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How to link Dropbox content using the Web View plugin

Use Dropbox to host files like images, videos, audio, or PDFs and display them inside your app using the Web View plugin.

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Written by Support
Updated today

You can link externally hosted Dropbox files directly into your app using the Web View plugin. This approach works well for media files and documents that you want to manage outside of the Control Panel while still making them accessible inside your app. The key requirement is using a properly formatted Dropbox share link so the content loads correctly in the Web View.


Requirements

  • A Dropbox account with files uploaded

  • Files set to view access and available to anyone with the link

  • The Web View plugin added to your app


How to link Dropbox content using the Web View plugin

  1. Go to dropbox.com and log in to your Dropbox account.

    • Click All files, hover over the file you want to use, click Share, then click Copy link.

    • Under the share settings, confirm:

      1. The link access is set to Anyone

      2. The permission is set to View

    • Modify the copied Dropbox URL before using it:

      1. Replace www.dropbox.com with dl.dropboxusercontent.com

      2. Do not change anything else in the link

  2. Log in to the your control panel, go to Builder in the left navigation, and find your Web View plugin

    • Stay in the Content tab, paste the modified Dropbox URL into the URL field, then click Validate to confirm the file loads correctly.

    • Choose how the content should open:

      1. In an iframe

      2. In a native web view

      3. In the device’s default external browser

    • Click Save to apply your changes.


Pro tips

  • Always use the dl.dropboxusercontent.com format to prevent loading and playback issues.

  • This method works for images, videos, audio files, and PDFs hosted in Dropbox.

  • If content does not load, double-check both the sharing permissions and the URL format before testing again.

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