One month down in 2025: How are your resolutions coming along? Check out how to get back on track here.
Forum Discussion
dualice
3 years agoNew member | Level 2
Why do shared files count against my space use???
Why are files shared with me counted against my space usage? Is this data counted twice? If someone who is sharing files with me is paying for this space, why should I have to pay as well just to acc...
- 3 years ago
dualice wrote:
Why are files shared with me counted against my space usage?
Because the files exist in your account.
When you have access to a shared folder, you're not accessing someone else's folder. You're accessing your own COPY of the folder within your account, and you need to have enough space available to hold that folder.
If you just need to view or download files that someone else is sharing with you, ask them to send you a shared link instead. A shared link is a view-only method of sharing and you don't even need a Dropbox account to access it.
dualice
3 years agoNew member | Level 2
That's completely ridiculous. That is just a way for DropBox to make money off of the same data/space. Sharing is sharing, copying is copying. If I share a file with someone on google drive, google doesn't make a copy of that file, it gives access to the file.
mjg88
9 months agoNew member | Level 2
I could not agree more, it's simply a structure for them to upsell storage space.
If a user creates a folder and shares it with you, they're the HOST of those files. That storage shouldn't be deducted from your allocated space.
The main reason I refuse to use Dropbox more often.
- Rich9 months ago
Super User II
mjg88 wrote:
If a user creates a folder and shares it with you, they're the HOST of those files.
But they're not the host. The shared folder exists in your account. You have your own copy of the files so it counts against your storage. It also works this way to prevent people from being able to stack accounts to get unlimited space.
- mjg889 months agoNew member | Level 2
If I upload 100 images to a folder and share them with you, so you can grab a couple then I, the uploader and sharer, are the host.
We may have conflicting opinions but the main reason they do this, is for storage upgrades.
Google structure theirs properly.- Rich9 months ago
Super User II
mjg88 wrote:
If I upload 100 images to a folder and share them with you, so you can grab a couple then I, the uploader and sharer, are the host.
That's not how it works. If you share a folder with 100 images in it, the person receives 100 images in their account. They don't get to grab just a couple of them.
If you want it to work that way, send them a shared link instead. They'll be able to browse all of the files, preview them, and download just the ones they want, without affecting their own account (unless they choose to save the files to their own account).
About Create, upload, and share
Find help to solve issues with creating, uploading, and sharing files and folders in Dropbox. Get support and advice from the Dropbox Community.
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!