Getting started with Dropbox Dash

What is Dropbox Dash?

Dropbox Dash is an AI-powered work assistant that connects your tools, apps, and content to help you find what you need, get AI-generated answers to work questions, and collaborate with your team. With connections to major platforms like Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce, and more, find everything in one place and let Dash search across countless documents to find answers to your questions in seconds. Now, you can skip the time-consuming process of toggling between apps to find content, join meetings, and share items with your team. With machine learning at its core, Dash learns, evolves, and improves the more you use it.

Try Dropbox Dash.

How to get started using Dropbox Dash

There are three ways you can start using Dash: on the web, the browser extension, or the desktop app. Dash web is accessed through a browser and allows you to search your tools, apps, and storage services and manage your content online. Dash desktop, on the other hand, is a downloadable app that searches your local files on your computer and allows for offline access to content.

How to open Dash on the web

To open Dash on the web:

1. Navigate to Dropbox Dash.

2. Log in to Dropbox Dash with your Dropbox account.

3. Click Continue

Note: Dash on the web also has an Ask tab (comment icon) where you can enter a question and get AI-generated answers about your work and Dash.

How to add Dash to your browser

To add Dash to your browser:

1. Navigate to Dropbox Dash.

2. Click the blue Get started button in the top right corner.

   • Note: Log in to your Dropbox account if you haven’t already.

3. Click “+” (plus sign) next to the file storage apps you’d like to use (or: connect).

4. Click the blue Continue button at the bottom.

5. Click “+” (plus sign) next to the communication apps you’d like to use.

6. Click the blue Continue button at the bottom.

7. Click “+” (plus sign) next to the calendar apps you’d like to use.

8. Click the blue Continue button at the bottom.

9. Click Add Dash for Chrome to make Dash your new browser window.

   • Note: Adding Dash to your browser is required to continue.

10. Click Open Dash in new tab button.

11. Click “+” (plus sign) at the top of your browser to open a new tab.

12. Click Keep it in the box that appears to save Dash as your new browser.

When you open a new browser window from now on, it will open up your Dash homepage.

Notes:

• If you previously added Dash but didn’t add your calendar or browser extension, you can click the Add calendar and Add to Chrome buttons to connect them to Dash.

• You’ll still be able to search the internet in your usual browser search bar.

• You can get AI-generated answers to questions about your work and Dash by entering your question in the Search bar at the top of your Dash browser window.

How to set up the Dash desktop app

You can also download the Dash desktop app to search your desktop, local files, apps, and storage services for the content you need.

Notes:

• You don’t have to download the desktop app to use Dash, but you do need it if you want Dash to search your desktop and local files.

• You can get AI-generated answers to questions about your work and Dash by entering your question in the

  Search bar at the top of your Dash desktop window.

To download Dash to your computer:

• Visit the Dropbox Dash signup page.

• Follow your computer’s download steps.

For Windows:

1. Upon arriving at the Dropbox Dash signup page, the download will begin automatically.

   • If the .exe file did not automatically download, click Retry download.

2. Double-click the .exe file in the lower left of your browser window.

3. Follow the steps to download Dash.

4. Double-click the downloaded file to launch the app.

For Mac:

1. Upon arriving at the Dropbox Dash signup page, the download will begin automatically.

   • If the .dmg file did not automatically download, click Retry download.

2. In the lower left of your browser window, click the .dmg file.

3. In the newly opened window, drag the Dash icon into the Applications folder.

4. Open Finder.

5. Open the Applications folder.

6. Open Dash by double-clicking your downloaded file.

How to search for your content in Dropbox Dash

Dash will search across your connected apps, tools, and storage services using keywords and filters. You can add content you find in your search results to a stack you already created.

Note: Only the Dash desktop app will search your computer’s desktop and local files.

To search using Dash web:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or bring up the Dash window if it’s not already open.
2. Type keywords into the search bar in your Dash window.
3. Click the tabs of your connected apps to filter your results.
4. Press the enter/return key on your keyboard to start your search.

To search using Dash browser extension:

1. Click “+” (plus sign) at the top of your browser to open a new window.

2. Type keywords into the search bar in your Dash window.

   • You can also click the New chat tab under the search bar to open Ask Dash.

3. Click the tabs of your connected apps to filter your results.

4. Press the enter/return key on your keyboard to start your search.

To search using Dash desktop:

1. Open the Dash desktop app.

2. Type keywords into the search bar in your Dash window.

3. Click the tabs of your connected apps to filter your results.

4. Press the enter/return key on your keyboard to start your search.

Use Hotwords to limit your search:

To search within a specific app, add a Hotword to your search term. For example, you can add “sk” to search only within your Slack app.

To view all available Hotwords:

1. Bring up the Dash window if it’s not already open.

   • On Windows: Type Ctrl + E.

   • On Mac: Type ⌘ + E.

2. Click the settings icon (gear) in the top-right corner.

3. Click Keyboard shortcuts.

What is Ask Dash?

Ask Dash allows you to ask questions and receive AI-generated answers to content questions and search queries based on the content you have connected to Dash. The more often you click on a result, the higher it appears on the list. Using Dash on the web, click the comment icon in the right sidebar to open Ask Dash. You can also click the New chat tab under the search bar to open Ask Dash in your Dash extension or desktop app.

Note: Ask Dash doesn’t support people-related questions, questions that require an action to be taken, or questions related to your company or organization.

What is a stack?

Stacks are an organizational feature that allows you to collect, organize, and share various types of content in one place. You can group content in stacks: docs, links, emails, messages, and more in one place alongside notes and summaries.

How to create a stack

To create a stack:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or bring up the Dash window if it’s not already open.

   • If you added Dash to your browser, click “+” (plus sign) to open a new Dash browser window.

2. Click the stacked papers icon in the right sidebar and click +Create stack under the Search Dash bar.

   • You can also click +Add stack at the bottom of your dashboard, enter a title, and click the Create stack button in the window that appears.

3. Type a title for the stack in the Name this stack field.

4. Click Add description under your stack title to provide more information about this stack, and click Save.

5. Click +Click to start adding items, and type the name of the content you want to add in the Add a link field.

   • Dash will suggest possible content links as you type by searching your content and connected apps. Click “+” (plus sign) to add or “-” (minus sign) to remove suggestions.

6. Click Create.

Your newly created stack will open, and you can click +Add to add more content to your stack.

Note: To edit the name of your stack, open the stack you want to edit, hover over the stack title, and click the edit icon (pencil) to type the title you want.

How to pin stacks

Pinning a stack will keep it at the top of your stacks list for quick access.

To pin a stack:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Click +Add stack at the bottom of your pinned stacks.

   • You can also click the stacked papers icon in the right sidebar to open your list of stacks. Hover over the stack you want to pin, click the “…“ (ellipsis), and select Pin.

3. Select the stack you’d like to pin, or click Create stack to create a pinned stack.

To unpin a stack:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Click (pin).

   • You can also click the stacked papers icon in the right sidebar to open your list of stacks. Hover over the stack you want to unpin, click the “…“ (ellipsis), and select Unpin.

How to add content to a stack

Adding content to stacks makes it easy to find, organize, and share.

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Click the stack you’d like to add content to.

3. Click +Add.

4. Type in or copy and paste the URL for the item you want to add in the Search or add a link field and press the enter/return key on your keyboard.

To add sections to your stack:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Click the stack you’d like to add content to.

3. Click “+” (plus sign) in the Sections box.

4. Enter a title for your section.

5. Click the checkmark or press the enter/return key on your keyboard.

6. Click “+” (plus sign) in your section to add content.

To remove a section:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Click the stack you’d like to add content to.

3. Click “…” (ellipsis) in the section you want to remove.

4. Select Remove section from the dropdown menu.

How to share stacks

Sharing your stack makes it easy to give someone access to specific content. When you share your stack or send a link, you can select edit or view access to that stack.

Notes:

• Sharing a stack you have pinned doesn’t pin the stack for your recipient.

• If you add, reorder, or remove items or sections from a shared stack, everyone you shared it with can see those changes.

To share a stack:

1. Open Dropbox Dash or click “+” (plus sign) to open a new browser window.

2. Hover over the stack you want to share.

   • Note: You can also open your stack and click the share icon (rectangle with an up arrow) in the upper right of your stack title.

3. Click “…” (ellipsis) in the upper right of your stack.

4. Click the share icon (rectangle with an up arrow).

5. Click Share.

6. Enter the names or emails of the desired contacts in the Invite people field.

   • You can also copy a link from this menu and set permissions for who can access that link.

7. Click the dropdown menu to select if invitees have Can edit or Can view privileges.

   • Note: Toggle the optional Send email notification button to notify invitees by email that you’ve shared a stack. Enter an optional note in the Add a note field.

8. Click Send.

   • Notes:

     • If you share a link that’s accessible to your entire organization, any team member who clicks on that link will automatically be invited to that stack.

     • If a stack is set to Restricted (the default setting), only invited users can see the stack via shared link.

How to disconnect and delete Dropbox Dash

Before uninstalling the Dash app, complete the following steps to remove Dash access to your external applications:

1. Log in to dropbox.com.

2. Go to the Dash connectors page, then click the Connected tab.

3. Go to the Apps tab in your account settings.

4. Click Dropbox Dash.

5. Click Disconnect and follow the prompts on the screen.

• Note: If you installed the Dropbox Dash browser extension, remove the extension from your browser. Learn how to remove extensions from Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.

Once you’ve removed all of the connected apps, permissions, and the browser extension, you can uninstall the Dropbox Dash desktop app. Follow the instructions for your device below.

For Windows:

1. Open the Dropbox Dash desktop app.

2. Go to Preferences.

3. Click General.

4. Click Reset and Quit.

5. Go to Add and Remove Programs and locate the Dropbox Dash Uninstaller.

6. Run the uninstaller and follow the on-screen prompts.

For Mac:

1. Open the Dropbox Dash desktop app.

2. Go to Preferences.

3. Click General.

4. Click Reset and Quit.

5. Open Finder.

6. Click Applications and locate Dropbox Dash.

7. Either drag the application to trash or right-click the Dropbox Dash icon and choose Move to Trash.

8. Restart your computer.
   

Who can’t use Dropbox Dash?

Not everyone can use Dash during the beta. Here’s a summary of how or why you might be restricted:

• You’re logged out.

  • Logged-out users can log in to their Dropbox account or sign up for a new Basic account. You’ll then be redirected back to the Dash page you were trying to access.

• You’re using an unsupported device.

  • Dash can only be installed on Mac or Windows computers.

  • Note: Dash is not currently available for mobile devices.

• Additional users that are restricted from using Dash during the beta:

  • HIPAA teams, as Dash is not HIPAA compliant yet.

  • Customer Success Manager teams, as your contracts may not cover beta products without individual legal approval.

  • Non-admin team members need to reach out to Dash support for permission before they can use Dash.

Note: Restricted users will see the message: Dash isn’t available for your plan yet.