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Question

Prevent sharing of Top Level folders

  • June 18, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 21 views
H

I am working on a new instance using a closed folder taxonomy. AKA, IT will maintain control of the folders and add employees.

I would like to make a top level folder DEPT for example and add a group to it. 

I would like the users in the group able to create and share sub folders under the Top Dept folder.

The one concern I have is that someone could accidentally share the entire top level DEPT folder.  I want the users to only be able to share the individual subfolders.  

Is there a way to do this? If I give Editor on Top folder they are able to share the entire thing including all sub folders.  The only way I have found would be to not share the top folder at all, and make the folders they need to share as an admin then grant them editor to just that folder. 

      1 reply

      Jey Bueno Box
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      • Jey Bueno Box
      • Community Manager
      • June 19, 2026

       👋 Hi ​@HEBOXUser, welcome to the Box Community!


      There is a way to accomplish this in Box without having to manually manage individual subfolders as an admin. You can restrict sharing at the top-level folder while still allowing users to create and share subfolders.


      ✅ Restrict shared link access on the Top-Level folder


      By default, if you grant users Editor permissions on a parent folder, they inherit those permissions down the waterfall structure and can share both the parent folder and any subfolders. To prevent them from accidentally sharing the entire top-level DEPT folder, you can restrict its shared link settings:

      1. Open Folder Settings:

        • Navigate to your top-level DEPT folder in Box.
        • Click the More Options (…) menu next to the folder and select Settings (or right-click and select Settings) to open the Folder Settings page.

      2. Restrict Shared Link Access:

        • Scroll down to the Shared Link Access section.
        • Check the box that says “Only collaborators can access this folder via shared links”.
        • Under the dropdown, select Folders Only (or Files and Folders depending on your preference).
        • Click Save Changes at the top of the page.


      ✅ How this works in practice:

      • Top-Level Protection: With this setting enabled, if an Editor tries to generate or send a shared link for the top-level DEPT folder, the link will only work for people who are already invited as collaborators in that folder. This effectively prevents accidental exposure or sharing of the entire top-level directory to outside users.
         
      • Subfolder Flexibility: This restriction applies specifically to the folder where it is configured. Because subfolders inherit settings but allow you to manage individual collaborations, users with Editor access can still create subfolders and invite new collaborators or generate functional shared links specifically for those individual subfolders.


      Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions.

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