regularly host files and folders in my Dropbox that are shared with clients. Since October 1st these share links do not work. Dropbox will generate a share link but when my client clicks on it they receive an error 400 screen. Sometimes I can go back a day or so later to send another share link to the same folder and that one will work. I've been having to revert to sending folders using WeTransfer instead. Please let me know what I can do to fix the issue on my end or if there's a timeframe for this issue to be taken care of.

Find more posts tagged with

Error Messages

Shared Links

Developer

AcceptAnswer

Promoted

Accepted answers

Walter

Thanks for clarifying that for us and the additional information too @tmolinaro

Can you please ask your clients to try clearing their browser's cache or using another browser/incognito window with no plugins or extensions running?

If the error persists, we'd need to have a screenshot or a short recording showing the browser's dev console as the error occurs.

All comments

Nancy

Sorry to hear about this, @tmolinaro.

Just to clarify, the new shared links that you’re creating, do they also throw a 400 error after some time has passed, or are they working alright after that?

Did this error start showing for all shared links nonetheless, or for older ones?

Can you send me a screenshot of it, so that I can check it, too?

Keep me in the loop.

tmolinaro

It is for all share links. After my account was upgraded to the next level (during your recent reorganization of older clients), older links stopped working. This is a separate issue. All new share links give an error 400 when my clients click on them (using various browsers, computers, OS, etc - the issue is consistent). The issue does not clear up when any amount of time as passed. My clients have waited 24 hours to click on the links before and it still didnt work. Error 400.png

Walter

Hey @tmolinaro - sorry to jump in here, but may I ask how long has it been since you've been facing this issue?

Also, have you tested the shared links yourself on an incognito window to see if it's a user-error from your client's side?

Have you tried getting in touch with our support team about this by the way?

tmolinaro

Hi Walter,

The issue has been going on for about a month now, ever since my account was "upgraded". Yes, I have tested the links before sending them, but they worked for me; It may not have been an incognito window.

I asked on here because it seemed like an issue that would be effecting more than just me and wanted to make sure the answer would be available for those who are looking to solve it also.

Megan

Hi @tmolinaro, and just to make sure we're on the same page here, are these the steps you follow in order to create a shared link?

If not, can you walk me through the steps that you follow?

tmolinaro

I've been sending share links since the beginning of my subscription to Dropbox - which has been years! I use the share link that does not include editing permissions so that my clients can download the files to their computers instead of accidentally deleting mine. I'm honestly unsure how one would generate a share link any other way.

Unless your process for sharing this link has changed since the writing of your page linked above, I am doing everything correctly.

Per Google: "The HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) 400 Bad Request response status code indicates that the server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (for example, malformed request syntax, invalid request message framing, or deceptive request routing).Apr 10, 2023"

It sounds like your program isn't issuing a usable link and I am honestly getting irritated that you're insinuating it is an error on my end when I haven't changed anything about how I've been using the program. Unless this issue is taken care of in a timely manner, I'm afraid I won't be able to continue using your platform in my business. I've already taken steps to deliver files to clients using other methods.

Walter

Thanks for clarifying that for us and the additional information too @tmolinaro

Can you please ask your clients to try clearing their browser's cache or using another browser/incognito window with no plugins or extensions running?

If the error persists, we'd need to have a screenshot or a short recording showing the browser's dev console as the error occurs.

RickOShay

I'm having the same issue. I tried clearing the dropbox.cache folder - but that didn't help. Users - still get Error 400 on that specific file. The file is in the Public folder. So I deleted the file renamed it and got a new DB link. But the issue persists. The zip file in question has an Arma 3 mod script in it - pure text files and some .ogg audio files in it. Nothing remotely dangerous. Only thing I do know is that this file was quite popular with the Arma 3 Steam workshop community - so ~4.5 thousand dls (the zip is only 848k) - this was prior to the recent script ver update. So I suspect DB might be blocking it due to traffic. I have a free DB account. So I might have to ditch DB and use something more reliable.

Walter

Hey @RickOShay - sorry to hear you're having issues with this.

How long has it been since you first noticed this error? Are you getting the error if you access the link from an incognito window too?

Any additional information or screenshots are more than welcome!

RickOShay

Hi Walter - firstly thank you for your assistance. I didn't know there was a problem until a user on the Steam Workshop brought it to my attention a week ago. Basically I post mods to the SW - and include a direct DL link to each zip file in my Public DB folder. Normally after the SW page goes live users can click on the DB link and DL the file as would be expected but for some reason this particular file triggers error 400 Something went wrong..... I've tried deleting the file and u/ling a new one - also tried renaming the file and clearing the db.cache folder - and unlinking all old devices except the one active in the current session. Still the file wont download and always fails with Error 400. Here's the link to the file [Removed as per Community Guidelines]

Jay

Hi @RickOShay, the shared link seems to work normally and downloads fine. Is it only certain users who are getting this error, or every user who tries?

RickOShay

Hi Jay it was for every user. The link is now working this am. Possibly the file had somehow become locked due to multiple old devices that seemed to remain linked to my files. I cleared them and the cache yesterday. Oddly if I deleted this file and then reuploaded it from my PC it generated the same DB link.

Megan

Hi @RickOShay, glad to hear -or read in our case- that everything is back on track now.

In any case, please keep an eye on it, and give us a shout if someone brings to your attention that the same thing is happening.

Always at your service, Rick!

jerry newberger

Had this same issue for months and months -- its incredibly annoying

Ace S.1

I haven't used Dropbox in a few years and have run into this same issue.. which I'm pretty sure is part of why I stopped using Dropbox in the first place.

Visiting the link is both working and not working, at seemingly random. If I'm on my logged-in account, it seems to work, sometimes. If I'm an anonymous user, it's not working if dl=1 is used, sometimes, but working if it's dl=0... sometimes. There's no rhyme or reason. It can work one click, and not the next.

As it's completely inconsistent and has no logical reasoning for happening, the service Dropbox provides is effectively unusable.