Dropbox introduces new wave of updates

Dropbox has announced new security, organisation, and sharing features to give teams more control, flexibility, and speed.

According to the company, teams in the modern workplace are spread across locations, timezones, and entities, making effortless collaboration increasingly important.

“Our latest product updates aim to empower teams to cut through the clutter so they can do more focused, meaningful work,” said Drew Houston, Dropbox co-founder and CEO.

“As teams become more distributed, Dropbox continues to be the trusted, easy-to-use platform for them to organise their content and collaborate—anytime and anywhere. And with the latest advancements in AI and machine learning, we have the potential to automate routine tasks, increase productivity, and free up mental space so people can get back to doing the work that matters most. I’m excited about what we’re building for an AI-first future, and we’re just getting started.”

Advanced data protection features

While all customer files at rest are already encrypted using the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Dropbox recognised that some teams may require custom encryption standards or additional layers of security to control their data and permissions. The new features include:

 End-to-end encryption

Safeguards data so only the sender and recipient can access content, which means that no one—not even Dropbox—can get into those files. Seamless end-to-end encryption is now natively integrated into team folders and eliminates the need for additional software subscriptions.

 Advanced key management

Users can set up a unique encryption key managed by FIPS 140-2 Level 3 key management services, providing better protection and management of all team Dropbox files. 

Dropbox is also introducing additional security features and updates: 

  An improved admin experience helps customers monitor membership, configure add-ons, and customise AI usage to manage content privacy and security. 

 An updated Trust Center simplifies risk assessments of Dropbox products in one place, making it easy to complete internal reviews and access information about security, reliability, privacy, and compliance. 

The latest security features are available to all Dropbox Advanced, Business Plus, and Enterprise customers. 

New Dropox integrations with Microsoft 365

Customers want tools that meet them where they are working, and it should be seamless to bring the tools they use most into Dropbox products, Dropbox said. This view has led to an improved integration with Microsoft Teams that lets customers search, preview, upload, and share content stored in Dropbox without leaving Microsoft 365. With this update, customers can also use Dropbox’s plugin extension for Copilot for Microsoft 365 to answer questions and generate summaries. 

Dropbox is building on this with even more Microsoft integrations:

 Real-time co-authoring (beta)

One of Dropbox’s most-requested features ever, Co-Authoring allows multiple team members to collaboratively edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files from desktop, web, and mobile, natively within Dropbox. Users can also see who’s in the document and where they’re editing in real-time, so everyone is working off the latest version. Now teams can finally put an end to conflicting copies.

 Dropbox Replay for OneDrive

Replay for OneDrive brings media files from Microsoft OneDrive directly into Dropbox Replay for reviews and approvals. “It is important that mutual customers collaborate in the most seamless way possible,” said Harshal Patil, Senior Product Manager at Microsoft.

“The Cloud Storage Partner Program offers partners like Dropbox the ability to integrate with our solutions. With this integration, users now have a more seamless way to collaborate on documents stored in Microsoft 365 or Dropbox, thereby addressing evolving customer needs.” 

All Dropbox customers can sign up for the Co-Authoring beta and access the Dropbox Replay for OneDrive integration. To sign up for the beta and learn more about Dropbox and Microsoft, visit dropbox.com/app-integrations/microsoft.

Last October, Dropbox introduced a redesigned web experience in response to customer feedback for faster access to their files. The company is now introducing more improvements to help customers quickly find what they need—all in Dropbox. All Dropbox customers will have access to new capabilities to:

 Easily preview a file 

Preview files as you navigate through your folders with quick view. Customers can now also identify what's inside a file or folder by hovering over it in grid view. Get to favourite files quickly by pinning items within quick access in an updated left navigation bar.

 Kickstart work with suggested quick actions for files—like editing a PDF

Customers on paid plans will get additional features like the ability to: 

 Access content in fewer clicks with dynamic filters that automatically organise your content—like by project name or themes. 

 Find similar files faster with smart suggestions that show files related to what you’re viewing, like similar PDFs. 

Quick view, quick access, and suggested quick actions have begun rolling out globally. 

Fast-track video, image, and audio reviews with Dropbox Replay 

Today, video is the fastest-growing content type on Dropbox, with over 1.5 B videos uploaded every year. Since the company introduced Dropbox Replay, its rich media review and approval tool, customers have been sharing all the ways it’s helped them speed up reviews and get to final delivery faster.

Replay fast-tracks the feedback process so users can finish projects on time—and with features like live review, in just a few clicks, customers can start a live session to review audio and video files with collaborators in real-time. But customers typically work across a multitude of content types, and they also need a simple way to put their brand front and centre. That’s why Dropbox is introducing:

 Added rich media support

Use Replay to review and approve more types of rich media, including PDF and PSD files.

 Avid Pro Tools integration

Review comments on audio files within the Avid platform. 

 Dynamic watermarking

Keep proprietary content protected and prevent unauthorised use by placing watermarks on work shared with collaborators. Watermarks include recipient email, IP address, date, and time of when the file is opened. 

 Custom branding

Configure custom images, banners, logos, and colors within Replay project workspaces.

The Avid Pro Tools integration and added rich media support are available to all Replay customers. Customers who upgrade to the paid Replay add-on can now also access dynamic watermarking and custom branding.

Manage sensitive documents securely and get real-time deal insights

According to Dropbox, customers say they’re spending too much time organising deal files and sharing them via email. Without analytics and integration across tools, it’s hard to tell which information is resonating with stakeholders, and challenging to keep files updated. 

Enter DocSend Advanced Data Rooms. They’re designed to simplify the entire deal process from initial pitch to due diligence to final signature. With DocSend, businesses can offload administrative burdens and securely share the most impactful proprietary information more quickly.

 Conduct due diligence with confidence and control

Features like group permissions, visitor verification, and built-in non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) give precise control over the most sensitive information. 

 Empower teams with real-time deal insights

Comprehensive data room analytics and page-by-page insights let teams make data-driven decisions. 

 Create and organise virtual data rooms in minutes

Users can make use of data room templates, auto-indexing, and custom branding. 

Dropbox Dash helps teams find what they need

With the new realities of modern work, people are struggling to navigate hundreds of browser tabs, apps, and files on their desktop. In fact, Dropbox said research shows that people are switching between apps and sites nearly 1,200 times per day, which adds up to nearly 4 hours lost each week. 

Last year, Dropbox set out to solve this problem with the launch of Dropbox Dash, AI-powered
universal search that connects tools, content, and apps in a single search bar. Dash interacts with
everyday tools, so users can find anything from their workspace in seconds. 

Now, Dropbox is improving search and adding new capabilities based on customer feedback:

 Increased access to Dash

Dash is just a click away on desktop and web. An improved desktop app means it’s easier for customers to find, organise, and share content.

 Redesigned Start Page

The Start Page, a single dashboard that lets you access universal search, view Stacks—smart, shareable collections of content, and get shortcuts to recent work, offers a new experience that makes it simple to find content, fast. Dash now automatically groups different types of content into Stacks and displays them in a central hub.

 New connectors

Dash now connects to more than 20 tools and apps customers use for work, including Microsoft OneNote and Zendesk. 

Dropbox Dash is currently in beta in English. The new features have begun rolling out. 

To try out Dash, visit https://dash.dropbox.com.