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Question

Shared link to a folder vs Invitation to a folder

  • May 22, 2025
  • 1 reply
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I am having a problem sharing folders but only with some external uses.  I have found that there is a difference when you send a Share Invitation from box.com than when you send a shared link in an email.  The Share invitation makes the recipient create an account (if they haven't already) and log in to see the shared folder, and the shared link does not.  It takes them to the folder and the option to Log In/Sign up is in the upper right corner not necessary.  Is this difference intentional?

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    Hi Miriam, 

    Welcome to the Box Community!

    Please check our community article here which provides a details explanation about the differences between shared links and collaboration. 

    A collaborator is an individual who has been invited to a file or folder. Collaboration invites are a great way to share content for long term projects. This will allow you to invite people to a file or folder and monitor updates over time. In order to access a file or folder as a collaborator, a person will need a Box account. The file or folder will be listed under All Files when they log in to their Box account. 

    A shared link is a unique URL that gives the recipient to access a specific file or folder. With customizable permission levels, security settings, and a URL that’s easy to copy and paste, shared links can be used to send important content both internally and externally. Unlike collaboration, individuals accessing your content through a shared link get "read-only" access and won’t be able to make changes to your files. 

    Invite an individual into a file or folder as a collaborator if you are actively working with them on long-term projects. Collaboration provides a two-way relationship; depending on their access level, collaborators can view, edit, upload/download documents, leverage collaboration tools (comments, tasks, etc.), and receive updates on actions taking place in the folder. 

    Note: Folder collaborators will need a Box account. If you send a collaboration invitation to an individual without a Box account, that individual will be prompted to sign up with Box before being able to access the content.

    Thanks for your participation in the forum!

    Best,

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