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Productivity hacks for Dropbox

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Dropbox can be a powerful tool for storing and transferring files. Learn how to stay organized and increase productivity with these hacks.

Dropbox is an excellent tool that you can use to transfer files and keep the things you need all in one place. Since it’s on the cloud, it’s a helpful tool that lets you save, share, and access your files from any of your devices.

If you’re hoping to keep your Dropbox organized, there are some steps you can take to do so. We’ve put together some helpful tips for you so that you can take advantage of Dropbox’s best features.

Tips for staying organized in your Dropbox

There are several ways that you can stay organized in Dropbox. Here are our top four tips.

Create a Dropbox folder for each project you're working on

Our first tip is to create a Dropbox folder for each different topic or project you’re working on. By using the multi-file organizer, you can sort all your docs where you can easily find them on iOS, Mac, Android, or Windows.

Use the search function to quickly find the files you need

Another helpful one of our dropbox tips is to use the search function to find what you’re looking for quickly and easily. It’s helpful if you name the files for whatever you plan to do with them first. For example, if you are collecting papers about birds, naming each file the title of the document helps make it easy for you to find the docs in the future. Consistent naming strategies make searching simple.

Share folders with other people to collaborate on projects

Another thing to consider is using share folders that you can put files into when you’re collaborating with others at Dropbox.com. In your Dropbox mobile app or new Dropbox software on your computer, sign in and hover over the file or folder that you want to share with another person.

Click the share icon, and you can type in the name, email, or group with which you want to share the file. You can even adjust it to allow them to edit or view the file only (this works similarly to Google docs on your Google Drive).

Use Dropbox's commenting feature to leave notes and feedback on files  

Commenting is another benefit of using Dropbox for business or personal use on your mobile device or in other formats. Whether you put your files in a shared folder or work on files individually, you can leave comments on them just like you would with Google docs.

On spreadsheets, you can add a comment directly on the file, and it will show up in the sidebar on the right-hand side of the screen. On your current shared Dropbox paper, you can click on “All Files” and “Comments” to leave a comment on the right-hand side of the screen as well.

Notes usually update with each version history, but make sure you check previous versions for comments that might have dropped off. Maximize the functionality of Dropbox 

To maximize the functionality of Dropbox, you should look into the different integrations that go with this cloud storage software. For example, you can install a TTS reader for real-time text-to-speech support.

Dropbox files 

Ready to review your Dropbox files? Maybe you need to go over the new share files you just received?

This is when a TTS reader will come in handy for you. TTS readers help improve workflows by reducing the time it takes to read through documents. This is one of a few shortcuts you should know about if you’re looking for productivity tips while using Dropbox.

Text-to-speech (TTS) reader 

Text-to-speech technology is a type of assistive technology that will read any digital text aloud to you. With just the press of a button on the right software, you can convert the words on your screen to audio, so you can listen to the contents of your Dropbox instead of having to read them manually.

It’s possible to use a text-to-speech reader with Dropbox to make your day a little easier. You can listen to all your documents with Speechify, letting you hear what’s in your Dropbox rather than having to read each document yourself. In fact, Speechify is a simple Chrome extension. Add it to Chrome, and you can listen to all your Dropbox files at the push of a button. This is, perhaps, the most productive browser extension you’re going to find for Dropbox.

How does Speechify work?

If you have Speechify on your iPad, for example, you can use Speechify to read all your text documents directly in Dropbox. If you have it on Chrome, use the extension to read any text on the screen.

You might not be familiar with text-to-speech software, but many people use it today. It isn’t just for people who have trouble reading or who live with ADHD, dyslexia, or other conditions.

So, who uses TTS for Dropbox?

Lawyers who have hundreds of files to review before court. Content teams who are listening to content that they have to review before it goes live on the web. Anyone can be more productive with this technology.

Why use Speechify to convert your Dropbox content to audio?
You can reduce eye fatigue, listen to audio while you’re doing other tasks away from the computer, download the audio file to listen to your Dropbox content on the go, and more.

Whether you need a TTS reader as an aid to help you read faster or you just want to speed up the audio to get through tasks more quickly than you would if you were reading them, this is an excellent add-on to have ready for use with Dropbox.

FAQ

Is Dropbox a productivity tool?

Yes. Dropbox is a productivity tool that will let you access it from your mobile device, on Chrome, and through other means. It works similarly to Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Drive since it is a cloud-based platform.

Dropbox allows you to handle task management with ease, as you can access your Dropbox account from anywhere. It’s available on Microsoft Windows, Mac, and other systems.

How do I get the most out of my Dropbox?

To get the most out of Dropbox, you should consider maximizing the space you’re given for free, enabling two-step verification for better security, and syncing your folders across devices so that you can access them from anywhere.

The nice thing about using selective sync is that you choose which files update across your devices. So, if you want to keep a few files safe on your main computer but plan to share others with your team, you can move those over into the shared workspace for easy access online or offline.

What are some productivity hacks for Dropbox? 

There are a few different productivity hacks for Dropbox that you may want to try. The first is using the MeisterTask Attachment Picker to attach important files to your MeisterTask task (this is a helpful integration to consider). You can choose the file you want to use and add it as an attachment that others can download, interact with, view, and more.

Another thing to consider doing with Dropbox is linking to documents that relate to a task in the task description. This helps you stay organized, so you can quickly find the items you’re looking for.

A third awesome productivity hack is to use Speechify with your Dropbox. Every time someone uploads a new file for you to review or you’re ready to sit down and go through documents you’ve been collecting, Speechify can convert them to human-like speech for you, so you can listen instead of reading. Or, read along with the audio playing in the background.

In any of these cases, the productivity hacks are sure to help you handle your tasks faster while using Dropbox.

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Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman

Cliff Weitzman is a dyslexia advocate and the CEO and founder of Speechify, the #1 text-to-speech app in the world, totaling over 100,000 5-star reviews and ranking first place in the App Store for the News & Magazines category. In 2017, Weitzman was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work making the internet more accessible to people with learning disabilities. Cliff Weitzman has been featured in EdSurge, Inc., PC Mag, Entrepreneur, Mashable, among other leading outlets.