Dropbox 101: The Ultimate Guide for BeginnersTable of Contents Chapter 1 – Introduction Chapter 2- The Importance of Dropbox Chapter 3 – Getting Started

Chapter 4 – Discovering the Installed Dropbox Client on Your Computer

Chapter 5 – Exploring Your Dropbox Web Interface Chapter 6: Dropbox on Your Mobile Device Chapter 7: Sharing and Sending Files on Your Dropbox Chapter 8: Get More Free Space

Chapter 1: IntroductionGo from beginner to pro with this time saving guide. Whether you are new to Dropbox or looking for some valuable hacks, this jump start guide will allow you to look effortless in front of coworkers and friends. In this piece you will get the bare bones basics of Dropbox with additional protips at the end of each chapter. Once you get the bare essentials down, read further and try out some of the pro tips in the end of the sections. The guide illustrates the ins and outs of backing up important data, how to utilize third party software with Dropbox and much much more. Don’t scour the internet looking for these invaluable tips, they are all right here!
What is Dropbox?What is Dropbox? Co-founder Drew Houston calls Dropbox the ‘fabric that connects’ all devices. Instead of keeping track of a USB stick, with limited data storage and the ability to become corrupted over time, Dropbox is a safe and secure way to share and edit files with numerous people. Instead of trying to gather all your data manually, Dropbox is the app that allows your data to follow you everywhere. Since it was founded in 2006, the company has grown from a mere two employees to over 200 employees today in 2014. Over 50 million users depend and trust Dropbox with their data.
It is one of the best cloud databases and is simple to use. Some major corporations use Dropbox like Groupon to edit and exchange files. Dropbox isn’t limited to sharing simple text documents, it’s also great for distributing large pdfs and pixel based artwork. Dropbox has also inspired a lot of third party software developers that will enable you to organize your whole online life. Here in this guide you will learn some great time saving tips. After reading this you will have a new found empowerment in your knowledge about cloud data storage technology. Know that you can share over this network with confidence, because Dropbox claimed nearly one-fifth of the global market for online storage space as of 2011. At the forefront of design, Dropbox was named "Startup of the Year" by TechCrunch in 2012, with past nominations for Webby and Mac Design awards.

How Does Dropbox Work?How does Dropbox work? Dropbox is a cloud database where people can share documents over a protected connection. Unlike other cloud networks like Google Drive you can’t create new documents within dropbox, but you can upload and share with your collaborators. It is also perfect for organizing large projects within folders and sharing those folders with others. This works best when all parties are connected to Dropbox with a user password but if not no worries. You can also share documents and folders with a link just in case other team members aren’t dropbox savvy. With that link to the folder or document your collaborators can still download and make changes. Dropbox is a great tool for educators and students, clients and contractors, employers and coworkers. It is especially engineered with time sensitive collaborations in mind, making this the essential app that everyone will need in the future of work as we now know it.
Is Dropbox Safe and Free?In the past Dropbox has had a rocky history of protection practices. Software code upgrades in 2011 briefly removed password protections from user accounts, and an FTC complaint was filed that same year alleging that Dropbox employees could decrypt user files. But now the cloud supports a two step process to verify your identity. Like a lot of web platforms that are password protected, when you setup your account Dropbox asks you to enter your mobile phone number in order to create a six digit security code. If you are having trouble the code will be sent via text to your mobile phone. It will expire so the time sensitive nature plus your personal verification combined now makes for a safe and secure login experience.

If you already use tools like 1Password or RoboForm, you can have all of your passwords in one place. When working on another person’s PC or your work tablet, you lose convenience and you have to remember all those passwords again. You can use Dropbox to sync the application on multiple computers.

Dropbox is a free service. Once you hit a maximum of 2 GB of data you will either need to upgrade to a $9.99 a month plan or you can earn more storage space by doing small tasks. This includes doing a short survey, following Dropbox on social media, or invite a friend. If you are a large business, another option may be right for you. The business class option allows up to five users to join at a rate of $15 a month. With this option people get unlimited space plus they can access all the different versions of a document over a period of time. This could be important for client presentations or mapping the progress of a particular project.

How much free storage space do you have on your Dropbox?
2 GB is a lot of space. Dropbox offers this amount of data storage at no cost to the casual user. But there are ways to earn more space without having to pay. Sharing your experience with friends and over social media will earn you space. Users can embed their link to Dropbox in their email signature, their website header, and other imaginative ways. In the past Dropbox didn’t have these features, but now they have realized the power of social media and are encouraging their users by rewarding them this way.

Where to download the Dropbox software for different platforms
Dropbox is unique because you can either access your files via the web or you can allow for a software download to enable you to upload and download files with the click of an icon. You can find download options at dropbox.com/install. When you do download the app, all your files will update on all your computers via Dropbox. This is a perfect solution for busy professionals, small and large business owners, lawyers and other fields.

For PC: Dropbox works easily with Windows. It is usually the first option for download. It works best with older Windows operating systems, but they are still working out the kinks. Some features are missing from the download that is compatible with Windows 8. For iOs: Dropbox also works well with all Apple devices. The iOs platform is ideal but not preferred by the Dropbox application. For all other mobile devices: Dropbox works great with Android devices, from tablets to netbooks, smartphones and laptop computers.

Dropbox also works well with any mobile device, from tablets to netbooks. Basically, if your device can access the internet you can utilize this important file sharing tool. Dropbox keeps your information safe and secure with its two part identity verification system. So you will never need to worry about client confidential information getting leaked.

Chapter 2: The Importance of Dropbox

The Advantages of Having a Dropbox

Access your files anywhere on any device. It is important to be able to retrieve any document at a moment’s notice. Today many office workers telecommute, which means that now more than ever individual workers no longer sit at a long conference table with hard paper documents in hand. They need to be able to join in on a conversation via the web on whatever device they find most convenient. If for instance boarding a plane or on the subway, people need to be able to have control over their creative assets.

Safe two step verification at login ensures that your files are for your eyes only. Many employers require a non disclosure agreement from all employees now, both permanent and independent contractors alike. The two step verification process not only protects users but it protects the work being done for the client or firm. Information is any business’ biggest asset and it needs to be treated as such. Dropbox ensures that documents are secure and are only shared with team members.

Share files easily with non-dropbox users. To share photos or other documents with friends or other casual users, individuals have a few options when it comes to sharing. Dropbox allows people to share media with a web link. This is great for large files like pixel based artwork or multiple page pdfs. It is also a great delivery method for people to receive and share resumes and articles.

Access a document’s history so you can see who has shared it within your team and all the different versions of that document. This is best for showing progress on a long scope project, for medical documents, law offices, graphic design firms and other professional applications. It is also a great fail safe method for just in case you deleted something important, like a paystub or an expense sheet. This also comes in handy when tax time comes around.

Dropbox is a great tool to use for students as well. It is always best to allow yourself enough time to complete an important task. But life is hectic at times and sometimes you will need a little wiggle room. Dropbox allows a user to share a document as a link, even if that document is edited in some way after the link is sent to the other party, the link remains the same. Of course this works well with any assignment you have to submit: proofs for a commercial printer, dissertation papers, articles for publication and other applications.
Pro Tip: You can also keep your Firefox Profile in sync across multiple computers. Other solutions like Xmarks fall short, but the easiest app to use is by far Dropbox. Everything is saved — bookmarks, themes and extensions. Set up the browser the way you want it on one computer and enjoy that configuration on all your machines.

Chapter 3: Getting Started

Steps for Signing up an Account
Signing up for an account is pretty basic. You will be prompted at the Dropbox homepage, whether to enter your user information or to create an account. You will need the usual details, first and last name, plus a valid email address. Then you will be asked to create a password. A mix of letters and numbers is best. If team members are sharing sensitive files over Dropbox it may be best to encourage them to change their passwords every few months. If you are old fashioned, it may be a good idea to keep a post it with your login information in a secure place, like inside your checkbook or in a special notebook set aside for just that. But if you are more tech savvy you can utilize one of many password tracking apps on the web.

Installing the Dropbox
Instead of logging in online every time to access files, you can simply download an application to your hard drive so you can upload and download files anywhere, whether you have an internet connection or not. This will update once a connection is restored. You can find download options at dropbox.com/install

For PC: When you hit the download button your personal computer will begin the download automatically. If not, there will be a link that will activate the download once you click. It will save as an application and you will be able to access it anytime. The app works best with older versions of Windows, but Dropbox is still working out the details as far as compatibility with Windows 8.

For Mac: On a mac, it’s pretty much foolproof. Hit the link from the download page and it will begin your download automatically. Once it’s done saving, move the Dropbox application to the Applications folder. Sometimes you need to restart the computer to get it functioning correctly. If you have an older mac it’s no problem, Dropbox’s app will work with operating systems as old as 10.4

On a Mobile Device: Whether you have a iOs or Android phone or tablet, even a netbook or any other handheld device, Dropbox works well as a mobile app while you’re on the go. Find your mobile device and connect it to your account with the easy to use screen here at dropbox.com/mobile

Chapter 4 – Discovering the Installed Dropbox Client on Your Computer

Important Features of the Dropbox Client On Your Computer

Some useful ‘hacks’ using the Dropbox Client on your work and home computers can really save you time and give you peace of mind. Dropbox saves all different versions of a document for up to 30 days, making this ideal for tracking revisions on, for example, print advertisements or amended phrases in legal contracts. Here there is outlined a step-by-step process for beginners that will save some time and effort. Of course, Dropbox also does this for you in their ‘Get Started’ tab at the far left of the homepage screen.

Saving Your File

You need to upload your file to dropbox if you are online, but once you download the app you can make your Dropbox account your Documents Folder. This allows you to save and store files with ease. You can do this in two ways: In Windows 7 or Vista you will need to Right-click My Documents > Properties > Location. Select "Move" and locate your Dropbox. In Mac OS X: Open Terminal (search for it in Spotlight or locate it in your applications folder) and type ‘cd Dropbox’. Hit return, then type ‘ln -s ~/Documents /Documents’. Hit Enter and it will make Dropbox your Documents Folder.

How to Create a New File?

Unlike Google Drive, you cannot make a new file within Dropbox. You need to create a document first as a hard file, then upload it to the platform. You can use any software program to create a usable format for Dropbox to utilize: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat and Microsoft Word, Excel, Slideshows, html based files, text files and more.

How to Place an Existing File to a Dropbox folder?

Once you download the app, you will have a Dropbox icon on your desktop. If you are using a Mac, when you save the document select the Dropbox icon. If using a PC you can drag and drop the file over the Dropbox Icon. You will understand this as an avid computer user, the Dropbox system will prompt you at every action, making this simple to use and understand.

How to Create a New File in a New Folder in Dropbox?

Unlike other data storage systems or cloud technologies like Google Drive, you are unable to create a new file from the Dropbox homepage. You will always need to create a file outside of Dropbox before you are able to upload and share it. If you are just beginning to organize files, start by creating folders for specific subjects or clients. From your desktop you can open Dropbox as an application, and create a new folder by hovering over the little icon that is a folder with a plus sign in a circle above it. It will ask you to name the folder, you must name all folders before Dropbox will create a new folder Then you can upload a file to that folder, and once you are finished you can share that folder and all it’s contents.

Pro tip: Additional uses for Dropbox include using it as a multi-platform “clipboard”. A great thing about Dropbox is its speed. Uploads and download are only limited by the internet connection speed, and these actions start almost immediately. This is great for “copying” and “pasting” files from one computer to another. Just copy and paste something into Dropbox, then copy and paste out of it on another computer. Home security is an important feature you can connect as well. Use your Dropbox to keep updated and view the happenings at your home while you’re away. Connect a motion sensor camera to your computer. Whenever the camera detects motion, it takes video. Set the camera software to save the video files, which should be short enough in length and low enough in resolution as to not be too huge of a file size, in your Dropbox folder after downloading the software. Just log in to your Dropbox, and check for videos. This way you can skip the high price of monthly security monitoring that is usually attached to the cable bill. Chapter 5: Exploring Your Dropbox Web Interface

The Different Buttons of Your Homepage

All of your most important tools have a prominent place in the upper right hand side of the screen. They are represented by simple icons that are easy to understand. There is also a search field next to your tools, for quickly locating a file or folder. Dropbox has a spare and clean design that allows users to see what is most important without a lot of sub sections that may become confusing. This design is favored by many in the way that information, tabs and links are displayed.

Upload File
The Upload button is the very first in the toolbar in the upper right of your Dropbox homepage. Simply click the icon and it will prompt you to locate the file for uploading. You can choose multiple files all at once or you can do it one by one if you have an older operating system. If a file is large, this may be the best option. This is highlighted as a link in blue text under the instructions in the pop-up box that the Upload File button initiated as ‘basic uploader’.

New Folder
The New Folder Button is next to the Upload Button. This enables you to create a new folder by clicking on the icon. You must always name your folders, it won’t create a new folder otherwise. Once you have done that, click on the folder and you will see it is empty. A graphic will depict a box with photos and papers coming out, and text saying that your folder is empty. You will be prompted to upload a file. You can also go back to the Dropbox homepage and drag and drop files into your new folder.

Share a Folder
The Share a Folder icon is next to the New Folder icon. It is a folder with a small rainbow in the corner of the folder. This indicated sharing options. You can either do one of two things here: Create a shared folder or share an existing folder. This allows your collaborators to upload and download files from this folder, make corrections and view changes.

Show Deleted Files
The Trash Can Icon between the Share a Folder icon and the search field is a great asset. You can always see deleted files here. This is great for many reasons. This way you never lose a file, if you need to see changes, to compare originals from revisions or any other reason, deleted files are there for viewing. When you click the icon, the trash can lid opens, making it easy to see what options are activated.

Files
To the left hand side of the homepage there is a vertical list of additional options. Here you can control what is in your viewing field. Select Files and you will see all your files at a glance. This is the default view for the homepage.

Imagine this: Instead of sharing your iTunes library over all your family’s computers, by keeping the files on a server or shared hard drive, simply keep it in your Dropbox folder. Setup the Dropbox App on all the computers that will be in use and then access the same library with all the same meta data (with your personal ratings, genre labels, album cover artwork) from everywhere. Although, unless your music library is relatively small, this option requires a paid account. 2 GBs of storage is not enough to hold most people’s music collections.

Photos
When you select Photos in the left hand side of the screen you will see all your photo documents. This includes all photo formats: png files, jpegs, svg, pdfs, photo clippings, and gif files. Basically any pixel or vector based artwork will come into view once Photos is selected.

Pro tip: With the Android and iPhone apps, upload photos directly to your Dropbox or take snapshots within the app itself (Android only). Make a folder within the Photos folder in your Dropbox. Doing so will allow you to share it with others, too.

If you find that you have a lot of photographs to organize and popular photo apps have excessive features you didn't need, Dropbox is your free and easy solution. Paid for photo applications can fill up your hard drive, use excessive CPU cycles, and for the most part they don’t deliver the promise of organizing photos with ease. Rather than continue wasting your precious time, organize your photos with Dropbox and you’ll see all your problems solved.

Sharing
The Sharing option is a great tool: You can see at a glance who has joined your shared folders and when they joined, what files were modified and who else has been invited. For collaborators on multiple projects this makes working together easier than ever. When your co-workers or your client joins the shared folder, they will automatically be able to download it to their Dropbox homepage or to their desktop or mobile device. When things sync automatically it makes even the most computer illiterate user feel good. Here you can share with confidence, nearly 325 million files are uploaded and shared every day over this data cloud network.

Collaborators are not limited to just office workers and students, rapper will.i.am and DJ David Guetta used Dropbox to mix the single ‘I Got a Feeling’. Also, Haitian relief workers used Dropbox to keep and publicize records of their dead after the natural disaster that affected their island nation. Even major sports teams share videos of rival team strategies using Dropbox.

Pro tip: There are so many applications already on the market for sharing photos with your family and friends abroad, but Dropbox is the best solution. Dropbox is also the easiest to use. Rather than taking valuable time to upload files to a remote service, instead drag files from your computer or favourite photo management application (iPhoto, Picasa or from your hard drive) and drop them in a folder under Dropbox’s Photo folder. Those images will automatically create a gallery that is easy for people to see. All you need to do is right click on a folder of images. Then copy the public gallery link. Finally you are free to email the link to those you want to share with, or post the link on your favorite social media platform. Links to galleries engage users and boost your presence on the web.

Links
The Links feature is perfect for sharing files with people. Even if they don’t have a Dropbox account, they can still view and download files that you share via a link. If a file is too large to attach, for instance, to an email to a fellow co-worker or a client presentation, this will always work. It is great for large files that ate photos, videos, slideshow presentations or simple text documents.

Events
The Events Tab allows a user to view a complete history of your user activity. Like a timeline, this is useful for tracking actions like renaming files or sharing files with new people. Activity can be traced back between you and collaborators on different files and shared folders. It also tracks your uploads and downloads, so you can stay organized easily. This is also the place where you can track the amount of MB your account has accumulated, Dropbox rewards your activity this way with a pink heart icon.

Get Started
Usually overlooked, the Get Started tab is hugely useful. You can get important information about using Dropbox here from the source. There are also tasks you can accomplish in order to accumulate more data storage space. The First thing you should do here is look at the Tour. In a few pages, Dropbox explains its usefulness in easy to read comical illustrations. One of the best things about Dropbox, besides its flexibility of course, is that the app offers a large and extensive help section. Any and all questions that you could ever think of can be answered here. You will also find even more applications for your various platforms concerning your mobile phones.

Chapter 6: Dropbox on Your Mobile Device

Know your mobile device has limits. Install the Dropbox service on the likes of Android and iOS devices, but be aware that there are limitations. The app will not constantly run in the background, as it can on a desktop computer, and files do not automatically sync unless you have the benefit of a third party software installed.
To be 100% sure you must manually make sure the files you need are up to date, like marking them as Favorites. This teaches Dropbox to mark them as a priority automatically. Also, be mindful of the type of media you are sharing with Dropbox. A large video or high resolution pixel based artwork or photo files will send your bandwidth charges soaring sky high.
Get Dropbox on Any Mobile Device
Dropbox supports a plethora of mobile devices that include the iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry and the Kindle Fire. Go to the page dropbox.com/mobile and either enter your mobile phone number or your email address, and open your email on that mobile device. Dropbox will direct you to their downloads page and easily locate the right download option for your specific device.

Downloading Files
Once you have the Dropbox App on your device, it is very simple to download files to your device. Even if you don’t have an internet connection, you can still view documents offline. In the Dropbox Homepage, select a file or a folder. When it expands in your window, you will see a few different icons in the upper right hand side of the screen. One is a star. When you hit the star you are Favoriting the document. This will save the document in an offline folder, where you can have access to it anytime.

Different Dropbox Icons
You will see a few different icons once you are in the Dropbox window. One is a small chain indicating an option to access a file via an external link, the one next to it is a star. The star enables you to Favorite a document, making it available for view anytime whether you have an internet connection or not. The last icon is a box with an arrow, which will offer additional options for the document viewing.

How to download and open a file on your mobile device?
Simply tap on the Dropbox app and it will show you all your files and folders. Tap a document and see the icons in grey in the right hand corner. Tap to download, or simply favorite the document so it will always be there for viewing.

Uploading Files
To upload files to dropbox you have a few options. You can upload photos and videos automatically taken from your Android device. This feature is called Camera Upload, and you can turn it on when you first install the app or by going to the app's settings. You can also choose whether to allow uploading when your device is connected to a cellular network. Users can also decide to upload photos and videos manually. First begin at the location within your Dropbox where you would like to put these files. Then tap the menu button in the top-right corner of the screen and choose ‘Upload here’. You can select files from your gallery or your phone's local memory.

Pro tip: Dropbox has also developed a new feature which allows you to upload all of your mobile phone photos to your personal Dropbox (via Wifi). You'll never lose those important memories again. Additionally, you can use Phoshare to backup your iPhoto Library to Dropbox automatically. Use the command below to enable this feature.
/Applications/Phoshare.app/Contents/*MacOS/Phoshare* -e . -d -k -u --size 1920 --iphoto "~/Pictures/iPhoto Library" --export "~/Dropbox/iPhoto Backup"

Another Protip: You can drop a PDF in a Dropbox folder and it would automatically show up on your Kindle. Imported photos can automatically scaled themselves down to a smaller size. Also, if your PDF documents can automatically signed themselves. Impossible you say? These are just a few of the examples of what an app called Wappwolf can do along with your Dropbox account. How does Wappwolf work? It works by connecting to your Dropbox account and watching folders of your choice for types of files that you specify. It basically tracks your habits and actually learns your preferences. When it sees anything that matches criteria you specify by your common actions, it performs an action in sync with your history. For example, if a folder called "New Photos" and it contains all new photos that were imported into your Dropbox account, it detects that new JPEG files added to it.
Wappwolf intuitively knows to then scale them down, add text, and do other things you normally would do automatically. It will then create a processed folder, which will contain the new images. Then place it in Dropbox and contain all the newly edited JPEG images you want without any direction from you. There are many things you can do with JPEGs and other types of files. Here let us create a sample action, then look at more actions you might want to try out for yourself.
Creating Your First Action is simple. If you have experience with common html commands this will be a piece of cake. If not, no worries, this section illustrated in easy to understand steps how to accomplish this. First thing, of course, is to sign up or sign into your Dropbox account. Then Sign up for a Wappwolf account in a few easy steps.Before you start, you will need to sign up for an account—which is outlined here. Visit the site wappwolf.com and sign in with your Dropbox account (you can also do the same steps for your Google Drive account if desired). If you're hesitant about allowing full access, you can specify to Wappwolf access to a single-folder when you set-up permissions. This will keep it from seeing all the files in your account. Wappwolf will create, by itself, a sample automation for you that will downsize multiple images and add text. You can choose to delete this, since it is just a sample, and then move on to the next step.
Now you will need to choose a folder. When you are just beginning and you have no active Wappwolf actions, when you sign in it will take you to the ‘Choose a Folder’ step. Once this is set -up all you will need to do in the future is click the "Create a new automation" button. This will show you a list of all the folders in your Dropbox. You can select one, and click the radio button next to its name. Then click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page.How to create a selection of an action (or multiple actions)? After choosing a folder, Wappwolf will present you with a list of actions that will be organized by file type. Before you can choose an action, you will have to decide which types of files you are going to be working with. Pick anything you'd like. Here are steps to set up a Document-based action. Here is a step-by-step outline to convert any document dropped into this folder to a PDF. Do this by clicking the button next to the "Convert it to PDF" choice. A huge list will appear that shows the supported file types so you will know what viable options are. Standard file formats are represented here: from Word to Rich Text to HTML will work just fine. Be sure to take note of these supported formats before you begin saving unsupported documents, otherwise they will be ignored. Go ahead and click the "Add Action" button underneath the supported file formats list.You can click the "finished?" button at the top of the screen once you have completed this action. Or you can add an additional action. Now that you have created the file is a PDF, you may decide to delete the original. Add this option from the Advanced section, located at the bottom of the actions list. If you look to the Any file section, you can select several additional options like encryption or uploading to another file sharing service. Build your confidence by playing with any additional actions.
At this time you may like to add a document to your Folder. Wappwolf will display the newly activated action on the main page of your account. Test it out! Go into the Dropbox folder that you just set up and add a supported file. The file will need to be synced up with Dropbox so allow a few moments. When completed, Wappwolf recognizes it and will begin turning it into a PDF. A processed folder appear, and your original file will be moved into it. It may seem like the original file was deleted, but relax: it just moved. This whole process takes time, so expect results to begin to appear after a few seconds.Explore the actions Wappwolf has available, but there are a couple you should definitely know about because they're especially useful. You can convert an Audio File to a New Format. By far, the most popular automation on Wappwolf is audio conversion. Just drop a file in a folder and let Wappwolf do the work for you. What's really great is that you can use any of the following formats: MP3, AIFF, FLAC, M4A, OGG, WAV, or WMA. Let Wappwolf pick the settings for you. Or if you are especially picky about your music preferences, you can click on an "Advanced Settings" link to set the bit rate, frequency, number of channels, and other settings. Automatically convert a lossless file to one you can easily share online. Or you can batch convert a bunch of lossless audio files to a lossy format for your MP3 player.
You can automatically sign PDF Documents. You can just place a PDF file in a folder and a signed copy will be returned to you in a few seconds—it's a long process to set up. You have to use another third-party service called Xyzmo. Getting started requires a few simple steps, like filling out a form and providing of information to Xyzmo. Once you complete setup process, however, you can have your documents signed for you. You also should note that this is an electronic signature and not a pasted handwritten signature, so that may put off new users. If you are managing a large amount of paperwork, say for instance, in a law firm, this may be an action worth the time. Always be sure that a that a third party extension of Dropbox software is approved by your employer before initiating a third party app. This is a minor detail but important when working as a transparent contractor within a larger company.
Chapter 7: Sharing and Sending Files on Your Dropbox

The Difference between Public Links, Shareable Link and Shared Folders
Public links are viewable to everyone. Whether you have shared it directly with someone or not, it becomes a searchable document when anyone looks for it on the internet. A shareable link is only viewable to people who have received a link directly, or who have been invited to a shared document or folder. A Shared Folder is the most secure way to share information. It ensures the privacy of a folder and its contents.

How to share files and folders with anyone?
When your folder or file is complete and ready to be shared, view that file and click the share icon in the upper right hand corner, the icon depicting a file with a small rainbow at its corner. A window will pop up and ask you who to share it with and what sharing options you want to enable. You can share with people either by a link or by entering their email address. You will get an email notification when they join the folder.

Pro tip: A great way to use Dropbox is to show off Design Mockups. When building a website design in flat html, you may want to show off your mockups to a client without upload to a server. You can create a folder in your DropBox then get the public URL for your site (i.e. for index.html). Share this URL with your friends or clients and start getting feedback right away. The good thing is that this updates every time you make a change and save. No more worrying you uploading the latest changes via FTP.You can utilize Dropbox as a static host for a website DropPages provides a useful service to help you host static websites via Dropbox. Simply edits the files on your computer then they'll sync automatically. Setup is really simple, you just need to share the folder to DropPages and they'll take care of the rest.You can also read books on your iPhone. Dropbox recently created an iPhone interface for the web application, allowing you to easily log in. Then view the files in your Dropbox. You can open PDF's and other text files on your iPhone then leave them live in a Safari tab to read whenever you like. You can also browse other documents that you might need on the go, for example Airline or travel itineraries. You can also do this by favoriting a document and that document will appear in your Favorites folder when you are not connected to the internet.
How to receive files to your Dropbox from anyone?
Simply allow clients or coworkers to share files with you by giving them your email address associated with your Dropbox account. When you receive a share request you will be notified by email or look in your Shared Tab at the left of the Dropbox homepage. There you can see the activity to your account.

How to send a file to your Dropbox using email?
Third party developers have created some viable options that work in concert with the Dropbox application. If you create an account at SendToDropbox.com, you can send files to a custom email address as attachments. Users can also copy and paste links to files within their emails to clients and coworkers.

Pro tip: You may want to create multiple Dropbox accounts. For instance, one for home and one for work. It's clear that you would want to keep these files in separate places. Dropbox will not allow you to run two accounts at the same time, you will always need to login and logout to access each account. However, It's possible to get OSX to run multiple Dropbox instances, there is a unique app called Dropbox Encore that allows you to have two separate accounts running at the same time. You can also do this using a Windows operating system, but it is a bit more involved.
Create a DropBox account with your primary Windows user first. Use the standard default install method for this. Next, you will have to do one of two things: either create a new Windows user or pick an existing one already setup on your machine that you'll use to run the second DropBox instance. This new user account does not need to be an administrator or anything special, just a normal user is fine. This user must be password enabled. It doesn't have to be a complex password, but do not leave it blank.
Login to your machine as your new user. Once logged in, download and re-install DropBox as the new user (you may have to enter an admin password here if your new created user identity isn't an admin himself). Go through the entire setup process and sync out the DropBox repository to a location that will be accessible to your primary user account. Something like <c:\dropbox> works just fine.
Airdrop Files to Yourself Airdropper is a third party program that performs in sync with Dropbox. It lets users send files directly to their Dropbox via a public URL. Great for time sensitive materials like competition submissions, commercial printers or any work related project with a hard deadline.Another Pro tip: You can track thieves that might steal your mobile devices. This is one of the lesser known DropBox ‘hacks’ that is completely valuable to every user. You can use your DropBox to catch potential laptop thieves or security breaches. Set up a Keylogger on your system and run it in the background to save all the logs to your DropBox. If anyone steals your laptop or uses it and connects to the internet, you will have a complete list view of everything they are doing. This includes all the services they may have logged into.Another Pro tip: If you are a marketing guru and you intend to sell, for instance, videos from your website it can be beneficial to use a Dropbox folder as a means of conveyance. Store videos or any other files you sell. Send your buyers directly to the folder where you have stored their purchased files.Chapter 8: Get More Free Space

Tips on How to Get More Storage Space for Free
Dropbox gives you 250MB of free storage for every friend you refer. So leave your referral link in comments, your Facebook profile, and your Twitter feed because you can earn up to 8GB of free storage.

There is a checklist of tasks you can perform to enable Dropbox to expand your access to data. That list is here at dropbox.com/gs. It includes simple actions that take only a few moments. Follow @Dropbox on Twitter and like their Facebook business page. Take the site tour, both helpful and a little quirky with some humor thrown into the stick figure illustrations paired with text. Download the app for your preferred device and you can earn more data storage. Only about 4% of Dropbox users actually pay for their account. The other 96% use it free of charge by utilizing these simple tips to accumulate more free data storage.
It is easy to get more friends and coworkers to join. Just share a document with them. You can’t force them to join but a little encouragement helps. It is extremely easy to use and the cloud data storage means that people can share and save documents anywhere and anytime.
The best thing about Dropbox is that you will very rarely see any advertisement about their services. Once someone begins to use it, it is dependent on word of mouth to get other people on board. Together with their users, Dropbox has created a huge following. Dropbox is not ‘preachy’ about their service, it just performs and performs well.
Since it has become so popular, many software developers have really played with third party extensions. Making Dropbox one of the most successful free to use apps on the market when it comes to cloud data storage. Software developers are so impressed with this business model, that they are following in Dropbox’s foot prints. Today people understand the value of ‘free’. It used to be a dirty word, indicating that ‘free’ automatically equals ‘no value’. But it is just the opposite, as a free service it has expanded the parameters of what a free public service should be.