What you need to know

• The Dropbox beta app for Windows is now available in the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 and Windows 11 users.
• It ships with a new experience that lets users access their saved files directly from the File Explorer or Taskbar. 
• It ships with support for x86, x64, and Arm64.

Dropbox recently launched a new beta version of its app for Windows 11 and Windows 10 users, accessible directly from the Microsoft Store. The app provides users with a secure place to save and access files from any device. It even allows you to share files with anyone.

The Dropbox folder for desktop ships with many capabilities, including faster uploads and easy access to all your stored files directly from your desktop. You can interact with the app and access your files directly from the File Explorer or Taskbar. You can also check the upload status of your files and recent activity by clicking on the Dropbox icon on the Taskbar.

Additionally, it'll hard drive space on your PC since it allows you to move locally stored files to online-only in Dropbox. Lastly, you can right-click your file while using the app to sign it, send it for signature, see version history, and more directly from your desktop. 

The new Dropbox beat app ships with many neat features

The app ships with support for the following features:

• Work with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Find files with content suggestions
• Add folder descriptions and to-dos
• Access work from any device

It's worth noting that there are two Dropbox apps in the Microsoft Store right now. More importantly, the Dropbox team says you can't use both apps simultaneously. You must uninstall one.

To access the new Dropbox beta app, you must run Windows 10 version 19044.0 or higher. It also supports x86, x64, and Arm64, making it a great fit for Qualcomm's much-anticipated Snapdragon X Elite processor. 

What you need to know

• You can now get a quick summary of your content in Dropbox using 
• Dropbox sports an AI-powered universal search tool that links all your content in a single search bar. 
• You'll soon be able to leverage Dropbox AI capabilities across your entire Dropbox account.  

Like many organizations across the world right now, Dropbox is also hopping on the AI craze. And is now leveraging its capabilities alongside machine learning to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the services it provides.

As such, the company recently debuted Dropbox Dash and Dropbox AI. Both are designed to enhance Dropbox's user experience, ultimately making it easier for users to get work done.

The company refers to Dropbox Dash as "the AI-powered search tool for work." Per the company's findings, users spend close to 8.8 hours a week looking for files which is a major deterrent to their performance index at the workplace. In the same breath, 69% spend 60 minutes of their time navigating between apps.

Luckily, Dropbox Dash will help mitigate these issues, ultimately promoting productivity. The AI-powered feature is designed to link all your tools, content, and apps under one search bar. This way, it will be easier for users to find whatever they are looking for in one convenient location rather than having to navigate between multiple tabs and apps.

As listed by Dropbox, the browser extension also ships with other notable features:

• Stacks: Smart collections for your links that offer a quick way to save, organize, and retrieve URLs. In the same way files have folders and songs have playlists, Stacks provide an easily shareable, organizational layer for your cloud content.
• Start Page: A single dashboard that lets you access Dash universal search, view Stacks, get shortcuts to recent work, and start meetings, making it easier to navigate your day and get back to your most important work.

Dropbox has also indicated that the browser extension will soon be able to pick personal and work credentials and use it to answer questions by leveraging generative AI capabilities. 

The feature is currently rolling out to select markets in English in beta. However, you can also opt to join the waitlist to gain access.

Next up, the company is also introducing Dropbox AI, a feature that's designed to help users go through documents without necessarily having to read through the entire thing. 

That said, you can leverage the feature's capabilities to create short summaries of your content from meeting recordings to long-form contracts. Additionally, you can ask the feature to provide you with whatever information you need without having to perform a manual search.

The feature is already available for Pro subscribers based in the US and is currently rolling out in alpha to other users. It's also expected to start shipping to Dropbox Teams soon.

And finally, the company has launched Dropbox Ventures, a $50M venture initiative designed "to propel the next generation of startups who are transforming how we work through innovations in AI." 

Working from home has become more and more common, and recent global circumstances have forced everyone who can make the switch into a home working environment in the last couple of years. In some ways, this policy shift has been beneficial — research shows that working remotely can lead to higher efficiency, for example — but one of the major downsides of working from home is that home Wi-Fi networks aren't as secure as those used in a business setting. As a result, important company files and databases being compromised has become a serious concern.

The solution to this problem lies with encryption services, and of these, one of the best and most secure options is Tresorit. Tresorit's end-to-end encryption service allows employees to share files and collaborate together from anywhere, without worrying about security breaches. It's essentially a beefed up and more protective version of Dropbox that has all of the same collaboration tools, while also offering significantly better security (business plans even include a control panel that allows administrators to manage company file sharing, too). Tresorit's services have been evaluated by EY Cybersecurity, with the third-party security company finding that Tresorit's encryption is just as effective as it's claimed to be. Tresorit also uses a "zero-knowledge system" that ensures your passwords and encryption keys aren't stored in or transmitted through its servers, guaranteeing that even the company itself won't be able to access your data Tresorit is also fully compliant with ISO27001, HIPAA, FINRA, and GDPR.

A premium feature called Content Shield is also available as part of Tresorit's Enterprise plan. Content Shield allows enables features such as advanced link tracking that allows admins to view how many times a file has been viewed, downloaded, or saved, an Outlook plugin policy that lets admins make Tresorit integration with Outlook mandatory, dynamic watermarking that prevents unauthorized resharing by displaying viewer information as a watermark, and a link activity report that allows admins to look over all shared links in an organization's workflow — even access logs.

What about file storage? Tresorit offers plenty of it, with up to 2TB of storage per user and up to a 20GB file size limit available in business plans. There are also plans for individuals that include max storage sizes of up to 2.5TB and max file sizes of up to 10GB as well. Tresorit also features a local file manager that can be installed on any Windows or macOS device, allowing users to safely and securely send files to company cloud storage.

It's important to note that people won't always be at their computers when they need to send or receive documents, and this is where Tresorit's mobile app comes in. Available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, this app brings the functionality and efficiency of Tresorit to your iPhone. This is incredibly convenient and will ensure your team's workflow won't be slowed down just because someone isn't at their computer.

Finally, the service is also very affordable at both the individual and business level, which will no doubt be a big help to individuals and businesses looking for encryption that's both effective and budget-friendly. Prices for individual plans start at $10.42/month, while business plans start at $14.50/month.

Ultimately, between its superb encryption services, its convenient and plentiful file storage, and its customer-friendly pricing that offers plenty of bang for the buck, you can't go wrong with Tresorit.

What you need to know

• Dropbox Passwords will be available for free Dropbox users starting in April.
• People with a free Dropbox Basic plan will be able to store up to 50 passwords.
• People will have to upgrade to a paid plan to store more passwords.

Dropbox Passwords is a relatively new service from the cloud storage provider that allows you to sync passwords across all of your devices. When the service launched last year, it was limited to paid customers. But soon, people will be able to use Dropbox Passwords for free, though there will be some limits.

Starting in early April, Dropbox Passwords will have a free option that's available to all Dropbox users. If you have a free Dropbox Basic plan, you'll be able to store 50 passwords on the service. You'll be able to sync those passwords on up to three devices and will have the option to securely share them with anyone that you'd like.

Dropbox announced the change in a recent blog post. The company highlights three features that will come to Dropbox Basic users:

• Store your 50 most important passwords in one secure place
• Access passwords anywhere with automatic syncing on up to three devices
• Securely share any password with anyone (coming soon)

Dropbox Passwords uses zero-knowledge encryption, so only you know your passwords.

The number of devices and passwords that you have will determine if the free version of Dropbox Passwords will work for you. If you want to store more passwords, you'll have to upgrade to a paid plan. You can also check out the best Windows 10 password managers. There are both free and paid competitors to Dropbox Passwords.

What you need to know

• Dropbox today launched its new Family plan.
• The subscription lets you share Dropbox Plus perks and 2TB of storage between up to six people.
• You can subscribe to Dropbox Family now for $17 per month.

If you've ever wanted to share your Dropbox subscription among your family, now you can while saving some money in the process. The new Dropbox Family plan lets you share Dropbox Plus perks among six family members. It also includes 2TB of shared storage.

The core of the Dropbox Family subscription is keeping families connected. Along with the 2TB of storage shared among family members, each person also has access to the a shared folder called the "Family Room." Here, you can keep everyone up to date with files and documents that need to be shared among the family.

Like with other family plans for cloud storage services, each person will have a separate account for personal files despite being covered by one plan with one bill. Each family member will also get access to Dropbox Passwords for managing logins, along with computer backup to sync important files from your PC, and automatic camera uploads.

The plan also includes Dropbox Vault, which is an extra-secure folder to hold sensitive files and documents. With Dropbox Family, you can designate a specific family member to have access to your Vault in case of emergencies.

Dropbox Family is available starting today. The plan costs $17 per month, which is far cheaper than paying for even two Dropbox Plus subscriptions. If you want to get started with Dropbox Family, you can subscribe and start setting up your family at Dropbox now.

What you need to know

• Dropbox is rolling out several new features for Dropbox Plus and Dropbox Professional users.
• The new features include a password manager, computer backup feature, and a vault for keeping content secure.
• Dropbox Professional users can now added branding to links and track who interacts with content on the cloud.

Dropbox has new features available for Dropbox Plus users and people with a Dropbox Professional plan. Dropbox Plus users gain Dropbox Passwords, Dropbox Vault, and a computer backup feature. Dropbox Professional subscribers can now use Dropbox Passwords and the computer backup feature. Dropbox Professional now also supports branded sharing and traffic and insights. Dropbox outlines the new features in a recent blog post.

Dropbox Passwords allows you to store passwords and automatically log into websites without having to remember your passwords. It works on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android and automatically syncs passwords from your desktop to your mobile devices. It utilizes zero-knowledge encryption to help keep your passwords secure.

If you want to store documents and information in the cloud with some added security, you can use Dropbox Vault. It protects content behind a PIN and has an extra layer of security for sensitive documents.

Dropbox's computer backup feature allows you to automatically back up folders on your PC or Mac. then, those folders sync through the cloud to be accessible from anywhere. You can access several PC and Mac backups in a single location to stay organized.

Dropbox Professional users can take advantage of Dropbox's new branded sharing feature. With this, you can present files with company branding, such as a logo and company name. You can also set a background image.

The new traffic and insight feature is also available for Dropbox Professional users. This feature allows you to keep track of who visited a link, what device they used, when the link was accessed, and how the content was interacted with such as viewing it or downloading it.

What you need to know

• Dropbox today added several new partner integrations.
• 13 new extensions are available from Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and many more services.
• The new extensions are available today on all Dropbox plans.

Dropbox expanded its partnerships today with a raft of new extensions that should come in handy for anyone who finds themselves frequently switching between tons of apps to get work done. In all, 13 new extensions are available today, including tie-ins with Microsoft apps like Teams and Outlook.

Here's a full look at all of the extensions added today.

• Add files to messages. Easily send work to Gmail, Workplace by Facebook, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, WhatsApp, and Line Works.
• Capture feedback and distribute videos. Use Vimeo to streamline your feedback workflow and distribute videos.
• Edit and publish videos. Use Clipchamp or WeVideo to edit, create, and publish videos.
• Create designs. Bring media files into Canva to design and create anything, and save finished work back to Dropbox.
• Submit expenses. Simplify expense tracking by sending scanned receipts directly to Freshbooks.
• Manage document workflows. Track file interactions with DocSend, and sign and notarize documents with Notarize.

Dropbox Extensions were launched last year as a way to cut down on the amount of app switching you need to do when working within Dropbox. They work much like the right-click menu in Windows, allowing you to open files in web-based apps directly from Dropbox on a whim. Once you've finished working, your changes are automatically synced back to Dropbox.

Dropbox says that these new extensions are available across all Dropbox plans starting today.

What you need to know

• Dropbox officially launched its new desktop app today.
• The update sports a new look and aims to break down barriers with a slew of new features.
• The new desktop app is available for Dropbox users to download now.

Dropbox took to its Work in Progress conference today to officially launch its new desktop app. The app, which soft-launched as part of an early acces program in June, represents a major overhaul for the company, bringing a focus on cutting clutter out of your workspace with some handy new features.

The new Dropbox sports a fresh look, but the company has also put a heavy emphasis on making it easier to get things done without fussing around too much. The app, for example, now allows you to create and share Google and Microsoft Office docs right from the toolbar, opening a window to Office Online or Google's online editor once you've named the file. All of the changes you make will then be synced with Dropbox.

A unified search will let you quickly search through all of your files, while you can also create shortcuts for any website within Dropbox.

There are also a lot of new features focused on easing collaboration among team members in this update. Dropbox Spaces is a new hub that the company describes as an evolution of the shared folder, with a focus on organization. You'll be able to preview files like AutoCAD renders even if you don't have the source app installed, and a new AI-powered image search can help narrow things down by analyzing what's in each image.

Dropbox is also tapping AI for personalized file and folder suggestions, calendar integrations, and team highlights from the new "For You" tab. That's in addition to Paper integration, @mentions, pinning content to workspaces, and the ability to assign to-dos to team members on files.

For more, you can check out Dropbox's full blog post. Otherwise, you can download the new app directly frop Dropbox now.

What you need to know

• Rudy Huyn announced over Labor Day weekend that he is leaving Dropbox.
• Huyn will focus on UWP, .NET, and WinUI in his next role.
• Huyn will stay with Dropbox for the next three weeks to ensure a smooth transition.

Rudy Huyn announced over Labor Day weekend that he is leaving Dropbox after working with them for over five years. Huyn will join a new company shortly that has not been revealed at this time. In his new role, Huyn will focus more on UWP. Huyn is one of the most recognized developers within the UWP community.

Huyn will stay at Dropbox for the next three weeks to ensure a smooth transition. We reached out to Huyn, and he shared that he wanted to "focus a little more on UWP, .NET, [and] WinUI." His new role will enable him to do this as he will "work mainly on UWP." Huyn also added that the departure was "very friendly."

A report on the web claims that Dropbox deprecated its UWP app and implied that Huyn's departure is connected to the deprecation. Huyn responded to the report by clarifying that Dropbox has not deprecated its UWP app. He also added that his departure is not connected to any app deprecation, which makes sense as the Dropbox UWP app has not been deprecated.

Huyn is one of the most recognized and respected developers within the UWP community, so many will be happy to see that he is focusing on the platform. His next role should be announced in the relatively near future.

What you need to know

• Dropbox has launched an overhauled desktop app in early access.
• The new desktop app includes a slew of features meant to make it easier to work with and share your files.
• Dropbox users can download and test the new app through the early access program now.

Dropbox may be one of the oldest cloud storage services out there, but it's going all-in today on a fresh new design and a slew of handy features with an overhauled desktop app. Available to Dropbox users now as part of an early access program, the updated desktop app includes a new look and features built to make updating your files and sharing them with others easier.

One of the most prominent new features is the ability to create and share cloud files directly from the new app. From the app's toolbar, you can choose to create new Google or Microsoft Office docs right from the toolbar. Just select the type of file you want to create, then type in its name, and Dropbox will automatically open a window to Office Online or Google's online editor so you can get started. All of your changes will then be synced with Dropbox.

The new app also lets you store shortcuts for any website and search through all of your files with one search bar. The app also adds collaborative tools with services like Slack and Zoom. Slack integration, for example, lets you start conversations and share content to Slack channels from Dropbox. Zoom, meanwhile, will let you share files from Dropbox in meetings or join Zoom meetings from Dropbox.

Coordination between team members is also a focus here. You can now add descriptions to folders, pin content to the top of a workspace, or @mention people and assign to-dos on files. You can also check out file activity from others and add comments for files.

The new Dropbox desktop app is available now for users to try out as part of an early access program. You can download the app and give it a spin directly from Dropbox.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

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Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

Dropbox recently shook things up with a colorful rebranding and design refresh, and now it's bringing some of that magic to its Windows 10 app as well. Dropbox version 5.0 is now rolling out to Windows 10 users with a refreshed design in tow, along with three new file layouts and more.

The biggest changeup most Dropbox users will latch onto right away is the design refresh. The app now carries an overall minimalistic look that fits in nicely with Microsoft's own Fluent Design language. The sidebar transparency effect, which initially debuted in an earlier version further drives home the Fluent Design inspiration.

Here's a full look at what's new in Dropbox version 5.0 for Windows 10, according to the release notes:

• Display your files with 3 different layouts: gallery view, list view and content view
• New design
• New features for Dropbox Business users

Given Dropbox's recent drastic branding overhaul, it would be reasonable to expect some further design changes may be in the pipeline. For now, you can grab Dropbox 5.0 and all of the changes that come with it from the Windows Store now.

See at Microsoft

Dropbox has announced a somewhat drastic redesign (via The Verge) today that will see the company supplanting its typical white-and-blue scheme for a bit more color in its logo and advertising. As part of the redesign, Dropbox has embraced a new, flatter logo that, while it still looks like the company's signature box, is a bit more abstract. That's in addition to a new typeface, called Sharp Grotesk, that will accompany branding.

The design refresh is largely a rebranding exercise that Dropbox plans to use to convey itself as a platform for creativity. The focus on creatives is overwhelmingly evident in Dropbox's explanation of the refresh, in which the company proclaims it wants to "unleash the world's creative energy."

All of that said, Dropbox still remains relatively conservative once you sign in, sticking to its blue-and-white color scheme and blue logo when viewing your files. The new design elements will be much more prominent in advertising as it attempts to reel in new users. In an interview with AdWeek, Dropbox CMO Carolyn Feinstein hinted at how we'll likely see the new, more colorful Dropbox used:

Microsoft may be slowly integrating its new Project NEON design language into its own apps, but Dropbox is already shipping it to everyone with its app. As of its latest update, the Dropbox app for Windows 10 now sports a bit of transparent blur on its sidebar in the Project NEON style.

Aside from the sidebar blur effect, Dropbox developer Rudy Huyn points to a series of under-the-hood improvements that should make for improved performance. Keep in mind that the NEON flourishes will only be visible to anyone using Dropbox on the Windows 10 Creators Update. If you're dying to check it out, you'll want to make sure you've upgraded to Microsoft's latest.

Project NEON is Microsoft's next big design shift for Windows 10 apps, characterized by blurred, transparent UI elements. Microsoft concepts also point to an updated Start menu, parallax effects, and new fluid animations as well. We should see these improvements arrive in full for Microsoft's Redstone 3 Windows 10 update this fall, but we'll also likely get a deeper look at Build 2017 in May.

In any case, you can pick up Dropbox version 4.7 from the Windows Store now.

Download Dropbox from the Windows Store

Out of the many clouds services available today, there are three leading options that come to mind: Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive.

Each service in its own right is great at syncing, sharing and keeping files safe. We've decided to take a walk in the clouds to see how these giants stack up. Eyes to the sky, folks!

For this comparison, we'll be looking at the individual, consumer versions of these three cloud storage solutions rather than their business or enterprise services.

• Free and tiered price plans
• Managing documents
• Syncing
• Sharing
• Final verdict

Free and tiered price plans

OneDrive

OneDrive currently gives users 5GB of storage. Referrals will net you and your invited friend an additional 500MB each. This referral program limits you to a maximum of 10GB. After that, OneDrive has a few options available. You can increase your storage to 50GB for 1.99 per month. You can also go with two Office 365 packages that include OneDrive. Office 365 Personal is available for either $69.99 annually or $6.99 monthly, with 1TB of storage. This version allows you to install OneDrive on one Mac or PC, one tablet, and one mobile phone. Office 365 Home is $99.99 per year or $9.99 a month. It gives your group 1,000GB per person. Your installation limit then increases from one to five for computers, tablets, and mobile devices. Both Office 365 packages also come bundled with full versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote. And they include features such as the ability to scan long documents and convert them to PDFs, and OneDrive mobile increased sharing limits.

Google Drive

Google Drive gives you 15GB for free. After that, you can upgrade to one of the many price plans. 100GB is available for $1.99 month, or you prepay annually and pay $19.99. 1TB will cost $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually. The remaining plans are available on a month-to-month basis: 10TB for $99.99; 20TB for $199.99; and finally 30TB for $299.99. Keep in mind that your Google Drive storage space is shared with Gmail, which could potentially limit your overall storage capacity. As with OneDrive, Google Drive allows users to create and edit files, such as documents and spreadsheets. Before you download to your device, you will need to convert them to Google-friendly formats first.

Dropbox

For Dropbox, the free offering starts off at 2GB with the ability to gain more through referrals. For each person who signs up for Dropbox, you both receive an additional 500MB of storage, but it is capped at 16GB. Should you choose to upgrade to Dropbox Plus (formerly Dropbox Pro), your storage is then increased to 1TB (1,024GB). Additional features include remote device wipe, encrypted and expiring link access and view-only access. Dropbox Plus will cost you $9.99 monthly, or you can pay annually for $99.00, which works out to $8.25 per month. There is an option for extended version history for $39 that allows users to access previous versions of files, and deleted items, for up to one year without impacting your storage.

The 1TB package tends to be the most popular. This is more than enough to help you back up your essential files. As we are looking at personal pricing rather than business, both OneDrive and Google Drive offer much more choice. That being said, the 1TB plan from OneDrive is cheaper than what Google Drive offers. In fact, for the same price of Google Drive's individual 1TB plan, OneDrive gives you 1TB per person, up to a total of 5TB, plus full versions of four essential Office programs. So OneDrive is by far the best option.

It's not always about the size of your storage; it's also how you use it. To increase productivity surrounding your files, there needs to be a way to manage them. All three solutions grant users the ability to do more with their content, but how far you can go with it may vary.

Managing documents

In either Google Drive and OneDrive, you have the ability to create new files or edit existing file from the get-go. This makes it easy to update and compose from just about anywhere and at any time. OneDrive by default is fully integrated with Microsoft Office, which allows Windows users to use the same programs they're already comfortable with. This ease of use translates just as well between desktop, online and mobile versions.

For Google Drive, you'll experience a sense of familiarity with Google's own lineup of office apps. At the surface, they are essentially the same as other word processing apps, though with Google Drive you can edit documents offline through Chrome. Google Drive also has a plugin that allows you to work with Microsoft Office instead.

Dropbox sports integration with Microsoft Office, but it literally comes at a price. Unlike the other two contenders, which allow document editing and creation at any price plan, you have to be at least subscribed to Dropbox Plus for access to the feature. Paper from Dropbox allows for creation and editing of items, but only those found in Paper. You cannot transfer items from your Files to Paper or vice versa.

Syncing

Arguably, one of the most important features of any cloud service is the option to synchronize your files.

Dropbox always syncs smaller files first, allowing for numerous files to be uploaded quickly, rather than waiting in the queue behind a much larger file. To further speed things along, the company also adopted incremental syncing into its functionality. With the Dropbox desktop app installed, all files found within the Dropbox folder will be automatically synced. From the desktop app, you can alter your upload and download speeds.

Both Google Drive and OneDrive allow you to choose specific folders and subfolders rather than all items to sync. As with Dropbox, these folders must be located in the program's specific location.

What makes OneDrive stand out is the fact that it's baked right into Windows 8 and Windows 10. Through Cortana, I can easily search for files found in OneDrive. While synchronization is fairly even across the board, it's the ease of searching without setup that sets OneDrive apart. On top of that, OneDrive helps to organize your files by type, making it much easier to find files quickly. Taking the time and location that photos are taken, OneDrive organizes them into galleries automatically. You can also access your files from "non-computing" devices, such as your Xbox One.

Sharing

OneDrive allows sharing of files or folders through direct email invites or a link that be shared through a variety of means. This can be done from OneDrive.com or directly within a program. So you could compose a Word document and choose to share it without leaving the file. When you share, you can opt to allow or deny editing capabilities. It's a Microsoft product, so it can manage Office files without limitation. This includes viewing and retrieving previous versions. You can also create a shared folder with another OneDrive user, allowing for easier access for offline work.

If you want to share with Google Drive, it works the mostly same way, either through an email or a generated link. Items must be located in the My Drive folder by default. Google Drive offers advanced options for permissions, such as view-only or editing. If an item is mistakenly edited, you can always restore a previous version. Beyond editing, you can prevent copying, downloading and printing. Honestly, it makes for a slightly complicated sharing experience.

Dropbox also promotes sharing a file or folder through a link or email. As a Dropbox Plus user, you can create a required password for or even set an expiry date on a link. The free Dropbox option also includes previous version retrieval but has a limit of 30 days. The previously mentioned extensive version history for $39 annually extends this to a year.

Final verdict

Each contender has proven to be a versatile and reliable cloud storage solution. But for those who use Windows 10, OneDrive is a clear winner here. Full integration and the "already included" experience it boasts with Windows and Office products makes it feel less like a standalone product and more a part of the entire Microsoft environment. It's nearly effortless to use, and it feels perfectly natural to save or share using OneDrive within Excel or PowerPoint. OneDrive.com is also, more visually appealing and fluid to manage. The Microsoft interface carries over smoothly into OneDrive.com, as you edit a document in Word online, and you don't feel as though you're in another program.

From a frugality standpoint, OneDrive gives you a better value for the 1TB tier than Google Drive, and it also gives you more options on the free plan than Dropbox.

Microsoft users, if you're searching for the right cloud service for you, look no further than your own backyard.

Both Dropbox and OneDrive are well-supported cloud services on Windows 10, and there are pros and cons to each of them. But, with OneDrive being baked into an Office 365 subscription presenting 1TB of storage, it potentially represents much better value. As such you might be looking to make the switch.

If you have amassed a large number of files in your Dropbox account over the years and you need to move them over, there are a number of ways to do it. We've highlighted three below that'll get you where you need to be.

The old, slow, drag and drop way

If you have the Dropbox desktop client installed already then you could just make sure it's all synced to your PC and drag it into the OneDrive folder. But this isn't particularly efficient and requires uploading everything again. You should only consider doing this if you already have everything you want to move synced locally on your computer.

Otherwise, ignore this and check out the options below.

Mover.io

This online service costs from $20 to use, which makes it a great way to do a mass migration of files from Dropbox to OneDrive. All you need to do is add your accounts to mover.io using OAuth for proper, secure authentication, and it will do the rest. For each GB over 20GB of data to move, you'll pay another dollar.

It isn't just a tool for moving from Dropbox, either. There are a whole host of cloud services supported, so it's one to bear in mind if you have stuff spread about all over the cloud. You can either do an instant transfer or schedule one for a date and time of your choosing. The beauty to this method is that it doesn't use any of your own bandwidth and you don't have to worry about losing connection or anything.

Mover.io will do everything on the web so you don't have to. If you don't plan on using it again, once you've finished you can simply revoke access to your OneDrive and Dropbox accounts and carry on your merry way.

Move your Dropbox to OneDrive with mover.io

IFTTT

IFTTT (If This Then That) is an online tool that allows you to connect many different services to each other when no direct link is already established. Once you've signed up you have the ability to get creative with a whole host of different services.

OneDrive isn't available as a source for IFTTT recipes, but Dropbox is and OneDrive is available as a destination. As such you can link the two together and sync your Dropbox files to a designated location on OneDrive.

IFTTT is also the best choice should you want to keep using Dropbox as well as OneDrive for whatever reason, keeping your OneDrive account updated with any new files added to Dropbox.

Sync Dropbox to OneDrive with IFTTT

Those are just three ways to move your files across, but importantly all of them are free and easy to use. Some are more efficient than others, but all will move your Dropbox content over to OneDrive without much of a struggle! If you need to get started with an Office 365 subscription, hit the link below.

See at Microsoft

Windows 10 by default always creates a group of default folders (Desktop, Documents, Downloads, Music, Pictures, and Videos) on every new account to help you keep your files neatly organize by category. The only issue is that unless you don't manually make a backup, your files won't be protected, and you can lose them at any time.

However, if you're a Dropbox user and you want to keep saving your files in the same default locations, you can redirect the default folders to your cloud storage account and keep your files constantly backed up and accessible across devices.

In this Windows 10 guide, we'll walk you through the steps to move your default account folders to Dropbox to keep your files protected and always backed up in the cloud.

How to move default users to Dropbox

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Navigate the following path:C:\Users\Quick Tip: You can always use the Windows key + R to open the Run command, type %HOMEPATH%, and click OK to open the current home folder location.
3. Open the Dropbox folder.
4. Create a new folder using a descriptive name (e.g., MyData) to group all your account folders.
5. Inside the newly created folder, create a folder for each location you want to sync to Dropbox. For example, if you're planning to move the Documents folder, then create a new Documents folder inside Dropbox.

6. Navigate back to your default account folder (where all the default folders are located).
7. Right-click Documents and select Properties.

8. Click the Location tab.
9. Click the Move button.

10. Browse the Dropbox folder and open the newly created Documents folder.
11. Click the Select Folder button, and you'll notice that the default location path has now changed.

12. Click Apply.
13. You'll be asked to move any file from the old to the new location. Click Yes to continue.

14. Click OK to complete the task.

The last thing left to do is to repeat the steps to move the remaining folders, including Desktop, Downloads, Pictures, Music, and Videos to the new Dropbox location.

We always tend to download a lot of files from the internet that we use once and then never again. If you don't keep anything interesting in the Downloads folder, you may want to skip moving it to Dropbox, as it'll be a waste of space, and most of the time you can download those files again as needed.

If you change your mind or you'll no longer be using Dropbox, you can use the following steps to revert the changes.

1. Open Dropbox using File Explorer.
2. Inside Dropbox, open the folder that has all the folders you want to restore to their old location.
3. Right-click a folder and select Properties.
4. Click the Location tab.
5. Click the Restore Default button.
6. Click Apply.
7. You'll be asked to recreate the original folder in the old location. Click Yes to continue.

8. Click Yes to confirm that you'll be moving the folder and its files from the old to the original location.

9. Click OK to complete the task.
10. Repeat the steps for each folder you want to restore its original location.

Wrapping things up

While there are a number of other ways you can use to backup your files, you'll find a few good advantages using Dropbox. You'll be able to keep your files constantly backed up in the cloud automatically, and if you have the same set up on your other devices, files will always be synchronized and organized across those devices. And you'll even be able to access your Desktop files using any web browser through Dropbox.com.

In addition, you'll be eliminating file duplication problems, and apps designed to save files to the default locations will now save directly to Dropbox without additional configuration.

Although anyone with a Dropbox account can do this — even those with a free account — keep in mind that storage can fill up quickly, which means that those with a Dropbox Pro account will get the most benefits. Of course, if you happen to have a Dropbox Business or Enterprise account, you will take advantage of the unlimited storage.

If you don't use Dropbox, remember that you can do the same thing using OneDrive.

More Windows 10 resources

For more help articles, coverage, and answers on Windows 10, you can visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

The universal Dropbox app for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile has received a fresh update, bringing the ability to print files stored on Dropbox, open the app to the last visited tab, and much more.

Here's the full breakdown of what's new in Dropbox version 4.4:

• Open the app to the last visited tab
• Print your documents stored on Dropbox! Supports PDF, Word, PowerPoint, image and text files
• Share an individual file with only specific people
• Create and manage password protected shared links
• Text previews now support syntax highlighting
• Redesign of the file viewer for phones to optimize for more space
• Undo your last action with the Ctrl+Z shortcut
• Accessibility improvements with high contrast support
• Performance optimizations

Overall, a pretty solid update that both adds some handy features and improves accessibility for the better. If you'd like to check out the latest update, you can grab it from the Windows Store now.

Download Dropbox from the Windows Store

The cloud file storage service Dropbox announced a large number of new and upcoming productivity features, including creating Microsoft Office documents on mobile devices, a document scanner and more.

The company offered up some details on these new features in a blog post:

• Scan documents in Dropbox: With document scanning, you can now use the Dropbox mobile app to capture and organize scans from whiteboards, receipts, and sketches, so your ideas are right at your fingertips. Dropbox Business users can even search inside the scans.
• Create Microsoft Office docs on mobile: If your idea is better suited to an Office doc than a napkin, you can click the new plus button to create Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files instantly from your mobile device. They'll be saved to your Dropbox automatically. "The new plus button in the Dropbox iOS app adds a convenient way to create and save Office documents on the go, helping people work better together, wherever they are," said Rob Howard, Director of Office Marketing at Microsoft.
• Manage photos from your computer: For Dropbox Basic users who are using their phones to capture memories alongside ideas, we're also changing the way camera uploads works. You'll need to connect a computer to your Dropbox account so you can better access, organize, or remove your photos and avoid running out of space.
• Share files and folders from the desktop: We're cutting steps from sharing and saving you time with our desktop sharing experience. Now when you right-click on a file or folder in your Mac Finder or Windows Explorer, you can share right from the desktop, without redirecting to the web, or copying a link to email.
• Add comments to a specific part of a file: It can be hard to make sense of all the feedback you get within emails, chat, and text. So we're introducing a feature that's usually only found in design software: adding comments to a specific part of a file. Give precise feedback by highlighting a piece of text or an image anywhere within a file preview.
• Preview earlier versions: Version history is an easy way to recover old files if accidents happen, or if you just want to revisit an idea. Now you can also preview prior file versions before you restore them, so you know you've got the right version.
• Share with more control: Sometimes you just need to work with a select group of collaborators. Our simple, yet powerful new sharing features give you more control. Now you can share a single file with specific people, who will need to log in to see it. And with view-only access for shared folders, now available for all users, you can also let people follow along.

Dropbox adds that this is just the first step in improving its productivity features and "there's lots more to come" in this area.

Download Dropbox for Windows 10 Mobile and PC

Cloud storage app Dropbox has secured another update on Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile, bringing a slew of new features. On deck with this update is the ability to easily cast your videos to another screen, improvements to comment notifications and much more.

Here's the rundown of everything that's new in the UWP Dropbox app for Windows 10:

• Cast your videos to another screen - Stream your videos stored in Dropbox using your laptop, tablet or phone to another screen with just one button. The app supports DLNA, Miracast, Xbox, etc…
• Advanced comments notifications - In order to improve your productivity, you can now directly answer to comments from the Action Center or toast without launching the application.
• Save/Export multiple files at the same time - Save your time and export/save many files at the same time. The download is now asynchronous, no more "downloading" screen, you can continue to use your Dropbox even during download.
• New UX for file actions - Right click on a file/folder will now display a flyout menu instead of multi-selection, you will be able to quickly share/manage your files.
• Better full screen mode - No more system tray on windows 10 mobile, your videos/pictures will use 100% of your screen.

Overall, a pretty solid update, to be sure. This also follows another big update from earlier in the month that added an in-app camera and much more. If you'd like to check out the UWP Dropbox app for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, you can grab it at the Windows Store link below.

Download Dropbox for Windows 10 Mobile and PC

Dropbox is rolling out an update to its Windows 10 cloud storage app for PC and Mobile. The new version adds an in-app camera, a notifications view and much more.

Rudy Huyn, who works on the Windows 10 team at Dropbox, has posted a detailed change log of the new 4.2 version:

• Undo copy, delete, move, and rename actions - When you copy, delete, move, rename a file, a toast will appear. You can swipe to remove it or click undo to undo your action
• Notifications view - Retrieve all your notifications in this view, including preview of comments, be able to browse a folder not in your Dropbox
• Transitions and animations - New page transitions and animations based on GPU (new Windows 10 API)
• New small UI for Desktop/tablet - A new UI has been added for desktop/tablet, displayed when the window width is between 360px and 500px (before: 500px was the minimum width for the app). This new UI will allow users to decrease a little more the size of the window and is based on the phone UI (with some little tweaks to replace the missing physical back button for example)
• New Search UI - All results include a mini breadcrumbs, very interesting to distinct 2 files with the same name + allow you to navigate in parent folders. This new feature has been added to Offline tab too. Another new feature is the possibility to navigate in the search, if you click on the page header, you can now select a parent folder to extend your search to this folder.
• New "add" button
• In-app camera to take pictures and record videos + upload them in the current folder
• Include comments in Recents - include a preview of the comment
• Video timestamps added to Photos view
• The Photo tab is now updated in real time
• performance improvement
• improve background uploads
• etc...

Download Dropbox for Windows 10 Mobile and PC

The team at Dropbox is constantly trying to assist in our storage troubles, and Project Infinite is another way the company hopes to alleviate some headaches. Often times companies and users are storing terabytes of information in Dropbox, way more than their computer hard drive can store locally.

Trying to access these files in the past has been clunky, but that is about to change. You will no longer need to bounce between the local app and web browser to find the files you are searching for. Dropbox notes that Project Infinite will bring teams a number of features, including:

• Visibility in context. Every file you've been given access to—even ones that aren't stored locally—will appear in Windows File Explorer and Mac OS X Finder. You can quickly drill down through folders to find what you need, without the lag of a network drive or the inconvenience of a web app. Plus, you can view key info like file size, and creation and modification dates through your desktop file system, no downloading required.
• Real-time access. Files and folders stored in the cloud can be organized with familiar drag-and-drop simplicity, right from the desktop. And when you need to open something from the cloud, just double-click it like any other file. Dropbox will automatically sync and open the file for you.
• Universal compatibility. For IT teams, Project Infinite works the way your teams work, supporting cross-platform access and backwards-compatibility on any computer running Windows 7 or higher, or Mac OS X 10.9 and up. IT teams can bring the power of Project Infinite to the systems they manage and you can share and collaborate with ease.

Locally synced files will continue to have the blue check that we are used to seeing, while files not stored locally will gain a new cloud-shaped icon.

Dropbox has announced that its Windows XP application for its cloud storage service will no longer be available to download on June 29. Windows XP PC users will no longer be able to access Dropbox at all on August 29.

Microsoft itself ended its official support for Windows XP over two years ago, but the OS is still being used on about 10% of all PCs worldwide. In a support post, Dropbox stated the reason for this decision:

Windows XP users can still access their Dropbox accounts on the company's official website, but since Microsoft has already ended support for the OS, it's a better choice to just upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 10 at this point.

More and more cloud-based apps are being used by businesses, such as Dropbox, Box and Microsoft-created services like OneDrive and Office 365. Now the company has launched Microsoft Cloud App Security, a service designed specifically to help protect companies and their employees who use cloud-based apps.

Microsoft says that, according to its surveys, each employee in a company uses 17 cloud apps and workers in 91% of organizations grant access to their personal accounts to their company's cloud storage services. Microsoft Cloud App Security provides those organizations the following features to protect their employees and the company as a whole:

• App Discovery: Cloud App Security identifies all cloud applications in your network—from all devices—and provides risk scoring and ongoing risk assessment and analytics
• Data Control: With special focus on sanctioned apps, you can set granular controls and policies for data sharing and loss prevention (DLP) leveraging API-based integration. You can use either out-of-the box policies or build and customize your own
• Threat Protection: Cloud App Security provides threat protection for your cloud applications leveraging user behavioral analytics and anomaly detection

Dropbox and Microsoft have announced the ability to co-edit Office Online files that are stored in Dropbox. With this, more than one person from a team can make edits and additions to documents without having to wait for the other person to finish what they are doing. Gone are the days of needing to send out multiple revisions because of edits that are requested, as co-workers can now just work alongside you on the document. Here's how it all works:

The two companies are also working together to make sharing Dropbox files easier on Outlook.com. Soon you'll be able to select Dropbox files without having to worry about attachment limits, and you'll be able to access the files you need whether at your desk or on the road. The co-editing is live now, and the Outlook.com changes will be coming in the next few weeks.

Source: Dropbox

The world of cloud storage is a hot one with a few companies vying for attention. While many use Microsoft's native OneDrive for online storage, there are just as many who use Dropbox, especially in the corporate environment. The ability for workers to use Dropbox anywhere, anytime is a top priority, which is why Microsoft and Dropbox are announcing support for Windows 10 with a new app.

Dropbox app for Windows 10 is now live in the Store for PC and tablets (mobile version is coming), and this app is no simple storage app. The list of features even surpasses Microsoft's own OneDrive in many ways, and it is fantastic to see such sincere collaboration.

Unique features of the Dropbox app for Windows 10 include:

• Drag and drop files into the Dropbox app from Windows File Explorer—and even between folders within the app—to easily move or copy them.
• Use Quick Search to find what you need faster. Just start typing a search term to see your results—no need to use the search icon.
• Set up interactive notifications to accept shared folder invitations without having to launch the Dropbox app.
• Enable Windows Hello to use your fingerprint, face, or iris to unlock the Dropbox app, for extra peace of mind.
• Add comments directly on your files, and bring others into the discussion with @mentions.
• Quickly access recent files using Jump List. All you have to do is right-click on the Dropbox app icon in your taskbar.

Some of those features like drag and drop and Windows Hello integration are very exciting to see in a third-party app and speaks to the level of detail when designing this app.

More information about the Microsoft and Dropbox partnership is revealed by Microsoft's Steve Guggenheimer at the Windows Blog.

Go and grab the new Dropbox app for Windows 10 and let us know what you think! [Note: Mobile version of the app has yet to be updated for Windows 10 Mobile and is doing the coming days]

Download Dropbox for Windows 10 Mobile and PC

Source: Dropbox

Dropbox users who store PDF files on their cloud accounts will now be able to open, edit, save and share those files directly from that source, using Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader apps. It's just the first phase of a new partnership between Adobe and Dropbox.

The service is available now for Windows and Mac users. Dropbox stated:

Source: Dropbox

Rudy Huyn, one of the most well-known third-party Windows Phone app developers, has confirmed he will soon be working full-time at the Dropbox cloud storage service. However, he added that his Windows Phone app work, under his 6studio label, will continue during his off-duty hours.

Huyn made the announcement official on his Twitter account:

Huyn was already working with the Dropbox team to help develop the official Windows Phone and Windows 10 apps for the service before now, so obviously he will be able to work even harder on those apps as a full-time member of the business. Fans of his many third-party Windows Phone apps, like the Tinder-based 6tin and the Instagram-based 6tag, should also be happy that Huyn will continue to develop and update those creations when not working at Dropbox.

Source: Rudy Huyn (Twitter)

Dropbox for Windows Phone 8.1 has picked up a pretty solid new update, bringing the app to version 2.3 with some tweaks to the interface and more. In this latest update, text selection has made its way to the text viewer and images in the gallery are now grouped by date.

Here's the lowdown on what's new in Dropbox version 2.3:

• Gallery: Images are grouped by date
• Recents: incremental data loading to see more events
• Text viewer: text can be selected
• Improve UI of the app
• Improve the startup time of the app
• Bug fixes and performance improvement

Dropbox is a universal app with Windows 8.1 as well, but developer Rudy Huyn notes that these improvements are only hitting the Windows Phone 8.1 version of the app. To grab the latest update, go ahead and hit up the link below.

Download Dropbox for Windows Phone (Free)

Source: Rudy Huyn

While OneDrive is built into Windows 10 one of the other most widely used cloud storage solutions is Dropbox. We have a pretty good app for Windows 10 allowing you to access your files, but it doesn't allow you to sync them to your PC.

For Dropbox syncing you'll need to install the desktop sync app first. Once you have that and you're set up you'll have something that resembles OneDrive. Here's what you need to do.

1. Go to Dropbox.com and click on "Download the app" on the homepage.

The installer will then download to your PC. Run the Dropbox Installer and follow all necessary instructions.

2. File Explorer.

Once you've installed the Dropbox sync app you'll be able to access your folders from the sidebar in File Explorer, just like any other folders on your PC, and OneDrive. To check everything went well it's worth checking that it's there.

3. Access Dropbox preferences

To select which folders to sync click the Dropbox icon on the taskbar located on the lower right corner. If you don't see it, you'll need to tap or click the up arrow to show more icons.

Then click the settings cog in the top right hand corner and select "Preferences."

4. Choose which folders to sync

Under the "Account" tab you'll see an option for "Selective Sync." Click it. The complete list of your Dropbox folders will now be in front of you. Check the box next to the ones you want and they will sync to your computer.

To access your Dropbox folders now simply open up File Explorer and you'll see it in the side bar on the left. You'll only see folders and files you've chosen to sync, so don't be alarmed if it looks a little empty. But, you'll also have offline access to these files.

For PC users this is probably the better way to access Dropbox on your computer. Since tablets and smartphones don't have the storage capacity that a Windows PC will have, the Store app is a much better way to go on those devices for accessing files. Once you've got Dropbox all set up following these easy steps, you don't have to worry about it. Just move things around across your devices and let the background sync take care of the rest.

For more Windows 10 tips be sure to visit our dedicated page here

In addition to developing his own Windows apps, Rudy Huyn also works on official apps for others. That includes the official Dropbox apps, and the Windows 8.1 version just got updated in the Windows Store that adds better UI support for smaller tablets.

Here's what's new in version 3.6.1:

• Improve UI for small tablets
• Add labels to application bars

Huyn also announced that the new Dropbox version makes "text selection possible in the text file viewer". Huyn recently updated the UI of the app to make it look more like a Windows 10 app, even though it's still officially a Windows 8.1 app.

Download Dropbox from the Windows Store

Source: Rudy Huyn (Twitter)

Microsoft's Windows 10 is only a few months out, but a few companies are already preparing for the realignment of the Microsoft ecosystem. One of those is Dropbox, the popular cloud storage service that many individuals and businesses – rely on day to day. If Microsoft wants to be competitive, it needs to be everywhere, and that includes its cloud rivalry.

Today, Dropbox is excited to announce that their Windows Phone and Windows offerings are now aligned as universal Windows apps. Not only do the apps share the same code, but it means the Windows Phone version finally brings parity by adding a beautiful bundle of new, highly requested features.

The update for phone should be live over the next few hours. Here is the full low-down of what is new and why you may want to take a look at using Dropbox.

Dropbox 2.0 for Windows Phone

• Universal app
• The app adapts properly to your screen size
• Upload files other than photos
• Select multiple files to upload
• Download files directly to your device or SD card
• Save or open files to and from Dropbox within other apps
• Ability to select phone contacts when inviting people to a shared folder
• Improved download speeds
• Bug fixes and performance improvements

Dropbox 2.0 for Windows 8.1

• Create and manage Shared folders within the app
• Added keyboard shortcuts to select all items (Ctrl+A) and to search (Ctrl+F)
• Improved download speeds
• Bug fixes and performance improvements

The ability to multi-select files, upload files other than photos, and view/open files within other apps are some massive additions. Indeed, the complaints about Dropbox for Windows Phone often whirled around the feature incompleteness. Today that all ends. We have had some time with an internal beta of the new Dropbox and very much like the design and its abilities.

The Dropbox apps, which are developed by prolific developer Rudy Huyn, has clearly filled the last remaining gaps to make their app a solid choice for those who need cloud storage. Combined with their recent integration into Office, Dropbox's continued partnership with Microsoft benefits consumers all around the world.

While individuals often have a choice of their cloud storage provider, if you work for a company, those choices are made for you. This problem means if Windows Phone is going to compete against Android and iOS, its apps have to be as good, if not better. Luckily, Dropbox and their universal Windows apps have taken a significant step in the right direction, and we are glad to see them on board.

As of 12:30pm ET, Dropbox 2.0 for Windows Phone has become available to upgrade/download

Download Dropbox 2.0 for Windows Phone (Free)

Download Dropbox 2.0 for Windows 8.1 (Free)

Dropbox has made collaborating on shared documents easier with the introduction of comments. While Dropbox for Business early access users have been able to comment on documents since late March, the company has now made this ability available to all users. Comments are available for any file stored in Dropbox. You can bring in others to comment with Twitter-like "@" mentions. You can also get notifications for new comments, and even turn off comments on a particular file if necessary.

From Dropbox:

• Bring anyone into the conversation with mentions. When you type @, followed by someone's name or email address, they'll get an email notification — even if they don't use Dropbox — with a link to go right to the file. It's a one-step process to both share a file and gather input about it.
• Instantly stay up to date (if you choose). When anyone comments on a file you've shared, you'll receive an email notification. Or if you don't need play-by-play updates on a certain file, just click 'Unsubscribe from notifications.'
• Manage the conversation. Everyone with access to a shared link can make comments. But what if you don't want others to be able to weigh in? If it's a file you shared, just click 'Turn off comments' in the Options menu.
• Make changes on the spot with Microsoft Office files. If the comments are on a Microsoft Office file and you're the owner, you don't even need to leave the browser to make the changes. Just click the 'Open' button to edit the file in Office Online or in the desktop app; either way, your changes will be saved back to Dropbox.

To use comments simply open a file on the Dropbox website. You'll find comments on the right-hand side of any document. All you need to do is start typing.

Source: Dropbox

Microsoft's web-based Office Online suite has added integration with Dropbox, letting you open and save documents by way of the cloud storage service. This is an expansion of existing integrations with third-party services such as Box and Citrix that began earlier this year.

To take advantage of this new feature, you simply need to log in to Office Online, and open one of the apps. You'll be prompted to add your Dropbox account, which you can do with just the click of one button. You can also take advantage of this integration from Dropbox's website, according to Microsoft:

Dropbox integration is available for all Office Online users now.

Source: Microsoft

Dropbox is currently rolling out a new update for its web browser users that promises a better preview experience for stored documents. Dropbox says that the improvements will allow documents to load faster and look better while previewed on a web browser such as Internet Explorer.

Here's what users can expect after the changes go live:

Dropbox says all of its web browser users should be able to access the new document preview features over the next few days.

Source: Dropbox

Microsoft is currently running a promotion that sees the company giving out yet another 100GB of free OneDrive storage for 1 year — this time to anyone with a Dropbox account. Unfortunately, this one is limited to current Dropbox users in the U.S. for right now.

If you want to get in on the offer, all you have to do is hit up the source link below to get started. From there, you'll verify your OneDrive and Dropbox accounts by signing into both. After you've finished with the sign-in process, Microsoft will add a convenient "Getting Started with OneDrive" PDF to your Dropbox folder to help new users become accustomed to the service. Overall, the process is quick and easy, so there's no real reason to pass this up if you've already got a Dropbox account.

This latest offer comes in the wake of several similar offers that have seen Microsoft giving free cloud storage out like candy. Just last week, Microsoft offered 100GB of free storage for 2 years to Bing Rewards members in the U.S., a deal which was expanded to international users just this morning.

Thanks to Chandan and Kaspars for the tips!

Source: Microsoft

Dropbox has updated its Windows Phone app again with a big, and much requested, feature. The new 1.0.3.0 version now includes a "system camera auto-upload option" which means that any photos you take on your device can be automatically uploaded to your Dropbox cloud account.

This feature is one that is already on the iOS and Android Dropbox apps, so including it with the recently released Windows Phone version is a big step up for users. In addition, the change notes claim that the 1.0.3.0 version of the app has "fixed our most common bugs."

• Download Dropbox for Windows Phone Thanks to Stuart for the tip!

After years of waiting, Windows Phone owners will soon be able to get a native Dropbox app. The cloud storage company has entered into a new partnership with Microsoft that will include an agreement to create an official Dropbox app for Windows Phone. The app will be released "in the coming months."

While Dropbox released an app for Windows 8 nearly two years ago, the addition of an app for Windows Phone to their lineup will be a huge boost for owners of those smartphones who have had to work with some admittedly excellent but still third-party apps such as CloudSix.

In addition to Dropbox support for Windows Phones and tablets, Dropbox integration is also coming to the Microsoft Office suite. The first integration will be for iOS and Android users, alas, and is expected in the next few weeks, while Office Online will see Dropbox integration in the first half of 2015.

While it's always good to see more apps and services supporting Windows Phone, is this too little too late for Dropbox, or a welcome addition to the party?

Source: Microsoft

Earlier today, a thread surfaced on Reddit offering up 400 Dropbox usernames and passwords in plain text, with a note that over seven million accounts have been compromised in total. Dropbox has since announced on its blog that it wasn't hacked, and that the leaked passwords were stolen from a third party service.

The leak that was posted on Reddit contained hundreds of accounts with email addresses beginning with the letter "b". Dropbox is sending out password reset instructions to affected users, but as a precaution, it is advised that all users change their passwords on the service. While you're at it, go ahead and enable two-factor authentication as an added layer of security.

Were you one of the users affected by the hack? Let us know if you were able to successfully change your password.

Source: Dropbox

Those who rely on Dropbox to store their personal files may have lost some of their data. The service has experienced some issues regarding a bug in older versions of its available desktop apps. This bug deleted files uploaded by affected users who activated the Selective Sync feature, leading some to find they'd lost a large amount of files.

Should users shut down (or restart) the affected clients while Selective Sync was active, they would find the feature not being able to locate a portion of the files uploaded to the cloud. The good news is Dropbox has been busy working to restore files where possible and releasing updated versions of the desktop apps. Dropbox has also implemented some extra safeguards to help prevent this kind of mass deletion from occurring once again in the future.

Should you be one of the select few who have been affected by this bug, Dropbox has been reaching out to customers via email with an apology and offer for a year's worth of Dropbox Pro for free.

Let us know if you've been affected in the comments. Also, do you rely solely on cloud-based services for backing up files?

Source: Hacker News, via: Engadget

Dropbox is cutting the price for 1 TB of their cloud storage the service all the way down to $9.99 a month. The change shows that the company is going after Microsoft's OneDrive and Google Drive's paid cloud storage services.

Before today, Dropbox Pro offered just 100 GB of space for $9.99, with an upper limit of 500 GB for $500. Now Dropbox Pro's prices are more in line with similar services offered by OneDrive and Google Drive and could generate even more competition in the personal cloud storage space.

Along with the price cut, Dropbox Pro will be getting some extra features, including new sharing controls that will offer better security when sending files to others, and a remote wipe feature that will allow users to delete any Dropbox files from a smartphone or tablet if it gets lost or stolen.

What do you think of Dropbox Pro's big decrease in price and will we see even more cloud storage price cuts in the future from Microsoft and Google?

Source: Dropbox

Earlier today, Google slashed their cloud storage pricing for Google Drive to some insanely low numbers. How low? For just $1.99 a month you get 100GB of storage. If you want to get 100GB on OneDrive you’ll need to pony up $7.49 per month to do that. The pricing wars are now officially on for cloud storage and hopefully the only winners here will be us, the consumers. Let’s check out how some of the major cloud storage services stack up against one another for pricing.

We’ll compare OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, and Copy. You already have apps in the Windows Phone Store for OneDrive, Dropbox, Box and Copy. And we’ll see soon have excellent unofficial clients like Google Drive from Rudy Huyn and his new CloudSix initiative.

The pricing we highlight below is what the majority of you will pay as a normal consumer. We’ll ignore enterprise pricing and just look at options available to you today. For the free tier we’ll focus on what’s initially available on the onset. Most services, like OneDrive and Dropbox, offer additional free storage for referrals and other initiatives.

OneDrive

• 7GB – Free
• 50GB – $25/year or $4.49/month
• 100GB – $50/year or $7.49/month
• 200GB – $100/year or $11.49/month

Download OneDrive from the Windows Phone Store

Google Drive

• 15GB – Free
• 100GB – $1.99/month
• 1TB – $9.99/month
• 10TB – $99.99/month

CloudSix for Google Drive is an upcoming third-party app that will be available soon for Windows Phone. Google currently doesn’t offer an official app in the Windows Phone Store

Dropbox

• 2GB – Free
• 100GB – $99/year or $9.99/month
• 200GB – $199/year or $19.99/month
• 500GB – $499/year or $49.99/month

Download CloudSix for Dropbox from the Windows Phone Store.

Copy

• 15GB – Free
• 250GB – $99/year or $9.99/month
• 500GB – $149/year or $14.99/month

Copy actually does have an official app out for Windows Phone. You can grab Copy in the Windows Phone Store.

Box

• 10GB – Free
• 100GB – $10/month

Download the official Box app for Windows Phone in the Windows Phone Store. 

Your turn

We like polling you all and seeing what you think. Let us know which online storage service you’re using in the poll below. Be sure to let us know what you think about Google’s new aggressive pricing and whether or not OneDrive will respond with a comparable move.

Reading this in our mobile app? Head to IE to take the poll. m.wpcentral.com/cloud-storage-windows-phone

A few days ago Rudy Huyn released his new Dropbox client for Windows Phone – CloudSix for Dropbox. It’s the first of many cloud storage apps that Rudy will be working on in the near future. Not only does it bring all the functionality of Dropbox to Windows Phone, but it also offers up new opportunities for developers to add cloud storage to their apps with minimal effort. CloudSix for Dropbox has also just picked up its first update. Let’s see what’s new.

Head to the Windows Phone Store and you’ll see CloudSix for Dropbox at version 1.1. Here’s what’s new in this update:

• PNG and GIF viewer
• Customize design of the app: change side-panels color, change live tiles design

Not a big update, but viewing PNGs and GIFs in CloudSix will make a lot of you happy. Don’t like the design of the app? You can now change the color of the side-panels and use transparent Live tiles. If you select to make your Live tile for CloudSix transparant it will instead use the system theme color you've selected. 

CloudSix for Dropbox is a free app and available in the Windows Phone Store. You can remove ads through an in-app purchase. 

Most of you are big fans of OneDrive. It integrates nicely into Windows Phone, Windows 8 and the Xbox One. That doesn’t mean you don’t use other cloud storage solutions from time to time. It might work related or a classmate sharing a file that you venture to places like Dropbox, Box, Mega and other cloud storage providers.

Dropbox has official apps on Android, iOS, BlackBerry and the Kindle Fire, but not on Windows Phone. Does that matter now that Rudy Huyn has just released his third-party Dropbox client called CloudSix for Dropbox?

Let’s find out with our hands on video and exclusive screenshots. 

Ready for the good news? The app is a full featured and free Dropbox app on Windows Phone. It’s also just the beginning of a new wave of apps from Rudy that we’ll tell you about shortly.

Here’s what you get with CloudSix for Dropbox on Windows Phone:

• Access all your photos, docs and videos from any device.
• Automatically save photos and videos to Dropbox when your phone is charging
• Share a link to even your biggest files — no more attachments!
• Add files to your “Favorites” for fast, offline viewing.
• Multi-accounts: access too many Dropbox accounts without sign in/sign out

We logged into our Dropbox account and are quite impressed with the app. All our files, photos and videos were viewable in the app. The app even has multi-account support, which is very cool and useful if you’re juggling a Dropbox account for personal storage and the other more business orientated. CloudSix for Dropbox also backs up photos or videos from your photo library if you want. Another bonus feature is that you can activate protection for the app and set a pin. This means you'll need to enter a pin when launching CloudSix for Dropbox. A nice feature to keep private photos private. 

You can long press a file or folder to bring up the action menu. If you do that you’ll see options for renaming the file, sharing it, creating/copying a link for it, adding it as a favorite or deleting it. You can open PDFs in your PDF Windows Phone app of choice, while word documents are viewable directly in CloudSix.

CloudSix for Dropbox is just the beginning. There’s also one last surprise feature in CloudSix. Other developers can use the app as a file picker or file saver (similar experience on Windows 8). Meaning a developer who has made an emulator on Windows Phone can make it so that their app can retrieve ROMs from CloudSix for Dropbox. They don’t need to add Dropbox support to their app, just install a NuGet package and create a CloudSixFilePicker with the parameters they want.

It’s pretty cool that with 2 lines of a code other developers can enable cloud storage in their apps through CloudSix for Dropbox. As an example, Rudy has just updated his Snapchat client, 6Snap, to be the first app to take advantage of this functionality. Update 6Snap and you’ll be able to save your snaps to Dropbox through CloudSix for Dropbox. Very cool. 

There’s one last surprise from Rudy though. CloudSix for Dropbox is just the beginning of a line of cloud storage apps. CloudSix for Dropbox tackles and takes on Dropbox, but he plans to introduce apps for OneDrive, Google Drive, Box.com and Mega. Those apps will all offer similar functionality and include the option for other developers to tap into them for cloud storage. 

Developers: Head to Rudy's blog post on the technical details for integrating CloudSix with your app!

CloudSix for Dropbox is free in the Windows Phone Store. It is ad-supported, but you can remove those ads for $1.29 via an in-app purchase. Any Dropbox fans out there looking forward to this? 

Microsoft recently launched OneDrive. It was a rebranding of SkyDrive that also introduced new features to the cloud-storage platform. OneDrive is mostly aimed at consumers, which is why today Microsoft announced OneDrive for Business and announced a plan that helps that battle companies like Box and Dropbox one-on-one.

Just like OneDrive came from SkyDrive, OneDrive for Business comes from the ashes of SkyDrive Pro. OneDrive for Business allows Microsoft to target business with features that appeal to them. New features were announced today. The biggest change to OneDrive for Business is that it will now be offered as a standalone business plan. That move will help OneDrive compete against companies like Dropbox and Box. 

Before, you needed to get SkyDrive Pro as part of a business plan in the Office 365 suite. Now you and your company can get just OneDrive for Business. This allows companies to easily get into the cloud-storage game without buying the entire Office3 365 product.

Other new features in OneDrive for Business include a new user experience to access, find, and manage work files easier. If you’re an on premise SharePoint customer you can also configure OneDrive for Business with just a few clicks.

Here are the features OneDrive for Business is rolling out to make managing files easier. There are now simple controls above the personal document folder that correspond to your common tasks. Site folders have been introduced to take you directly to document libraries of sites you follow. Search has also been improved with features like type-ahead and more.

Microsoft also promises more features coming to OneDrive for Business coming soon. 

Interested in getting your business on OneDrive for Business without Office 365? There’s a promotional pricing of $2.50 per user per month that begins in April and runs through September.

Anyone looking forward to OneDrive for Business?

Source: OneDrive Blog

Videobrary is a simple to use Windows Phone app that lets you catalog your home movie collection. The layout is simple, user interface straight forward and your movie database can be backed up on Dropbox.

If you're looking for an easy way to catalog your movie collection, Videobrary might be worth a look.

The layout for Videobrary is as simple as you can get.  There is one page listing your movies with alphabetical indexes and another to list any T.V. Series in your collection, again listed with alphabetical indexes.  To add your home movie collection to Videobrary, just tap the "+" button that sits at the bottom of the main pages. A search engine will be pulled up where you can search IMDb, Cinoche.com or Allocine for you movies and television series.

Searches can be done by keyword or title. Tap on the correct movie or television show from the search results to add the title to your collection. In adding the movie or television series you can add information for the media type (DVD, BlueRay, VHS, BetaMax, etc.) and any notes on the movie/t.v. show.

As you build your collection, movies are listed on the Movies Page and television series are listed on the TV Series Page. In tapping on an individual listing you will view a page overviewing the title, a list of actors, the movie/tv poster, and a list of episodes (for the television series).

From the main pages of Videobrary you have three button controls. One to add a title, one to search your database and one to randomly generate a title from your library for those times you just don't know what to watch.  When you dive into the three-dot menu on the main pages of Videobrary you have options to back up your Videobrary file on Dropbox, download any missing posters, and access the settings. Settings allows you to identify the default search provider and set up your Dropbox information.

All totaled, Videobrary is a easy way to catalog your video library. Separating movies and television series is a nice touch and the data saved on each is fairly extensive. It would have been nice to save the posters as wallpapers but not a deal breaker.

The app ran smoothly for the most part but at times Videobrary seemed to get stuck in a search loop that would result in an error. The issue cleared once you exited the search screens and tried the search again but it was a little frustrating.

Videobrary is a free app for your Windows Phone 7x or 8 device and you can find it here in the Windows Phone Store.

Good news for those who have been waiting and anticipating the arrival of Dropbox for Windows 8, it is now available. The popular cloud storage and sharing service has built a reputation as one of the more ubiquitous ways that folks like to share files and so its arrival on Windows 8 as a metro app is significant for the new platform.

The app is available to download for free and will work on both Windows 8 and Windows RT machines allowing you to download and share files at will.

Apps designed for Windows 8’s new touch friendly interface have been populating the Windows Store at a far higher rate than with Windows Phone. Presently there are still some gaps for well-known offerings and services for Microsoft's latest app store and its apps like Dropbox that will do much to show the platform is getting attention from important developers.

Cute puppy? Share it, we need this kind of content right away!

It’s unclear why anyone using Windows 8 or Windows Phone would want to use Dropbox as Microsoft’s own SkyDrive service superior in almost every way. Still when it comes to sharing it seems more folks are fundamentally more aware of Dropbox as a way to share things with others.

• The will work on Intel/AMD based machines as well as machines based on ARM like the Surface tablet. The features are as follows:
• Browse and preview all of your files and photos on Dropbox
• Open, edit and save files from other Windows 8 apps
• Share any photo, file or folder with the Share Charm
• Find your files with the Search Charm

The app is rather bare bones at the moment, you can browse your files using the app and you can save to Dropbox from an app but they have not implemented use of the Share Charms to upload to Dropbox. This is just the first version so we’re sure to see the app grab a few more features over time. As there really isn’t much to the app it performs very well on the Surface and if you do happen to rely on Dropbox then this will certainly get you by.

Windows Phone has SkyDrive already built into the very core of the operating system. The Skydrive service gives you more storage to begin with, is arguably more secure and provides a richer experience when using Microsoft’s eco system with apps available for the Xbox 360 and Windows. It is hard to see how the Dropbox service by should be taken seriously by Windows Phone users when it lacks an actual Windows Phone app. 

We wonder if this means we could be about to get an official client for Windows Phone too, let’s hope so eh Dropbox?

You can download the app from the Windows Store here. Be sure to let us know what you think of the app and why you’d use this over SkyDrive. Comments are open below. 

Photo2Cloud is a Windows Phone photo app that will back up your pictures to Skydrive, Picasa, Flickr, Dropbox or Box. Photo2Cloud backs the images up at full resolution and you can use as many accounts as you would like.

Photo2Cloud's set up is rather simple. First you set your permissions to the various accounts. Then you create mappings for all your syncs. While it's nice that you can set up multiple accounts the strength of Photo2Cloud rests with the mapping.

You can map your pictures backup for one Pictures Hub album with a unique folder on Skydrive and another album go to Dropbox. Or you can backup the same folder to all the cloud accounts at once. Or you can backup each folder to various folders on a cloud account. Mapping gives Photo2Cloud a good bit of flexibility.

The only downside, and I use the term loosely, to Photo2Cloud is that you can't set it to automatically backup your photos and only five photos can be uploaded in the background.  I use the term loosely because this is due to the nature of the OS and not on the development end.  The limited upload queue will let you leave that app and do what you need to do but eventually you'll need to return to Photo2Cloud to resume the backup.  Instead of automatic backups, you can set a notification to remind you to backup your photos.

The nice thing about manually backing up your photos is that you can delete all the bad photos first to lessen the space needed in the cloud and minimize the data transfer.  And while I wouldn't mind seeing the entire upload be run in the background, in having to return to the app (or have it running for the complete  backup) you can see if there were any upload errors/problems sooner than later.  In talking to the developer, there is hope that Windows Phone 8 will have more access and allow for more automatic uploads.

All in all, Photo2Cloud is a neat little app for your Windows Phone to backup your photos. There are some limitations due to the nature of Windows Phone but not to the point you want to run screaming from the room.  And sure...you create a backup when you sync your Windows Phone to your computer but what if the computer dies? It never hurts to have a second or third backup source for your photos.  Photo2Cloud offers you a simple way to create that additional backup source.

There is a trial version available for Photo2Cloud that is limited to five image uploads per day to give you a feel for things. The full version of Photo2Cloud is currently running $1.99 and you can find it all here at the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Well, here's an interesting little tidbit for those that use Dropbox to store or share files.

We have all seen documents getting leaked out of large organisations to the public, and invariably said company usually get's the documents removed for legal reasons from wherever they are being hosted. In fact, after the supposed presentation about the XBOX 720 leaking, we saw it being removed from Scridb.com at the request of Covington & Burling LLP which is a firm known to have dealings with Microsoft.

None of that is surprising, but today Windows Phone Centrals Daniel Rubino sent me a certain document via Dropbox so that I could take a look at it. However, trying to download the file just returns the image you can see above. This was not a link shared publically, but yet, it was removed seemingly automatically.

That begs the question, do storage companies analyze your files' content as you upload them? They no doubt have a clause in their terms that allows them to do just that, but it is another thing actually seeing it used.

Moral of the story? Don't use commercial cloud storage to share secret files.

We last wrote about Boxfiles for Dropbox back in December. The app comes into two flavors (a free version and a paid one) and has undergone numerous updates since then.

The latest just hit the Marketplace and it brings a really neat feature that many of you may enjoy: automatic camera uploads to your Dropbox account.

This is very useful and desirable because although Windows Phone can do this for Skydrive, it re-scales images automatically leaving you with a "just good enough for the web" sized memory. That's a problem though if, like us, you want to back up your photos to "the cloud" but at their full resolution. Even more so if you have a device like the Titan II with a 16MP camera and photos averaging around 2MB in size.

Version 3.6 of Boxfiles brings this feature but we should point out that it's not entirely 100% automatic meaning you snap a shot and off it goes. Instead you do need to open the app for a few seconds as it will scan your camera directory on the phone and upload and new pics to your Dropbox account.

But once the queuing takes place (usually just a few seconds) you can close the app as it will upload the photos in the background, so you don't need to babysit the app. It's basically a one-touch app to upload all your latest camera shots.

You can also choose a specific directory (or create a new one) to upload the photos too and pick if you want WiFi-only or both WiFi/Cellular data usage. Our favorite part though is how it allows you to browse your photos via thumbnails in addition to just the obscure files-names. Finally, Boxfiles also integrates with your Skydrive account giving you the choice to manage those files from within the app. A nice bonus.

So far only the paid version has been bumped with this feature though we imagine the free one will get it at some point too. What can we say? Of all the Dropbox apps on the Marketplace, we happen to like this one the most and this new auto-upload features makes backing up and sharing our pics easier.

Pick up Boxfiles for Dropbox here in the Marketplace for $1.29 with a free trial.

Update: For those of you in Europe, the app is currently in certification so you'll have the update within a few days. Sit tight.

BoxShot, if you haven't guessed already by the name, is a Dropbox client for Windows Phone, which can be found on the Marketplace for just 79p ($0.99) with a free version also available. Should you be a frequent "boxer" then this app will be perfect for your file synchronising needs. It's a simple, light app that gets the job done.

Combining a Metro look and feel with Dropbox and a useful Live Tile allows BoxShot to be a gorgeous app to use. Baseline functionality that one would expect to be present works flawlessly, from moving and deleting entire folders to viewing files and browsing the contents on your account. The interface is simple and intuitive, leaving nothing for the user to learn or master. Upon launching BoxShot, you'll be greeted with a Dropbox login screen. Once you've connected to your account, the app will load to the main screen, which will be blank on first launch, but will be populated with tiles should you wish to pin favorite folders for quick access.

Swiping to the left will bring up the account browser, displaying folders and files that are stored in the cloud. Folders have the created date shown underneath, while files are accompanied by size. Files can be viewed, moved, deleted, edited and the URL emailed using email accounts set up on Windows Phone. Photos can be uploaded from the Pictures Hub (or directly from the camera) to the Dropbox account using the app, which is a nice touch. Working in the opposite direction, pictures stored on your account can be downloaded and saved to the local library.

As well as the file browser, the app reports to the user how much space is currently being used out of the account quota (including how much space is used with shared content). The live tile, which is configurable in the settings, also displays usage statistics for quick glancing. An update has been submitted by the developer which will allow users to pin folders to the home screen to provide even more convenient access to Dropbox storage.

Check out our quick visual walkthrough of BoxShot below.

To conclude this review; BoxShot is the perfect solution for those who are requiring a light client to manage their Dropbox content while on the go. It's developed by DK Development, you can download BoxShot from the Marketplace for 79p ($0.99) and a free version is available, which contains an advert on the "content" pivot.