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Having trouble creating shared links via the link settings window on my Windows desktop app.

I often get lost when creating a link for sharing using the SHARE menu in the Windows context menu.

I want to create a link to share a folder in my Dropbox in view-only mode. I have been a long-time user of Dropbox Professional (almost 20 years).

Why lost?

There is only ONE WAY to create a link in Dropbox => SHARE menu in the Windows context menu.

That's the reason.

The link must be created first, then the setting should be changed.

No the other way.

If you hit the "setting" button before creating a link, you will be lost. At the setting menu, you cannot create a link. No link can be created, no link is copied in the clipboard.

You will need to start the link creation process from the SHARE menu, again.

Why can't I create the link within the settings tab?

It is reasonable to (1) adjust the setting and (2) create a link with the setting. But the SHARE context menu only allows to create a link first and then change the setting.

I often worry whether the link copied (which setting was changed after created) has the proper sharing option as I set. To be sure, I paste the created link into a browser and verify that the link setting is as I changed.

It's a waste of time.

Why is configuring the setting and then creating a link not allowed on the SHARE context menu?

I prefer to have a "Create a link" function in the Setting tab and the way (1) adjust share setting, and then (2) create a share link with the setting.

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Rich

Early User wrote:
There is only ONE WAY to create a link in Dropbox => SHARE menu in the Windows context menu.

Do you not get the Copy Dropbox link option in the context menu?

Early User wrote:
At the setting menu, you cannot create a link. No link can be created ...

At the Settings menu you should see two tabs; one called Link for editing and another called Link for viewing. Each of these has a Create link option and clicking it will create the appropriate link for the tab that you're on.

Early User wrote:
... no link is copied in the clipboard.

Yeah, that part is weird. If you create a link through the Copy Dropbox link in the context menu, it will copy the link to your clipboard, but not when creating it from Settings. It's been a while but I seem to remember an option there previously to copy the link. That it's missing might just be a bug.

Either way, after creation in Settings, you can get the link from your Sharing page, or from the Copy Dropbox link option in your context menu.

Early User wrote:
But the SHARE context menu only allows to create a link first and then change the setting.

You can change the setting prior to creating the link.

You can also change your default link settings from Edit to View in your account settings.

Nancy

Hey @Early User! Hope you don’t mind, if I jump in.

I’ve sent you an email at your Community email address, so that we can look into this further. When you get the chance, can you please reply back to me?

Thanks!