What is included with the CUNY Dropbox offering? 

CUNY has licensed Dropbox for students, faculty and administrative staff. Visit the CUNY Dropbox Training Resources web pages and the Dropbox Team member quick start guide in the Dropbox Help Center web site for introductory information on Dropbox features and how to use them.  

How do I get Dropbox? 

You can claim your Dropbox account by visiting dropbox.cuny.edu and entering your CUNY Login (@login.cuny.edu) credentials.

What does it mean to be ‘active’?

Active students are those who are enrolled and taking one or more courses for the current term at a CUNY college. Students become inactive following graduation or two consecutive semesters (Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall) without being enrolled and taking courses. 

Active faculty and staff are those who are in active pay status at CUNY, which includes individuals on paid leave, FMLA leave, military leave, or other special leave.  Faculty and staff become inactive once they are no longer employed by the University. 

Inactive Dropbox users will have the option to convert their University Dropbox account to a personal Dropbox account. 

How do I access Dropbox? 

You can access Dropbox by: 

  • Opening Dropbox.com, clicking Sign in, entering your CUNY Login credentials in the Dropbox Sign in page and then entering your CUNY Login credentials again in the CUNY Web Applications Login page (requires entering CUNY Login twice) 

Can I use Dropbox on my cell phone or tablet? 

Yes. You can download and install iOS and Android versions of the Dropbox applications from the Apple App Store (Apple iOS) and Google Play (Android). Alternatively, Dropbox redirects you to a mobile-optimized website when accessed using the browser on your mobile device. 

What data can I store and share in Dropbox? 

Please follow the University’s Acceptable Use of University Data in the Cloud Policy that governs what data can be stored and shared ​so data is protected from misuse or unauthorized access. By logging into Dropbox, you agree to follow this policy. 

Who do I contact if I am uncertain whether particular data should/should not be available through Dropbox? 

The University’s Acceptable Use of University Data in the Cloud Policy provides guidance on the question. Other CUNY Information Technology, Information Security, and University-wide policies and guidelines may also be applicable. 

If additional clarification is still necessary, please file a ticket with your campus help desk to seek clarification from the data owner, your Chief Information Officer or Information Security Manager, or with CUNY CIS in the Central Office. 

How do I get support for Dropbox? 

Support and instructions on using Dropbox are available from the Dropbox Help Center web pages. CUNY also provides links to some helpful tutorials and videos on the CUNY Dropbox Training Resources web pages. 

If you are having difficulty activating your CUNY Dropbox account or using your CUNY Login credentials to access Dropbox, please contact your campus help desk. 

How do I get started with Dropbox? 

Visit the CUNY Dropbox Training Resources web pages and the Dropbox Team member quick start guide in the Dropbox Help Center web site. 

Are my Dropbox files backed up? 

Dropbox does not perform traditional backups of data stored in Dropbox. You may choose to synchronize your Dropbox files so they are available on another device as long as you are careful not to exceed your storage capacity limits in Dropbox or on your device. 

What happens to my Dropbox content if I leave the University? 

You will have the option to convert your University Dropbox account to a personal Dropbox account within 60 days to avoid losing access to the content before it is deleted.  

What is Dropbox Paper? 

Paper provides a single collaborative, mash-up workspace in which people can contribute content from a variety of sources, in a variety of native file formats in real time. See the Dropbox Paper topic in Dropbox Team member quick start guide for more information. 

Can I use Dropbox with Microsoft Office 365 for Education?

Yes, you can use Microsoft Office 365 for Education files with Dropbox. See the Microsoft Office integration FAQs in the Dropbox Help Center for more information. 

Can I use Dropbox with Blackboard? 

Yes, see the Blackboard Help web site’s Add Files from Cloud Storage topic for information on accessing Dropbox files from Blackboard. 

How do I share my Dropbox content with other users? 

Dropbox uses email addresses to identify users and therefore the people with whom you want to collaborate or share files. Although CUNY Login is NOT an email address, CUNY has been able to associate each CUNY Login username with the user’s email address for Dropbox use. This association provides the ability to open a list of University Dropbox users to choose from (by CUNY Login, first or last name) and to send a notification email to those University Dropbox users. 

How do I receive email notifications from other Dropbox users? 

For notifications from other University Dropbox users, you will likely receive the notification via the email address as recorded in CUNYfirst: preferred email account for students and business email account for faculty and staff. For notifications from external users, it will be the email address you provided them. 

How can I tell the difference between my personal Dropbox account and my University Dropbox account? 

The primary difference is the manner in which you access them. You use your personal email address to access your personal Dropbox account and your CUNY Login credentials to access the CUNY Dropbox account. 

How do I install the Dropbox client on my computer?

See the Dropbox How to download and install Dropbox help topic for information on downloading and installing the Dropbox client on your computer.

Generally, you save the installation program on your computer and then run the program from the download location. If you are prompted to enter administrator credentials in order to install Dropbox, click No to close the window, then click Yes in response to the “Dropbox can be installed without administrator privileges. Continue?” prompt.

How do I add Dropbox to my Microsoft Office desktop applications?

Click on the Dropbox client on your computer and choose the Preferences menu option. Go to the “General” tab and enable the Show Dropbox as a save location in Microsoft Office checkbox.

You may need to exit and reopen all your Microsoft Office desktop applications before Dropbox is listed as a file open/save option.

What is the Dropbox “Badge”?

The Dropbox badge appears at the edge of applications to provide easy access to Dropbox features.

You can switch the badge off and on using the Dropbox client’s preferences settings.

Can I set up Dropbox to synchronize my files between the online cloud storage and my computer?

When setting up Dropbox on your computer or mobile device), you have the option to let the administrator manage synchronization settings (the default is keeping files “Online-only”) or choosing to maintain “Local” copies.

Online-only ensures you have access to files without worrying whether your files will exceed the storage capacity of your computer or mobile device, but you must be connected to the Internet to access them. Local lets you selectively synchronize individual folders and files so that you always have the latest version on your computer or mobile device

Can I combine my personal Dropbox account with my CUNY Dropbox account?

No, but you can share and move files between Dropbox accounts. See the following Dropbox help topics:
How to share a file or folder
Move files between two Dropbox Accounts

Can I install the Dropbox desktop client on a shared or lab computer?

Installing the Dropbox client on a shared or lab computer is NOT RECOMMENDED due to the risk of other users gaining access to your files.

How do I find out how much of my file space allocation remains?

Dropbox will warn you as you approach your file space allocation limit. You can check to see how much space is still available to you by opening your CUNY Dropbox account in a web browser, clicking on your profile icon, clicking Settings and then clicking the Plan tab. Both your CUNY Dropbox account and CUNY organizational file space allocations and usage are listed.

How do I recover deleted files in Dropbox?

Dropbox allows you to restore prior file versions and recover deleted files. See the descriptions for Dropbox Business accounts in File version history overview and What happens when I delete a file from my Dropbox account for more information.