Getting Started with Dropbox
This guide is intended to be a quick-start guide for Lehigh University Dropbox users. Before you begin — have you enrolled in Dropbox?
Signing in with Lehigh Single Sign-On (SSO) + Duo
Lehigh Dropbox accounts use Single Sign-On (SSO) — you log in with your Lehigh credentials (username, password, Duo), not a separate Dropbox password.
Go to dropbox.com/login or open the Dropbox desktop or mobile app and click Sign in.
Enter your Lehigh email address (e.g., abc123@lehigh.edu) and click Continue.
Dropbox will redirect you to Lehigh's login page. This is expected — do not try to enter a Dropbox password.
Enter your Lehigh username and password and click Sign in.
Approve the Duo push notification on your phone. Lehigh also uses push notifications along with FIDO2 security keys or printed Backup Codes
Troubleshooting Sign-In
Not being redirected to the Lehigh login page? Make sure you entered your full @lehigh.edu address. Personal email addresses will not trigger SSO.
Not receiving a Duo push? Check that your phone has a data connection (WiFi or Cellular), then tap Send me a push again on the Duo screen. If your enrolled device is unavailable, contact the LTS Help Desk — Duo resets cannot be self-served.
"Access denied" after approving Duo? Your Dropbox license may not be provisioned. Contact the LTS Help Desk to confirm your account is active.
Session expired? Click your profile icon → Sign out, close and reopen your browser or app, then sign in again from step 1.
Uploading and Organizing Files
Upload files (web)
Click Upload in the top toolbar.
Select Files or Folder, browse your computer, and click Open.
You can also drag files directly into the Dropbox browser window.
Create a folder
Click Create → Folder.
Name it and press Enter.
Move or rename a file Right-click the file (or tap the three-dot menu on mobile) and select Move or Rename.
Delete a file Right-click and select Delete. Deleted files go to Trash and can be recovered for 180 days on Lehigh's Business plan.
Downloading Files
Single file: Click the file to preview it, then click Download.
Multiple files: Check the box next to each file, then click Download. Dropbox bundles them into a ZIP file.
Entire folder: Right-click the folder and select Download to receive it as a ZIP file.
Sharing Files and Folders
Share a link
Right-click the file or folder and select Share.
Click Copy link and send it to your recipient.
To restrict access, click Link settings and switch from Anyone with the link to Only invited people.
Invite collaborators to a folder
Right-click the folder and select Share.
Enter collaborators' email addresses and set their permission level: Can view or Can edit.
Click Share to send invitations.
Remove access Open the sharing dialog, click Link settings and toggle the link off, or find the person in the member list and select Remove.
Syncing and Accessing Files
Dropbox syncs automatically across all your devices. A few useful controls:
Smart Sync (save local disk space) Right-click any file or folder in your desktop Dropbox folder → Smart Sync → Online only. The file stays accessible but isn't downloaded until you open it.
Offline access (mobile) Tap the three-dot menu next to a file → Make available offline to download it for use without a connection.
Sync not working?
Check your internet connection.
Click the Dropbox icon in the system tray — a red X indicates an error; hover for details.
Quit and relaunch the Dropbox app.
If the problem persists, go to Preferences → Sync → Clear cache, then restart.
Recovering Deleted Files
Click Trash in the left sidebar (or go to dropbox.com/trash).
Right-click the file and select Restore. It returns to its original location.
Lehigh's Dropbox Enterprise plan retains deleted files for 180 days. Files can also be rolled back to earlier versions — right-click any file and select Version history to browse and restore previous saves. Any questions can kindly be directed to the Help Desk.