@zapier/dropbox-connector

Agent-callable Dropbox tools — upload, organize, find, and share files and folders. Wraps the Dropbox API v2 with 21 tools spanning file writes (upload, create/append text), organization (move, copy, delete, create folders), navigation and search, inline content reading, shared links, shared-folder membership, and file requests. Auth is a single Dropbox OAuth2 connection — capability is gated by the scopes granted at connect time, and the recommended Zapier-managed path rotates the short-lived access token for you.

Independent, unofficial connector for Dropbox. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Dropbox. "Dropbox" is a trademark of its owner, used only to identify the service this connector works with.

When to use this

Reach for this connector when an agent needs to manage Dropbox files and folders: saving generated content, organizing or cleaning up a folder, finding a file before acting on it, reading a text file inline, or sharing files/folders with people. It returns clean file metadata and resolves shared-link recovery, large-file uploads, and team-space targeting for you.

When NOT to use this

• Triggers / polling for new or changed files. This is a non-trigger connector; use a Zapier trigger or webhook for "when a file is added/updated."
• Reading binary documents as text (PDF/image/Office), OCR, or document parsing. getFileContents is UTF-8 text only; hand off other files' bytes via getTemporaryLink.
• Dropbox Business/team admin (member management, team folders, groups) and Dropbox Paper — out of scope here.

Install

This connector is the same artifact across four shapes: MCP server, CLI bin, importable Node module, and an Agent Skill anchored by SKILL.md. Pick the shape that matches how your agent runs.

# Run a script with zero install — npx fetches the package on first use
export <ENV_VAR>=xxx
npx @zapier/dropbox-connector@latest run <script> '<input-json>' --connection env:<ENV_VAR>

# Install as a dependency to import the functions in your own code
npm install @zapier/dropbox-connector

# Or install as an Agent Skill (https://agentskills.io)
npx skills add zapier/connectors --skill dropbox

Auth is one [<resolver>:]<value> connection string passed with --connection — a selector, not the secret. The <resolver>: prefix is optional; a bare value is claimed by the first matching resolver. See Auth below for the with/without-Zapier tradeoffs and how to find a connection ID.

MCP server

Run the connector as an MCP server over stdio so any MCP-aware client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Claude Code, …) auto-discovers the scripts as tools — add one stanza to the client's config:

// e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dropbox": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@zapier/dropbox-connector", "mcp"]
    }
  }
}

--connection is optional — omit it to pass a connection per tool call, or add "--connection", "zapier:<connection-id>" (or "env:<ENV_VAR>" with "env": { "<ENV_VAR>": "xxx" }) to args to set a default.

Cloning the source

You don't need to clone anything to use this connector — the options above already cover that. Want the actual repo source instead, to read the script code, browse references/, run this connector's tests, or hack on it? Clone with a path filter so you only fetch this one connector, not the whole catalog:

git clone --filter=blob:none --sparse https://github.com/zapier/connectors.git
cd connectors && git sparse-checkout set apps/dropbox
cd apps/dropbox && npm install

See the main README to clone several connectors at once.

Scripts

| Script | Description | | ------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | uploadFile | Upload a file by fetching its bytes from a URL (chunked session for large files). | | createTextFile | Create or overwrite a Dropbox file from plain text content. | | appendToTextFile | Append text to a text file, creating it if it doesn't exist. | | createFolder | Create a folder at a path. | | moveFile | Move or rename a file or folder. | | copyFile | Copy a file or folder to a new path. | | deletePath | Delete a file or folder (recoverable for a limited time). |

Files — read & navigate

| Script | Description | | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | listFolder | List a folder's immediate contents (cursor-paged). | | searchFiles | Search files and folders by name or content (cursor-paged). | | getFileMetadata | Get metadata for one file or folder by path or id. | | getTemporaryLink | Get a ~4-hour direct download URL for a file. | | getFileContents | Read a text file's inline content (UTF-8, size-capped). |

Sharing

| Script | Description | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | createSharedLink | Create a durable shareable link (returns the existing one if present). | | modifySharedLinkSettings | Change an existing shared link's visibility, password, expiration, or access. | | listSharedLinks | List existing shared links, optionally for one path. | | listSharedFolders | List the shared folders the account belongs to. | | addFolderMember | Add members (by email) to a shared folder. | | removeFolderMember | Remove a member from a shared folder. |

File requests & account

| Script | Description | | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | | createFileRequest | Create a public upload page into a Dropbox folder. | | listFileRequests | List the account's file requests. | | getCurrentAccount | Identify the authenticated account and its team/personal namespace ids. |

Run npx @zapier/dropbox-connector@latest run <script> --help to see any script's exact input contract + the available resolvers.

Usage

Each named export is the consumer-facing (input, opts) => Promise<{ data, meta }> function. Pass auth as one [<resolver>:]<value> string, e.g. { connection: "env:<ENV_VAR>" }.

import { searchFiles } from "@zapier/dropbox-connector";

// Each named export is the consumer-facing (input, opts) => Promise<{ data, meta }>.
// Pass auth as one `[<resolver>:]<value>` string.
const { data } = await searchFiles(
  { query: "Q4 forecast" },
  { connection: "access-token:DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN" }, // reads DROPBOX_ACCESS_TOKEN
);

Auth

Already have a connection value? Pass it as shown above — --connection for the CLI/MCP shapes, { connection } for imported functions. No connection yet? Pick one:

| | Load | | ------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Pass the credential directly | references/use-without-zapier.md | | Route it through a Zapier connection | references/use-with-zapier.md |

Links

• SKILL.md — runtime guidance for agents
• Source

• Dropbox API v2 reference — the vendor API this wraps
• references/dropbox-api-gotchas.md — durable per-app API knowledge

Legal

Scope of license. Zapier licenses only the connector code in this package. Zapier grants no rights in Dropbox's API, services, data, schemas, documentation, or other materials, which remain the property of Dropbox. Your use of Dropbox's API is governed by your own agreement with Dropbox.

Trademarks and affiliation. Dropbox and its logos are trademarks of their owner, used here only to identify the service this connector works with. This connector is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Dropbox.

Your responsibility. This connector calls Dropbox's API using credentials you supply. You are responsible for holding a valid Dropbox account, for complying with Dropbox's API terms, developer policies, and acceptable use rules, and for the data you send and receive through it.

No warranty. This connector is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, and is not an official Dropbox product. Zapier is not responsible for changes Dropbox makes to its API or for any consequence of your use of Dropbox's API. See the repository LICENSE for the full disclaimer.

Forks. You may fork and modify this connector under the Elastic License 2.0. You may state that your fork is "based on" Zapier's connector, but you may not use the "Zapier" name or logo as the name or branding of your fork, or in any way that suggests Zapier produces, endorses, or supports it.

Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0. See the repository LICENSE and NOTICE.