Dropbox File Store lets you store your product files in Dropbox and deliver them to customers from there instead of from your web server. That keeps large files off your hosting account and puts them somewhere you already know how to manage.
Dropbox File Store requires an Extended Pass license or higher. To install it, go to Downloads » Extensions, find Dropbox, and click Install. If you need help, see how to install an extension.
You don’t need a Dropbox developer account or your own app credentials. Dropbox File Store connects through Easy Digital Downloads’ own registered Dropbox app, so you just sign in to your existing Dropbox account and approve access. Dropbox Business accounts work too.
Connecting Your Dropbox Account
Step 1: Go to Downloads » Settings » Extensions and open the Dropbox section. Click Get Code.
Step 2: Dropbox opens in a new tab. Sign in if you’re asked to, then click Allow to let the Easy Digital Downloads File Store app access the files and folders in your Dropbox account.
Step 3: Dropbox shows you an authorization code. Copy it.
Step 4: Go back to the WordPress tab. A text box and a Register Code button now appear next to Get Code. Paste the code into the box and click Register Code.
The box hides what you paste, the same way a password field does. So don’t worry if the code doesn’t show up after you paste it.
Once it works, the settings page says Easy Digital Downloads has been authorized to connect to your Dropbox account.
The code only works once, and it expires quickly. If you get an error when you register it, click Get Code again and use the new code.
To disconnect Dropbox later, or to connect a different account, go back to the same settings page and click Remove Authorization.
Adding Dropbox Files to a Download
Once you’ve connected your account, open the download you want to edit. In the Download Details box, open the Files tab, then click the link icon next to the File URL field.
The Add media window opens. On the left, under Actions, you’ll see two new options: Upload to Dropbox and Dropbox Library. They only show up once your Dropbox account is connected.
Using a File Already in Dropbox
Pick Dropbox Library if the file is already in your Dropbox account. It shows your Dropbox folders, starting at the top level.
Click a folder to open it, or click ../ to go back up. When you find the file you want, click Select to the left of the file name.
If you use a Dropbox Business account, you can pick files from team folders as well as your own.
This is the best option for large files. The file goes straight from your Dropbox account to your download, and your site’s upload limit never comes into it.
Uploading a New File to Dropbox
Pick Upload to Dropbox to send a file from your computer to Dropbox without leaving WordPress.
- Click through the folders to the one where you want the file saved. The Current directory line shows where you are.
- Click the file button and pick the file on your computer.
- Click Upload and wait for it to finish. When it’s done, you’ll see File uploaded successfully.
- Click Use this file in your Download to attach the file.
Note: If the folder already has a different file with the same name, the upload won’t go through, and you’ll see An error occurred while attempting to upload your file. Rename your file, or pick a different folder, and try again.
Saving Your Download
Whichever option you use, the file is added to your download once the media window closes. Click Update to save your changes. From then on, customers download that file straight from your Dropbox account.
How Dropbox Download Links Work
Dropbox files use two layers of protection:
- Your store’s download link. This is the link customers get in their receipt and purchase history. It follows your Download Link Expiration setting under Downloads » Settings » Misc » File Downloads (24 hours by default), along with any download limits you’ve set.
- A temporary Dropbox link. Each time a customer clicks a valid store link, Dropbox File Store creates a brand new Dropbox link and sends them to it. Dropbox makes that link expire after four hours, and it can’t be changed.
So even if a customer shares the Dropbox link, it stops working quickly. And since a fresh link is created on every click, paying customers never run into an expired one.
Dropbox files are always delivered by redirect, so your Download Method setting doesn’t apply to them. Depending on the file type and browser, some files, like PDFs or videos, may open in the browser instead of downloading.
Troubleshooting
Reconnecting Your Dropbox Account
There are two ways your Dropbox connection can stop working.
You see a reauthorize notice. WordPress may show this message at the top of your admin pages:
Dropbox for Easy Digital Downloads needs to reauthorize its connection to your Dropbox account. Please visit the settings page to fix this.
This shows up if your store connected to Dropbox with an older version of the feature. Dropbox now uses a newer kind of connection, so you need to connect once more. The notice only appears once, so if you missed it, you’ll see the Get Code button on the settings page instead of the connected message.
Access was removed on the Dropbox side. For example, you removed the Easy Digital Downloads File Store app from the connected apps in your Dropbox account settings. There’s no notice in this case, and customers can’t download your Dropbox files until you reconnect.
The settings page may still say you’re connected for up to about four hours. After that, it shows the Get Code button again. If you already know access was removed, you don’t have to wait. Click Remove Authorization, then connect again right away.
In both cases, the fix is the same. Go to Downloads » Settings » Extensions » Dropbox and repeat the steps in Connecting Your Dropbox Account.
Your downloads keep their Dropbox files. The feature saves each file by its folder path, so reconnecting the same Dropbox account picks up right where you left off. If you connect a different account, the files need to be at the same paths there, or you’ll need to add them to your downloads again.
Authorization Code Errors
If registering fails, you’ll see a message starting with An error occurred while attempting to complete the authorization process with Dropbox using the code you provided, followed by the reason from Dropbox.
The most common cause is an old code. Codes expire quickly and work only once, so click Get Code again and try the new code before doing anything else.
Certificate Error When Registering
If you see Unable to communicate with Dropbox because of a missing certificate bundle, your server can’t make secure connections to Dropbox. Contact your hosting provider and ask them to make sure a global SSL certificate bundle is set up for PHP and cURL.
For any other connection error, turn on WordPress error logging, try again, and send the log to your host. WPBeginner has a guide on how to set up WordPress error logs.
Maximum Upload Size
Upload to Dropbox sends your file through your website first, so it’s limited by your host’s maximum upload size. To check yours, go to Media » Add Media File and look for the Maximum upload file size note.
Very large files can also run into your server’s PHP memory limit, since the whole file is loaded before it’s sent to Dropbox.
If your product file is too big, you have two options:
- Raise the limit. WPBeginner explains how to increase the maximum file upload size.
- Put the file in Dropbox yourself, using the Dropbox app or website, then add it with Dropbox Library. This skips your site’s limits completely.
Image Upload Errors
Image uploads sometimes fail in WordPress, often because of file size limits. WPBeginner covers the most common fixes in how to fix image upload issues in WordPress.
You can also save the image to Dropbox yourself and add it with Dropbox Library, which avoids WordPress upload issues entirely.
