Overview
Dropbox is a cloud-file-storage platform. The Automize Dropbox connector covers file/folder operations – list, download, upload, move, copy, delete – plus sharing links, search, and (basic) Paper docs.
- Regions: Dropbox is a single global service – api.dropboxapi.com. Data residency for Dropbox Business with Data Governance add-on can be pinned to a region; not exposed in the connector (file operations work transparently).
- Plans: Personal Basic, Plus, Family; Business Standard, Advanced, Enterprise – all expose the API. Paper, Sign, and Replay are separate APIs not covered here.
Setting up the connection
Auth type: oauth2_pkce.
- Go to dropbox.com/developers/apps → Create app.
- Choose 'Scoped access' + 'Full Dropbox' or 'App folder' (App folder is safer for one-purpose automation).
- Add scopes: files.metadata.read, files.metadata.write, files.content.read, files.content.write, sharing.read, sharing.write.
- Set the OAuth Redirect URI to the Automize Dropbox connector dialog's URL.
- Copy App key + App secret.
- In Automize, open Settings → Connectors → Dropbox → Add connection. Paste credentials, click Connect with Dropbox, sign in, approve.
Find your credentials at https://www.dropbox.com/developers/apps.
Rate limits
Dropbox enforces ~500 requests/min/app/user, plus per-endpoint limits. The connector retries 429 with the Retry-After header. For bulk downloads or listings of large folders, use list-folder/continue recursively rather than re-listing.
Data model
Path-based addressing:
Dropbox root ─┬─ folders ─── files (path: '/Folder/file.txt')
└─ shared folders (mounted into the user's tree)
Sharing: shared links + shared folders + collaborators
paths always start with '/'. The empty path '' means the root for most
endpoints (a Dropbox quirk).Available operations
16 operations available. Click any row to jump to its detail.
| Operation | Category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | General | Copy a file or folder |
| Create Folder | General | Create a folder |
| Create shared link | General | Create a shared link for a Dropbox file or folder. |
| Delete | General | Delete a file or folder |
| Download file | General | Download a file from Dropbox. |
| Get Account | General | Get current account info |
| Get Metadata | General | Get file/folder metadata |
| Get space usage | General | Get Dropbox account space usage. |
| Get temporary link | General | Get a temporary link to a Dropbox file. |
| List Folder | General | List files in a folder |
| List folder members | General | List members of a shared Dropbox folder. |
| List shared links | General | List shared links for a Dropbox file or folder. |
| Move | General | Move a file or folder |
| Save URL | General | Save a URL to a file in Dropbox |
| Search | General | Search for files |
| Upload file | General | Upload a file to Dropbox. |
Operations
Copy
Copy a file or folder
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
From Path from_path | Yes | text | |
To Path to_path | Yes | text |
Tips
- Creates a copy at the target path. Cross-account copies use a different endpoint.
Create Folder
Create a folder
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | Yes | text | |
Autorename autorename | Yes | text |
Tips
- path: full path of the new folder. autorename=true if you want safe creation.
Create shared link
Create a shared link for a Dropbox file or folder.
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | Yes | text | |
Settings settings | Yes | text |
Tips
- Creates a public link (or password-protected, expiring on paid plans).
- If a link already exists, returns the existing one.
Delete
Delete a file or folder
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | Yes | text |
Tips
- Soft-delete – moves to Recycle Bin (30 days). Use Permanently Delete to remove immediately.
Download file
Download a file from Dropbox.
No input parameters.
Tips
- Returns binary bytes. For files >150 MB, use the chunked download (not currently exposed).
Get Account
Get current account info
No input parameters.
Get Metadata
Get file/folder metadata
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | Yes | text |
Tips
- path. Returns name, size, modified, content_hash. Use to check existence without downloading.
Get space usage
Get Dropbox account space usage.
No input parameters.
Get temporary link
Get a temporary link to a Dropbox file.
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | No | text |
Tips
- Returns a short-lived direct URL (~4 hours) to download a file. Useful for piping into other systems without proxying through Dropbox API.
List Folder
List files in a folder
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | Yes | text | |
Recursive recursive | Yes | text | |
Limit limit | Yes | number |
Tips
- path: '/Documents' or '' for root.
- recursive=true walks subfolders (slow on large trees).
- Returns cursor – pass to Continue Folder to get next batch.
List folder members
List members of a shared Dropbox folder.
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Shared Folder Id shared_folder_id | No | text |
List shared links
List shared links for a Dropbox file or folder.
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | No | text |
Tips
- Returns links created on a path (or all links if no path).
Move
Move a file or folder
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
From Path from_path | Yes | text | |
To Path to_path | Yes | text |
Tips
- from_path + to_path. Cross-folder moves are atomic.
Save URL
Save a URL to a file in Dropbox
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Path path | No | text | |
Url url | Yes | text |
Search
Search for files
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Query query | Yes | text | |
Options options | Yes | text |
Tips
- query: filename or content (file types index varies). path scopes to a folder.
Upload file
Upload a file to Dropbox.
No input parameters.
Tips
- Simple upload for files <150 MB. mode: add (fail if exists), overwrite, update.
- autorename=true appends a number if the name conflicts.
FAQ
- App folder vs Full Dropbox – which?
- App folder = sandboxed sub-folder, only your app can see. Full Dropbox = entire user's Dropbox. Use App folder when you can – easier to audit, lower blast radius.
- Shared link vs temporary link?
- Shared link is permanent (until you revoke), can be shared. Temporary link is a direct-download URL valid ~4 hours, single-use-feel. Use temporary for piping bytes; shared for human collaboration.
- Why is my path failing with 'not_found' when the file exists?
- Path is case-sensitive. Match what's in Dropbox UI. Also: shared folders may have different paths for the owner vs members – use Get Metadata to confirm path.
- Upload >150 MB?
- Use the chunked upload session (start, append, finish). Not currently exposed in this connector – workaround: split upstream or use the Dropbox UI for one-offs.