We are aware of the issue with the badge emails resending to everyone, we apologise for the inconvenience - learn more here.

Forum Discussion

hetricga's avatar
hetricga
New member | Level 2
6 years ago

Can you see who downloaded a shared file from Dropbox?

is it possible to see who downloaded a document in my shared file folder? My past employer is saying i downloaded a file and is saying they have proof.. is this possible. 

FAQ
Security
Share
Shared Folders
  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    6 years ago

    Thanks for the additional information hetricga - much appreciated.

    So you removed your access from the said shared folder and by accident you accessed a file within it before doing so - correct?

    Note that any shared file that currently is saved in your Dropbox will show viewer info and this includes files in shared folders and files that have a shared link to them too.

    With viewer info, you can see if someone is currently looking at a file. And, depending on the Dropbox plan you have, you may also be able to see when someone last viewed a file.

    Only members with ‘Can edit’ and ‘Can view’ permissions will appear though. If anyone has access to the content via a shared link they will only show as a guest.

    You can read more about this here: 

    https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/viewer-information

    I hope this clears things up to some extent. 

    PS: If you need account specific assistance, you can reach out to our Support team directly from the following page: https://www.dropbox.com/support

  • Walter's avatar
    Walter
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    6 years ago

    Hey there hetricga  - how are you today?

    I'm not really sure I understand the matter at hand here, could you elaborate for me?

    I'm ony asking because members of shared folders are able to view, download and edit (even delete) files from shared folders if they've been given edit rights to begin with. 

    Thanks in advance for your response and please feel free to include any additional information you think might help our investigation. 

    • hetricga's avatar
      hetricga
      New member | Level 2
      6 years ago

      I was never removed as a person who could download, edit or share. I went into the dropbox to remove myself a couple months later and tapped on a file by accident. I am sure this is the notification they recieved. I am now being told that i downloaded a file and they will be taking action. Is it possible to view who downloaded a file or viewed a file with a date within a shared folder.. or tell if it was downloaded or just viewed?

      • Walter's avatar
        Walter
        Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
        6 years ago

        Thanks for the additional information hetricga - much appreciated.

        So you removed your access from the said shared folder and by accident you accessed a file within it before doing so - correct?

        Note that any shared file that currently is saved in your Dropbox will show viewer info and this includes files in shared folders and files that have a shared link to them too.

        With viewer info, you can see if someone is currently looking at a file. And, depending on the Dropbox plan you have, you may also be able to see when someone last viewed a file.

        Only members with ‘Can edit’ and ‘Can view’ permissions will appear though. If anyone has access to the content via a shared link they will only show as a guest.

        You can read more about this here: 

        https://help.dropbox.com/files-folders/viewer-information

        I hope this clears things up to some extent. 

        PS: If you need account specific assistance, you can reach out to our Support team directly from the following page: https://www.dropbox.com/support

About Security and Permissions

Start a discussion in the Dropbox Community forum to get help with your account security and permissions. Find support from Community members.

Need more support

If you need more help you can view your support options (expected response time for an email or ticket is 24 hours), or contact us on X or Facebook.

For more info on available support options for your Dropbox plan, see this article.

If you found the answer to your question in this Community thread, please 'like' the post to say thanks and to let us know it was useful!