Use a shared folder when people need to work together, a view link when they need access to material you maintain, and Dropbox Transfer when you are handing over finished files. The important choice is the recipient’s task: editing, reviewing, or downloading a completed package.
This guide is for independent professionals preparing client work. It builds on the purpose of the original Dropbox Professional announcement without treating its 2017 feature list as a current plan description. Feature availability, limits, and account controls should be checked in your own plan before a delivery depends on them.
Choose by what the recipient needs to do
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| Method | Useful for | Decision before sending |
|---|---|---|
| Shared folder | A continuing project with shared work. | Who needs edit access, and who owns the project? |
| View-only shared link | Reviewing or downloading a file or folder you maintain. | Who can open the link, and should future changes appear? |
| Dropbox Transfer | A finished package handed over for download. | Which version is final, and when should access expire? |
Dropbox describes Transfer as a way to send files that do not need ongoing collaboration; recipients can download without a Dropbox account. That makes it useful for approved photographs, finished video, or an agreed document package.
A view link and an invitation to collaborate create different recipient experiences. Follow Dropbox’s shared-link instructions, then confirm the selected access and editing options. A folder invitation may also raise storage or account questions for a recipient, so test with the kind of account your client will use.
Prepare a package that explains itself
- Create a clearly named delivery folder separate from drafts and internal references.
- Include only the approved versions. Open each important file and check that linked assets or fonts required for use are accounted for.
- Add a short README with the project name, delivery date, file list, intended use, and a contact for corrections.
- Use filenames that distinguish master files from web, print, or review exports.
- Check the complete package size against your account’s current transfer allowance.
A recipient should be able to identify the right file after downloading it, even if the delivery email is unavailable. For design work, the logo handoff guide explains useful master and export distinctions.
Verify the link as a recipient
Review audience, download availability, expiration, and any password option before sending. Dropbox’s shared-link permission documentation explains which controls depend on a plan. Download restrictions reduce an offered download route, while someone who can view content may still capture it.
For a Transfer, follow the current creation instructions and inspect the finished transfer page. Shared-link settings and Transfer settings are separate controls; check the one you actually created.
- Open the delivery using an approved test recipient or a signed-out browser, as appropriate for the intended audience.
- Verify the file list and preview. Download a sample if downloading is intended.
- Open the downloaded file in its normal application and check that it is the expected version.
- Confirm the link works for the intended recipient and that a restricted link rejects an unauthorized test account.
- Record the delivery version, access setting, and expiry in your project notes.
A signed-out test alone cannot establish that a named-recipient invitation works. Where sign-in is required, test the named-recipient path as well.
Close the loop after delivery
Keep the approved master and a record of the delivered package. Treat an upload-complete indicator as evidence that uploading finished; ask for acknowledgement when the project requires acceptance of the contents. Access or download statistics answer a narrower question than approval.
If a recipient reports a problem, collect the exact link, account used, error message, and filename before issuing another link. An expired transfer, wrong account, unavailable preview, and incomplete download require different fixes.
Use the plain-text delivery checklist to record packaging and recipient tests. For retention and restore planning beyond a delivery, see Online Backup. Recheck links when a project closes, an account plan changes, or responsibility passes to another person.
Continue exploring
- Online Backup
- Automated File Management
- Recall Email: Undo Send, Outlook Recall, and What to Do Next
- All software guides and earlier coverage
Product documentation checked September 7, 2026. Recheck your installed version, account plan, and organization’s settings when following product-specific steps.