Free of charge (with a paid upgrade option), Dropbox lets you upload your files to folders accessible anywhere there's an Internet connection. It eliminates the hassle of emailing yourself attachments and running into size limits. People can use Dropbox through the desktop app, mobile apps or via the web.
Dropbox is a simple service, but you may not realize there are several ways to amp up the user experience. You can "favorite" files for offline reading, upload documents via URL, download torrents remotely so they're ready by the time you get home and more. Here are the 10 things you didn't know you could do with Dropbox.
Digital Nomad? Use Dropbox for all your documents
What if you want access to all your files, everywhere? You can do that if you wish. Create a documents folder ion Dropbox, and make that your default documents folder across all your computers. Of course, if you have a huge documents folder, you'll want to get extra storage from Dropbox to make sure that you have sufficient space for all your files.
Use Dropbox as a photo archive
You can use Dropbox to manage your photos. Any images you've saved to Dropbox now appear in an image archive, sorted by date. You can create photo albums, so that you can easily share important photos with friends. If you want to use your images on the Web? Just drag the image into your public folder and grab the link.
Back up apps to Dropbox
Many apps, especially those which work across multiple devices, will back themselves up to Dropbox if you choose Dropbox as your backup location. Check out the backup locations in the preferences and settings of your favorite apps to see whether they offer this option.
Save space on small computers with selective sync
If you're using a computer with a small hard drive, turn on Selective Sync. This option lets you choose which folders you want to be synced to a computer. Access this option via Preferences/Advanced/Change Settings, and you can choose which folders will be synced to the computer you're using.
Sync your iTunes library between your home and home computers
If you want to play your music and videos everywhere, you can sync your iTunes library to Dropbox. Just move your iTunes library to a folder in Dropbox. Then hold down the Shift key on a PC, or the Option key on a Mac, when you start iTunes. iTunes will ask for the new location of your library: browse to your Dropbox folder.
Publish a website on Dropbox
Want to create a website in Dropbox? You can with Pancake.io. Get as fancy as you like, or just publish plain text. You don't need to worry about domain names and hosting to create a super-quick website. Pancake.io supports popular files types too, such as MS office documents, PDFs, and images.
Back up your most important files to Dropbox: Use Dropbox for security
No matter how careful you are, and how often you back up your computer, things can go wrong. If you have files you can't afford to lose, copy them to Dropbox. Some apps will back up to Dropbox automatically, so check your favorite app to see whether there's a Back Up to Dropbox option.
Use Dropbox to access needed files wherever you are
Think of Dropbox as your digital suitcase. You can take needed files with you, so that you can access them ion any device. Check out Mobile Dropbox now. When you install Mobile Dropbox on your iOS, Android, Blackberry or Kindle Fire, you have access to everything in Dropbox, no matter where you are. You can use Mobile Dropbox to work on business documents at home; just copy the files to Dropbox. If you create files on your home computer, and save them to Dropbox, you can access them at work.
Use Dropbox as a download delivery system for sales
If you're starting a business selling downloads like MP3s, images, or eBooks, you can use Dropbox to deliver the files. If you are a keen photographer. A family friend sees your portfolio, and wants to buy an image. You sell the image. It occurs to you that others might be interested in your images, so you decide to offer them for sale. You create a small website and you make sales. Just send your buyers the links to their purchases images in your public Dropbox folder so that they can download them.
Share big files and folders with ease
If you've ever tried to send a huge file via email, you know that there are many challenges. End the frustration. Use Dropbox. You can share any file and folder you add to your Dropbox folder using its link. Right-click on a file in your public folder in Dropbox, and choose Copy Public Link. Send the link to anyone with whom you want to share the file, or post the link online.
As with many similar products, Dropbox makes for a great replacement for having a server at your office. And as you can see, not everything that you can do with Dropbox is meant for just helping you and your coworkers manage work-related content. The blurring between the benefits to home and work like this is just another reason why cloud solutions are increasingly popular in small businesses.
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