Dropbox FAQs

Who is eligible for Dropbox?

Dropbox is available to Faculty, Staff and the following Employee affiliations:

  • OPS (194)
  • Emeritus (200)
  • Board of Trustee (204)
  • UF Executive (205)
  • DSO (213)
  • Athletic Association (217)
  • Foundation Employee (218)
  • Clinical Faculty (219)
Is there a quota for UF Dropbox?

Unlimited.

I am a Faculty and would like to sponsor someone for UF Dropbox.

UF Research Faculty who need to collaborate with Students or other affiliates who are ineligible for Dropbox services may sponsor them through your College/Department DSA. For more information please see section II. in link: How to Obtain Access to UF Dropbox for Education.

What is Dropbox?

The Dropbox homepage has a general overview of Dropbox: dropbox.com

Is there a difference between Dropbox for Education and Dropbox Business?

There is no difference in user functionality between Dropbox for Education and Dropbox Business – you’ll get the same great experience in Dropbox for Education as you do in Dropbox Business; however, there are advantages for how UF can administer the Dropbox Education accounts.

What is Dropbox for Education?

Here is the Dropbox for Education page: dropbox.com/education

Are there any data use restrictions for UF Dropbox?

Yes. Various Restricted Data types may be stored in UF Dropbox and may be shared with others who have been approved to use UF Dropbox. However, there are a few types of Restricted Data that may not be stored or transferred using UF Dropbox at all. The table below provides examples of data use restrictions for UF Dropbox. Any questions regarding this topic should be directed to the UF Privacy Office, (352) 294-8720 or privacy@ufl.edu.  

Data TypeCan be storedCan be shared with UF Dropbox userCan be shared with Non-UF Dropbox user
Allowed
  Open Y Y Y
  Sensitive Y Y Y
  Restricted Y Y Y
  PHI Y Y N
Never Permitted
  Extra-sensitive Health
  • Mental Health
  • Substance abuse
  • HIV/AIDS, STD status information
N N N
  Payment Card Data (PCI) N N N
  Export Control ITAR/EAR N N N
  Criminal Justice Information N N N
I received my invite, how do I get started?

How do I create a Shared Folder?

What's a Team Folder and how is it different from a Shared Folder?

What if I want to share a file, but prevent editing?

Here is the Dropbox guide for locking and unlocking files: help.dropbox.com/files-folders/share/file-locking

How do I know if my collaborator can access my files?

How is Dropbox different from other storage options available on campus?

You can see a comparison of services on the Research Computing website.

I already have a personal Dropbox account with my ufl.edu email address. What will happen to my files?

Dropbox will ask to move your files to a personal account with a new email address or to migrate your files to Dropbox for Education.

How do I set an expiration for a share link?

Creating share links with expiration dates is quick and easy. Here's how: https://www.dropbox.com/help/files-folders/link-expiration

Can I use Dropbox as an alternative to File Express?

After more than a decade of good service, File-Express will be retired after June 1, 2023.

The unique functionality offered by File-Express can now be realized with Dropbox, as explained here: https://cloud.it.ufl.edu/faqs/dropbox-faqs/how-to-share-a-file/