Can You Upload Pdf Files and Share on Dropbox
Dropbox is unproblematic. It'due south just a binder on your computer that syncs everything yous put in it upwards to the cloud. Before Dropbox, file sharing and sync was geeky and confusing, so it'due south no wonder that it quickly became the de facto deject storage platform after information technology launched in 2007.
Go on your Dropbox organized, automatically
But if you've just added files to your /dropbox folder over the by few years, and haven't dug into Dropbox.com or its mobile apps, you might be in for a surprise. Behind Dropbox's simplicity are sophisticated tools that let you back upwardly your photos, edit documents online, whorl back fourth dimension, and secure your files from prying optics.
While it's far from the only mode to sync your files, the hidden features put Dropbox a step alee of the rest. Hither are 14 of the best features you may take never noticed in Dropbox earlier.
View any file without installing actress software
Dropbox'due south file preview tool is actually one of its more handy features. If y'all want feedback on an Adobe Illustrator file, and the residue of your team doesn't have Illustrator installed, no problem: Dropbox can preview dozens of file types online, so the only software you need is a browser. Simply open Dropbox in your browser, then browse to the file you want to preview.
You lot can read full PDF documents, flip through PowerPoint presentation slides, preview Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator designs, and watch full-length videos right from Dropbox.com. There's a zoom tool to dig in deeper—especially handy for larger design files—and fifty-fifty a print button to make a difficult copy.
Dropbox won't let you preview every file, only ordinarily if Dropbox shows an icon or thumbnail for a file online, you lot can click information technology to see a full preview.
Share screenshots quickly
Tired of taking screenshots, dragging them into Dropbox, and so copying the share link?
In that location's a quicker way: all you need to do is enable Dropbox's screenshot-sharing characteristic on your Mac or PC. Open your Dropbox app preferences (click the Dropbox icon in your bill of fare bar, click the gear icon, then select Preferences), select the Import tab, and check the Save screenshots using Dropbox box.
At present, just have screenshots as normal, and Dropbox volition save them to /dropbox/screenshots and re-create a share link to your clipboard automatically. Yous tin paste the link into your chat app, email, or wherever else yous desire to share it.
Add comments to files
Sharing a Dropbox folder is pretty straightforward: you lot tin right-click on whatsoever folder or file, and either invite someone to join your folder or just share a link to the file. Dropbox'south commenting feature, which not everyone notices, lets you discuss your changes to a file.
You can observe this feature on the web and mobile version of Dropbox, and in the desktop app (not your system file browser, the actual Dropbox app). Select whatsoever file, or open up it in the preview tool to come across the sidebar with the comments. Type out your comments, and add your colleagues' names with an @ symbol to mention them in a comment. They'll get a notification in Dropbox or their electronic mail inbox, and you'll run into the comments announced in real-time every bit they're added.
It's an piece of cake way to continue the conversation about your files in the same place, then nothing gets lost. Plus, as you work on the file together in Dropbox, the online preview volition update so everyone always sees the latest version.
Employ selective sync to relieve local space
With online previews and Office file editing online, yous might discover that you need fewer of your Dropbox files really stored on your computer. If you need some extra space, you can use Dropbox's Selective Sync to store only your most important files on your figurer.
Just open up your Dropbox preferences, select the Account tab, then click the Alter Settings … button beside the Selective Sync entry. There, y'all tin can select the folders and files you want to sync to your calculator. Everything else volition stay online, where you can still view and comment on it.
Information technology's an especially handy trick if you lot're using Dropbox to back up your photos, videos, and other larger files. You can upload them to Dropbox, then once they're finished syncing, merely remove their folders via Selective Sync.
Dorsum upwardly your entire Desktop and Documents folders
Dropbox used to sync only the files in your Dropbox folder, just these days it can besides back up your Desktop, Downloads, and Documents folders, if you want to. Open your Dropbox settings, and then head to the Backups tab and click the Backups option. Yous'll be asked which folders you desire to sync.
It's an easy fashion to dorsum upward files that otherwise aren't synced to Dropbox, and you tin too use information technology to automate your Desktop binder.
Favorite files to view offline on mobile
When you lot're on the get (i.e., using a mobile device), you might need access to specific files even when an internet connexion is nowhere to exist found. Dropbox sync will keep all your of import files on your desktop and laptop only fine, but on a mobile device, Dropbox relies on your internet connection to download files equally you lot demand them.
But for must-have files, Dropbox includes a favorites feature in its mobile apps. Just find the files you demand to view offline, tap the iii dots beside information technology, then choose the Make available offline option. Dropbox will download the file to your device, and y'all tin can view them when your mobile device isn't online.
Note that the gratis version of Dropbox can merely marker individual files, non entire folders, for offline access.
Access previous versions
In that location'southward a big difference betwixt Salve and Salvage As..., every bit anyone who's accidentally overwritten an of import document tin can tell you.
Dropbox has your back with its Version History feature. Whenever you realize you've messed upwardly a file, only right-click on the file and select Version History. Or, if y'all deleted a file and want to bring it dorsum, find its parent folder in Dropbox.com and click the View Deleted Files button at the height.
Either mode, you'll get a list of the older versions of your file, where y'all can restore the correct version in a click.
For case, if you shared your resume via Dropbox link, but noticed a typo, y'all could restore an earlier version even after hitting send; your potential new employer volition meet the corrected certificate, not the one you sent at beginning.
Dropbox saves changes to your files for xxx days for free accounts; Dropbox Professional and Business accounts can admission 180 days of history.
Remotely delete your files on stolen devices
Y'all wake up on a Saturday morn and realize that y'all left your phone in a cab final dark (we've all been there). In your panic, you realize that your telephone was logged in to Dropbox—which, besides some embarrassing selfies, has sensitive info that you wouldn't want anyone to become their hands on.
Don't panic. Dropbox notwithstanding has your dorsum with several features to continue your data safe. First, with any Dropbox account, you can add a Pin to your Dropbox mobile app. That way, if you do lose your phone, someone will demand to hack your phone password and your Dropbox PIN before they tin can go to your files.
If you lot have a paid Dropbox account, in that location's another option: you can remotely wipe your Dropbox files from any device that's been synced with Dropbox, as long as information technology's however online. Only open your Dropbox.com account settings, select the Security tab, and click the trash can icon abreast the device you lost—y'all will see the option to remotely delete the files after you exercise so.
If you're worried about online hackers, you tin add two-factor verification to your account, so an attacker would demand to know your password plus the security code that's sent to your telephone to access your account. It might not assist if your phone gets lost, but information technology could protect your files if your password ever gets leaked online.
Observe everything you lot're sharing
E'er wondered if you've accidentally shared the incorrect file in Dropbox? That'd be almost as bad as losing your phone in a cab, merely thankfully Dropbox has a quick way to run across everything you've shared. But open Dropbox.com, and select the Shared button in the left sidebar.
You will see all of your shared folders and files, along with the fourth dimension they were last modified. Note that this shows both shared folders you've added to your Dropbox and folders that you take access to merely haven't added. From here, you tin can see who can access the folders, and remove or add contributors every bit you like. The Links screen, in the top bar, will show you every file or folder you've shared individually with a link. Y'all tin then see when y'all shared it, or delete the sharing link and accept that embarrassing photo offline.
Back up all your pictures to Dropbox
Now that you're a fleck more than confident with your Dropbox security, why not take advantage of your Dropbox storage and use it to back up your pictures?
The Dropbox mobile app can do that with your phone pictures, and the desktop app tin can automatically grab photos from any photographic camera y'all plug in. Just open your Dropbox settings, select the Import tab, and Dropbox can automatically import new photos from cameras and SD cards you connect to your computer. On mobile, head to the settings and make sure Camera uploads is enabled.
Customize your Dropbox notifications
If you're sharing and commenting on a lot of files, Dropbox's email and push notifications can get overwhelming. Don't worry: yous can become things nether control.
Commencement, let'south change your email notifications. Head to Dropbox.com, and then to the Notification settings. From there, you can adjust your notifications until they're just right.
You lot tin can also change your desktop notifications. Open up the Dropbox settings, then head to Notifications. From there, yous can choose which settings do and don't show up on your computer.
Wish y'all could get these notifications somewhere besides your inbox, or push notifications? The other choice is Zapier, an automation tool that gives y'all the ability to create customized notifications about what's happening in Dropbox. It tin lookout man specific folders in your Dropbox account, and let you know via email, a chat app, or any other app you use when annihilation happens in your Dropbox account. Y'all can even add filters, and so you lot'll simply get notified when, say, you add files of a specific blazon.
Zapier tin can also connect Google Bulldoze, Box, OneDrive, and other apps to Dropbox, to add files from other storage apps and more. Check out Zapier's Dropbox integrations for more not bad ways to automate Dropbox and read more about how to customize your Dropbox notifications.
Exist the first to get new features
Each time Dropbox rolls out a new feature, they practice it in stages, starting with a select group of users who get to try an update beginning. If you're eager to become the latest features, and don't mind occasional glitches, y'all tin add yourself to the grouping of early adopters.
To do that, open your Dropbox settings page and toggle the Early releases option.
Be sure to follow the Dropbox Forum and Dropbox Web log to stay upward-to-appointment on when the Dropbox team adds new features.
Asking files via Dropbox
Dropbox offers a File Requests characteristic. Information technology's a simple tool to allow you request files from others, and have them automatically show upwards in your Dropbox folder—the person sending your files doesn't fifty-fifty have to have a Dropbox account.
Just go to the File Requests page in your Dropbox account, and add together a subject for the files you want to collect—family reunion pictures, project files, or anything else. Y'all'll and so get a unique link to share and request files, or can send the invite via e-mail.
It'due south a simple mode to get files from everyone pulled together in one place, even if all your friends and colleagues aren't using Dropbox. And once you have all the files, you can easily share the binder with them.
Use keyboard shortcuts
If you lot love Dropbox'due south simplicity, you might not actually want any extra hidden features. How about some keyboard shortcuts to speed up your work instead?
When y'all're working in your Dropbox files on your computer, y'all can use your standard keyboard shortcuts to select, move, rename, and remove files. Many of those same keyboard shortcuts will work online in Dropbox.com, too. Just press ? while browsing the Dropbox site to come across the keyboard shortcuts for your estimator anytime.
This commodity was originally published in June 2015 with contributions from Matthew Guay. Justin Pot has since contributed updates.
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Source: https://zapier.com/blog/dropbox-hidden-features/
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