Child Item

I shared a folder with someone but they cannot access the contents

Device
HP laptop
Operating System/Browser (if using the web)
(Windows 11)

I just posted this but it's not showing up. I shared a parent folder with my VA for photos with 7 child folders inside it. She couldn't access that folder. So I shared one child folder with her and she can open that one, but doesn't see all the photos that I put into it. Both the parent folder and child folder show that they are "shared'. What's am I doing wrong? I can put screenshots if it would help. Thank you!

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Hannah

Oh, I see, thanks for that screenshot, @acc9901, that totally clarified things for me.

So, shared folders do take up space in each member's account, when edit access is given.

If you only want her to be able to view and/or download the photos, you can send her a "view-only" link instead, which won't affect her Dropbox space at all.

I hope this helps!

All comments

Hannah

Hey @acc9901, thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Can you let us know why this person cannot access the parent folder? Are they getting some kind of error message?

Also, how did you add the photos in the folders? Through the Dropbox website or the desktop app? If it was through the desktop app, has syncing finished?

Any screenshots that show the issue are definitely welcome!

Thanks in advance!

acc9901

Thank you. I will ask her and get back to you ASAP. Meanwhile here are the screenshots.

Parent folder:

Child folders: (I shared one with her that she needed the most for now. "KIM.Social" It shows as shared below. But even then, she only sees half of the photos that are in there, not all of them.)

Thank you!

Hannah

Thanks for the update, @acc9901!

Let me know what your colleague says about the parent folder.

In the meantime, can you check if renaming those folders and removing the "." (period) from the names makes any difference for your colleague?

acc9901

I have more information from my VA. Here's what she sees when she tries to open the shared parent folder:

She has a free DB account and doesn't have anything stored in it. I don't think people we share with have to have full paid accounts do they? I just want her to be able to get the photos and videos I put in the shared folder each week so she can make my social media. Thank you!

Hannah

Oh, I see, thanks for that screenshot, @acc9901, that totally clarified things for me.

So, shared folders do take up space in each member's account, when edit access is given.

If you only want her to be able to view and/or download the photos, you can send her a "view-only" link instead, which won't affect her Dropbox space at all.

I hope this helps!

acc9901

Thank you. So if she pays for a DB account, only then could she see all the items in the shared folder? I want her to be able to go into the folder and use the photos /videos that are there to create our social media. I don't wnat to have to decide all that and send her links for each. How can this be done?

Rich

acc9901 wrote:
I don't wnat to have to decide all that and send her links for each. How can this be done?

In order to accept a shared folder she needs to have enough space available in her account to hold the entire folder. If she doesn't have enough space, she needs to upgrade her account.

The other option is as Hannah suggested; send her a view-only shared link instead of a shared folder with edit access. With a view-only link she'll be able to access everything in the folder and either view or download it. She just won't be able to make any changes within the folder.

acc9901

Thank you! I now realize that "With a view-only link she'll be able to access everything in the folder ..." I thought the link was only for single videos or files. Glad to know I can share the whole folder with her this way. Thank you!

acc9901

She said she was able to view the photos after I adjusted them according to instructions above. But trying to share another link -- so confused. If they don't have DB or I don't know if they do or not, I right click on the file, then in DB dropdown, do I pick "Copy DB link," "Share," or "Manage Folder Access"?

Picking "Copy DB link" just copies it and doesn't let me pick the 'view only' option.

When I do any of these, I can find a 'Viewing link' but it says it can't be copied but to 'try again because we think it's a fluke," DB says. This has been every time I try it. What am I doing wrong?

Picking "Share" then "copy link" gives me this:

If I enter an email first to allow access in the window above, it just sends them the link directly, and I don't know what kind of link it is.

If I pick the "settings" button above, then click 'link for viewing' tab, then 'copy link,' it gives me this:

See the weird message at the bottom?

So none of these options let me copy the View only link!

Anyone help me please -- I just need a simple way to get and copy a link to folders that I can then paste the link where I need it to share with my VA.

Thank you!

Hannah

Thanks for letting us know about this, @acc9901.

Have you tried restarting your computer or the Dropbox app to see if it helps?

In the meantime, you can also copy and share your link using the Dropbox website.