Dropbox is a cloud-based data storage and synchronization service that, until recently, was one of the most used tools for sharing large files. If you’re one of the people who still use Dropbox, this article explains what its integration with Gmail opens up for you.
How does Dropbox work?
Dropbox is a specialized application with a very wide range of uses.
What does Dropbox do? It stores files in the cloud. Since 2007, it has been solving the problems of all students and employees who forget to take a USB flash drive with them. Saving an important file in Dropbox guarantees access to it from any device connected to the Internet.
Why should you use it? First of all, because it is fast and safe on Windows, Linux, and macOS, as well as on Android and iOS. It’s perfect cloud storage for anyone.
So why has it been gradually losing popularity in recent years? This is not the fault of Dropbox, but the growing competition. Dropbox is the cloud-based storage – and nothing else. It is excellent in its niche, but other cloud service designers have gone the extra mile.
The advantage of all-in-one services
Google meets all the needs of office workers at once and offers one convenient subscription. As a flexible cloud-native service, G Suite inherits little from early experiments with local software. This bundle of apps was designed with online collaboration and mobility in mind.
See also:
- G Suite vs. Microsoft 365 – Which One Should You Choose?
- Google Drive – How to Store Company’s Documents and Files in the Cloud?
The ubiquity of G Suite has made other manufacturers of web solutions treat integration with Google applications as a priority. That’s why every user of Gmail has access to hundreds of thousands of add-ons that make work easier.
Dropbox did not miss this chance either. Although it doesn’t offer email or productivity programs, it created the Dropbox for Gmail plugin. Thanks to this, anyone with a Google account can connect their mailbox with all the files stored in Dropbox.
Installing Dropbox for Gmail
Go to the Dropbox for Gmail Add-on page in the G Suite Marketplace and click Install. In the pop-up window, select the appropriate Google account and consent to the processing of data by the add-on. The next time you visit your inbox, you’ll see this in the bar on the right:
Log in to your Dropbox account in Gmail to access all your files without leaving the inbox.
Features of the Dropbox for Gmail plugin
Adding attachments as links – select any Dropbox file from the side panel in Gmail, generate a unique sharing link, and paste in the message. This is the best way to share files. The file is available instantly and doesn’t use up your mailbox capacity.
Uploading received attachments to Dropbox – the add-on also allows you to place the attachment in the Dropbox cloud with one click, without having to download it to your computer’s hard drive first.
Full synchronization – when you make corrections to a shared file, everyone who has access will see it. You don’t need to send them an update.
Access management – even after sharing a file, you retain full control over it, and you can revoke the access to viewing or editing it.
Instance-wide deployment – You can install the Dropbox for Gmail plug-in for your account, but as a G Suite administrator, you can quickly add it to all users’ accounts at once.
Dropbox for Gmail – security
Every time you consider installing a third-party add-on in G Suite, double-check the app’s permissions. Plugins that process corporate data should always come from trusted sources.
In the case of Dropbox for Gmail, we must take into account that the application has access to:
- Information about our contacts;
- Managing drafts and viewing emails (temporary access; only when you use the add-on);
- Connecting to external servers;
- Information about the language, country, and time zone.
If your inbox contains sensitive company or customer data, do not risk sharing it with other service providers. Remember that it’s safer to keep all your data in one ecosystem – so consider storing them in Google Drive.
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