What can I do with files?

Depending on the access level you have to files, you can view, like or recommend, or edit them.

About this task

There are three primary levels of access for any file: private, shared with specific people or communities with either reader or editor access, or public. When a file is given public access, anyone can read and download it, even people who are not logged in. After they log in, people can also share the file, add it to a folder, comment on it, and receive notification when someone edits it or comments on it.

File owners can choose to allow other people to share files. When someone shares a file with you, they can give you reader or editor access:

Reader access: Readers can read, comment on, download, and recommend a file, be notified of changes to the file, and share the file. They can add a file to one of their folders, or to a folder to which they have Editor access.
Editor access: Editors can read, edit, comment on, download, recommend, upload a new version of, and set file properties. They can be notified of changes to the file, and share it. Editors can also add a file to a folder of theirs, or to a folder to which they have Editor access.

To see what access you and others have for a file, open its file page and click Sharing.

You can move one or more files by dragging and dropping them if you have Owner or Editor access to the file and to the destination location. You can also move files by opening the folder that contains the files you want to move, select the files you want to move, and click Move. Select a destination in the Move to... window.

Procedure

Open the file page and perform one or more of the following actions:

Option	Description
To recommend files	In any list of files, find a file and click the Like option or icon for that file to recommend the file. You can also click the Like option or icon on an individual file page.
To comment on files	Open the file page, click the Comments tab, and then click Add a comment. Type your comment, and then click Save.
To preview a file	Open the file page, and then click Preview. Preview also is available from the Customizable display list.
To download files	To download a file, open the file page and click Download.
To edit file properties	Open the file page, and then click More Actions > Edit Properties. Change the file name property, description, or file extension, and then click Save. You must be an owner or have Editor access to edit the properties of someone's file.
To add files to a folder	Open the file page, and then click Add to Folder. Select a folder, and then click Add to Folder. Alternatively, you can open the folder page, click Add Files, and select previously uploaded files.
To move a file	You can move one or more files if you have Owner or Editor access to the file and to the destination location. You can move files in any of the following ways: Drag and drop multiple files from the current location to a location in the navigation tree. Drag and drop multiple files from the current location in the content pane to another location in the content pane. Open the folder that contains the files you want to move, select the files you want to move, and click Move. Select a destination in the Move to... window. Note: Files that are not shared externally cannot be moved to a folder that allows access by external users. Note: Non-public files that you do not own cannot be moved to a public folder. Note: A file cannot be moved to a location that contains a file with the same name. Note: Once a file is in a community, it can only be moved to Trash. Note: If a subset of the selected files to be moved are ineligible, then the move will fail.