Dropbox Integration
6 min read
Updated Apr 13, 2026
Overview
The Dropbox add-on lets you serve download files directly from your Dropbox account. Leverage Dropbox’s reliable infrastructure, easy sharing features, and sync capabilities to manage your downloadable files.
Prerequisites
- WordPress Download Manager installed
- Dropbox add-on installed and activated
- Dropbox account (Basic, Plus, or Business)
- Dropbox App created
Benefits
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Easy Sync | Desktop app syncs automatically |
| 2GB Free | Start without cost |
| Simple Sharing | Easy link sharing |
| Version History | File recovery built-in |
| Cross-Platform | Access from anywhere |
Dropbox App Setup
Step 1: Create a Dropbox App
- Go to the Dropbox App Console
- Click Create app button
- Select Scoped access as the API type
- Choose Full Dropbox to access all files, or App folder for limited access
- Enter a unique name for your app (e.g., MyWebsite Download Manager)
- Click Create app
Step 2: Get App Credentials
- From the Settings tab of your Dropbox app
- Copy the App Key
- Click Show next to App Secret and copy it
Step 3: Add Redirect URI
- In the Settings tab, scroll to OAuth 2 section
- Under Redirect URIs, add your site’s redirect URL:
https://yourwebsite.com/dropbox-redirect - Click Add
Important: Replace yourwebsite.com with your actual domain. The redirect URI is also displayed in WPDM Settings → Dropbox Connect tab.
Step 4: Configure App Permissions
After adding Redirect URI, go to the Permissions tab and enable the following scopes:
account_info.read– Read account informationfiles.metadata.read– Read file and folder metadatafiles.content.read– Download file contentsfiles.content.write– Upload and modify files
Click Submit to save permissions.
Step 5: Configure WPDM Settings
- In WordPress admin, go to Downloads → Settings → Dropbox Connect
- Select your Account Type (Personal or Business)
- Enter the App Key from Step 2
- Enter the App Secret from Step 2
- Click Save Changes
Step 6: Connect Your Account
- After saving credentials, click the Connect to Dropbox button
- A popup window will open asking you to authorize the app
- Click Allow to grant access
- The popup will close and you’ll see a green Connected status
✓ Connected Your Name | your-email@example.com Token expires: Apr 30, 2030 7:35 AM
Step 7: Set Root Folder (Optional)
After connecting, you can optionally set a Root Folder to limit browsing to a specific Dropbox folder. Leave empty to access your entire Dropbox.
Video Tutorial
Using Dropbox with Packages
Attaching Files from Dropbox
- Edit or create a new download package
- In the Attach File” metabox, click the Select From Dropbox button
- Browse your Dropbox folders in the popup file picker
- Select files or folders by clicking the checkbox
- Click “Attach Selected” to add them to your package
File Picker Features
- List/Grid View – Toggle between compact list and visual grid layouts
- Create Folder – Create new folders directly from the picker
- Upload Files – Drag and drop files to upload to Dropbox
- Multi-Select – Select multiple files/folders at once
- Breadcrumb Navigation – Easy navigation through folder hierarchy
Dropbox Explorer (Admin)
Access the full Dropbox file manager from Downloads → Dropbox in your WordPress admin. This provides:
- Complete file and folder browsing
- File upload with drag-and-drop
- Folder creation and deletion
- File search functionality
- Direct download links
Frontend Dropbox Explorer
Display your Dropbox files to website visitors using any of these methods:
[wpdm_dropbox_explorer path="/Public/Documents" title="Shared Files" height="500px" allow_download="1"]
// Basic usage
[wpdm_dropbox_explorer path="/Public"]
// Custom title and height
[wpdm_dropbox_explorer path="/Documents" title="Company Documents" height="600px"]
// Read-only gallery (no downloads)
[wpdm_dropbox_explorer path="/Media/Photos" allow_download="0" height="400px"]
// With custom CSS class
[wpdm_dropbox_explorer path="/Downloads" class="my-custom-explorer"]Shortcode Parameters
| Parameter | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
path | Yes | – | Dropbox folder path (e.g., “/Public/Docs”) |
title | No | Folder name | Custom title displayed in header |
height | No | 500px | Explorer height (px, vh, or %) |
allow_download | No | 1 | Enable downloads (1 = yes, 0 = no) |
class | No | – | Additional CSS classes |
Gutenberg Block
- In the block editor, click + to add a new block
- Search for Dropbox Explorer
- Add the block to your page
- Configure settings in the block sidebar:
- Path – Enter Dropbox folder path
- Title – Optional custom title
- Allow Downloads – Toggle on/off
- Height – Adjust using slider
- Style options available for colors, borders, and shadows
Elementor Widget
- In Elementor editor, search for Dropbox Explorer widget
- Drag it to your page
- Configure in the Content tab:
- Dropbox Folder Path
- Title
- Allow Downloads toggle
- Customize in the Style tab:
- Dimensions (responsive height)
- Container styling (border radius, shadow)
- Header colors
- File list styling
- Download button appearance
Frontend Explorer Features
- Responsive Design – Works on all devices
- List/Grid Toggle – Users can switch view modes
- Breadcrumb Navigation – Easy folder traversal
- Search – Find files within the explorer
- Secure Downloads – Temporary links prevent direct Dropbox URL exposure
- Dark Mode – Automatically follows site theme preference
File Reference Format
Files stored as Dropbox path:
dropbox:///Downloads/software-v2.0.zip
Or by file ID:
dropbox://id:abc123xyz
App Folder vs Full Access
Full Dropbox Access
Access type: Full Dropbox
- Access all files in account
- Browse entire Dropbox
- Existing files accessible
App Folder Only
Access type: App folder
- Restricted to
/Apps/YourAppName/ - More secure
- Need to move files to app folder
Which to Choose?
| Use Case | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Existing files | Full Dropbox |
| New setup | App folder |
| Security priority | App folder |
| Team use | Full Dropbox |
Dropbox Plans
Storage Limits
| Plan | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | 2 GB | Free |
| Plus | 2 TB | $11.99/mo |
| Professional | 3 TB | $19.99/mo |
| Business Standard | 5 TB | $15/user/mo |
| Business Advanced | Unlimited | $24/user/mo |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Basic | Plus | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | 2 GB | 2 TB | 5 TB+ |
| File recovery | 30 days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Smart Sync | No | Yes | Yes |
| Team folders | No | No | Yes |
| Admin controls | No | No | Yes |
Folder Organization
Recommended Structure
Dropbox/
├── Apps/
│ └── WPDM Integration/ (if using App folder)
│ ├── Software/
│ ├── Documents/
│ └── Templates/
├── Downloads/ (if using Full access)
│ ├── Current/
│ ├── Archive/
│ └── Previews/
└── Shared/
└── Team Files/
Default Folder
Set starting folder:
Default Path: /Downloads/Current
Troubleshooting
Authorization Failed
Causes:
- Wrong app credentials
- Redirect URI mismatch
- App not configured correctly
Solutions:
- Verify app key/secret
- Check redirect URI matches exactly
- Ensure permissions (scopes) set
- Re-authorize
File Not Found
Causes:
- File moved or deleted
- Path changed
- Using App folder but file outside
Solutions:
- Verify file exists in Dropbox
- Re-browse and re-attach
- Check if using correct access type
Rate Limit Exceeded
Causes:
- Too many API requests
- Heavy download traffic
Solutions:
- Enable link caching
- Use proxy for high-traffic files
- Upgrade Dropbox plan
Link Expired
Cause: Temporary link expired before download
Solutions:
- Increase link expiry time
- Use shared links for slow downloads
- Check download speed
Security
Best Practices
- Use App folder – Limits access scope
- Enable 2FA – On Dropbox account
- Review connected apps – Remove unused
- Monitor access – Check Dropbox activity
- Temporary links – Prevent permanent sharing
Revoking Access
- Go to Downloads > Settings > Dropbox Connect
- Click Disconnect
Related Documentation
- Amazon S3 Integration
- Google Drive Integration
- OneDrive Integration
- File Attachments
- WPDM Dropbox Explorer
Applies to: WordPress Download Manager 7.x + Dropbox Add-on