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Forum Discussion
Avi P.
10 years agoNew member | Level 2
Disable download feature after sharing dropbox link
I was wondering if I could upload a video and share with others the link but block their ability to download the video. Is anyone familiar with this?
- Hi omashakaren - I just did a Google search and found that Dropbox Professional and Business customers can disable downloads for a shared link (and also set passwords and expiration dates for those links)... but evidently dropbox wants us to pay for those features? I'm guessing that's what it takes to become a Professional or Business customer. $200/year seems like a lot to disable downloads... sigh.
- Razor C.New member | Level 2
I was wondering the same thing... doesn't seem like it... lame! A feature they should consider especially for paying members!
- Maciek R.New member | Level 1
I know that it can be - I know how to do this too.. but not everybody know and not all will bother to do this..
The level of difficulty of stealing from internet can be set by "disable download" feature.
There is no excuse for servis like Dropbox to have a lack of it.
If you do business with some particular clients - you should not think that they will use some tools to stream and record or screen capture or whatever..
They should be able to read, see or listen but that is all - no download.
Without this function I don't think that I will be a Dropbox user, I will find some other servis.
- aaron a.5New member | Level 2
I agree that this is a sorely-needed feature. Dave is correct that it could be screen-capped, but that's pretty unlikely for most people.
I'd go a step further and say "one play" or "three plays" being possible. This could be used (by business, which is my use-case) to display a video to a customer, but practically prevent even video capture, since it will only play once.
This can be used for sensitive/confidential materials, like a pre-release demo of a product, preliminary screening of a commercial/etc.
~aaron
- Dave C.5Helpful | Level 7
Lets just make sure were all in the real world here.
1) DB do NOT offer an ability to remove the DOWNLOAD options.
2) AND THEY COULD BUT DONT
3) Since the PREVIEW before the download is not the actual download, it IS POSSIBLE to not allow download and NO way to beat it, as no amount of giggling the browser can get the DB server to supply the original file if they dont.
- Charlie G.3New member | Level 1
That is literally the dumbest thing. I can't believe that they do not have that as a feature. It would be so simple to do.
- iCompute O.New member | Level 1
Dave C. That's precisely why I won't use Dropbox. I was thinking of upgrading but then realised everyone can still download my stuff.
- Michael C.4New member | Level 1
They could at least have the option to NOT put a big download button at the top.
- DaveC2New member | Level 1
you can not.
- Avi P.New member | Level 2
Is there any third party program that you can link with dropbox? I tried vimeo, but it's either give full access to the public or only myself. I do not want everyone to create a vimeo just so they can see the videos.
- Jannick M.New member | Level 1
I did this using Box.com instead. It just sucks because I just switched from Box.com and I really don't want to pay for two storage platforms. :-/
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