How to use team shared folders

Team shared folders make it easy for you to give other people access to view, edit, or add files in folders you specify. Shared folders are added to the Sync account of each team member you invite, and synchronized to each member's computer as a real folder (when the Sync desktop app is installed).

Sync Pro Solo and Pro Teams plans include configurable permissions, and the ability to invite free Sync users to shared folders, regardless of folder size.

In this article:

• How do I share a folder?
• How do I add or remove users on a shared folder?
• Resend a share invitation
• How do I unshare a folder?
• Change permissions on shared folders
• Rename or move a shared folder
• Share a folder inside an existing shared folder
• Change the owner of a shared folder

How do I share a folder?

You can turn any folder into a shared folder from the Sync.com web panel or your phone or tablet.

Share a folder from the Sync.com web panel:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the folder you want to share.
3. Select the Share folder option (or Manage share folder option if the folder has already been shared).
4. Enter the email addresses of the people you want to access to the folder. Hit enter or return on your keyboard to lock them in.
5. Check Can edit to enable add, edit, and delete permissions for the people you’ve added. Permissions can be changed anytime.
6. Click Invite.

Once you have created the share an email will be sent to each member, with an authorization link to join the share. People with an existing Sync account will get instant access. People without a Sync account will be prompted to create a free Sync account first. Shared files will count towards the storage quota of the users you share with, with the exception being free users.

How do I add or remove users on a shared folder?

Add or remove users from the Sync.com web panel:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the shared folder you want to manage.
4. Select Manage share folder.

To add users:

• Click the + Add users button, and add additional users like you did when you created the shared folder.

To remove users (revoke access):

• Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the users you want to remove, and select the Remove from shared folder option.
• Choose whether the other share members can keep a copy of the folder. When removing users you have the option of letting the user keep a copy of the shared folder in their Sync account (they won't be able to see future changes), or deleting the shared folder from their Sync account.
• Click Remove.

Resend a share invitation

If a person you have invited to a share folder has not yet joined, you may need to resend the authorization email, and instruct the person to click the link contained within the email.

Resend the email as follows:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the shared folder you want to manage.
4. Select Manage share folder.
5. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside a user.
6. Select Resend invitation.

Note:

• This option is only available for users who have not yet joined your shared folder.

How do I unshare a folder?

If you do not need to share a folder anymore you can unshare it with some or all members.

Unshare a folder from the Sync.com web panel: 

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the shared folder you want to unshare.
4. Select Manage share folder.
5. Click the Share settings button. 
6. Click Unshare.
7. Choose whether the other share members can keep a copy of the folder. When removing users you have the option of letting the user keep a copy of the shared folder in their Sync account (they won't be able to see future changes), or deleting the shared folder from their Sync account.
8. Click Remove.

Change permissions on shared folders

Sync Pro Solo and Pro Teams plans include the ability to change folder permissions per user, per shared folder:

• Can View - Allows members to view files in a shared folder, but not add, edit, or delete.
• Can Edit - Allows members to add, edit, or delete files in a shared folder.
• Can Invite - Gives other members administrative control of the shared folder.
• Can See Others - Allows members to see the other members on the shared folder.

Change permissions from the Sync.com web panel: 

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the shared folder you want to manage.
4. Select Manage share folder.
5. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the user you want modify.
6. Select Edit permissions.
7. Check or uncheck permissions as needed.
8. Click Save.

Rename or move a shared folder

You can rename or move a shared folder from the Sync.com web panel, or from your computer like any other folder on your hard drive.

If you do so, the folder will remain shared, but the new name will not be propagated to the Sync accounts of the other shared folder members. Shared folders work this way to mitigate confusion, as nobody wants their folders renamed or moved without their consent.

If you need to rename a shared folder for all members, you would need to:

• Unshare the folder.
• Rename it.
• Reshare the folder.

Share a folder inside an existing shared folder

With team shared folders you can only share a top-level folder or its sub-folders, but not both. As such, a flat folder structure is recommended to ensure that access is clearly defined and easily understood by all users.

If you do need to share a folder inside an existing shared folder you can either:

• Move the folder out of the shared folder, and share it separately.
• Or, unshare the top-level folder, and then re-share the sub-folders separately.
• Or, create a link to the sub-folder.

Change the owner of a shared folder

The person that creates the shared folder automatically becomes the owner (administrator). Only the owner can add or remove members, change permissions, change owner, or unshare the folder.

To determine the owner of a shared folder:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. The owner of each share folder is displayed under the Owner column.

Give another share member invite permissions:

If you want to give another share member the ability to add members, you can do so by giving them invite permissions. You will remain the owner, but this allows other users to manage access to the folder.

To change the owner of a shared folder:

1. Sign in to the web panel.
2. Click Shares from the left navigation bar.
3. Click the   (ellipsis) icon beside the shared folder you want to manage.
4. Select Manage share folder.
5. Click the Change owner button.
6. Select a new owner from the dropdown. If the new owner is not already a member of the share folder you will need to invite them first.
7. Click Transfer. Proceed with caution as this action cannot be undone.