Creating a Dropbox Account and Installing the Desktop Version

Module 11.1.2: Creating a Dropbox Account and Installing the Desktop Version

You will first need to create a Dropbox account, and if you want to manage files in the familiar Windows environment, install the desktop version on your computer. This involves several steps and can be a bit clunky. To create a free account, start by going to How to download and install Dropbox. Under the first level two heading, you can follow the instructions for downloading and installing the software, and signing up for a free account. You will also need to be on the lookout for an email asking you to verify your identity. Once the program is installed on your computer, a Dropbox shortcut appears on your Desktop. The Dropbox folder is located in your user folder. With the paid accounts for both programs, you can select folders to download to your computer, and others to be stored only in the cloud. If you anticipate using a significant amount of this storage space, considering which folders you want to take up space on your computer may be an important issue. For individuals, there are four categories of sharing: between your devices, with other people without editing rights, with other people with editing rights (also known as sharing collaboratively), and between apps on your smartphone. Each will be discussed below.