Dropbox MCP Server

The Dropbox MCP Server connects your Dropbox to AI assistants. MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open standard that lets assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT, Codex or Cursor reach external services. The server comes from Dropbox itself and runs on its infrastructure at mcp.dropbox.com/mcp. You do not install anything or host your own server. According to the help page, the service is in open beta, and additional beta terms apply. Sign-in uses Dropbox OAuth. OAuth is a sign-in method where you grant the assistant access in your browser without handing over your password.

What is the Dropbox MCP Server good for?

A lot of working material lives in Dropbox: contracts, slide decks, meeting notes, invoices or project folders. Until now, you had to download files and upload them into the chat before an assistant could use them. With the MCP server, the assistant reaches into Dropbox directly. You can ask it to find every quote for a given client, summarize a presentation, or move the files of a finished project into an archive folder. The assistant can also create shared links and set up file requests. A file request is a link that lets other people upload files into your folder. Developers benefit too: Claude Code or Codex can read specs and reference material from Dropbox without you copying them into the repository.

Files, sharing and recovery

According to Dropbox, the server offers tools for files and folders: list, search, read metadata and content, create folders and files, copy, move and delete, and generate download links. On top of that come tools for shared links and file requests. The version tools are especially handy. The assistant can list and restore earlier versions of a file and bring back deleted folders, as long as your plan's recovery window has not run out. There are also tools that convert files to Markdown or fetch transcripts of audio and video files. An account tool shows used storage and quota.

Dropbox Sign and Dropbox Paper

The server goes beyond file storage. According to the help page, it also includes Dropbox Sign tools. With them, the assistant can send, search, remind and cancel signature requests and download signed documents. For Dropbox Paper, it can read, create and edit docs and manage comments and tasks. Dropbox says the Paper tools currently only work with Claude Code, Cursor and Codex. They can only reach Paper docs your account is already allowed to see.

Limits at a glance

Dropbox lists a few fixed limits. Reading content and creating files only works up to 5 MB per file. A folder listing returns at most 100 items, and the same applies to the list of file revisions. Large copy, move or delete jobs run in the background, and the assistant has to check their status separately. According to Dropbox, only Claude Code, Claude web and desktop, ChatGPT web, Codex and Cursor connect out of the box. Other MCP clients need their own app in the Dropbox App Console with an app key and app secret. The access tokens there are short-lived and must be renewed regularly.

How does it differ from alternatives?

There are several unofficial community Dropbox MCP servers. Most of them run locally and need an API token you create yourself. The official server is hosted, maintained by Dropbox and includes Sign and Paper. Keep it apart from the Dropbox Dash MCP Server at mcp.dropbox.com/dash. That one searches the content Dropbox Dash pulls together from various work tools, and it is read-only.

Who is the Dropbox MCP Server for?

The server pays off for anyone who keeps work files in Dropbox and wants an AI assistant to analyze or organize them. Teams no longer have to shuttle files between folders and chat windows. In Dropbox teams, admins can control whether members may connect apps, so check that first. On cost: the help page lists neither a separate price for the MCP server nor a specific Dropbox plan as a requirement. Dropbox itself is available on the free Basic plan as well as on paid plans. Depending on the assistant, you may need a plan there that supports custom connectors or developer mode.

A Dropbox account. Plus a supported client: Claude Code or the Codex CLI installed locally, Claude with access to custom connectors or ChatGPT with developer mode (each only on certain plans), or Cursor. In Dropbox teams, the admin must allow connecting apps.

The Dropbox MCP Server gives your AI assistant access to your Dropbox. It runs at Dropbox under https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp, so there is nothing to install. This guide shows the setup in the supported clients and what to watch out for afterwards.

Step 1: Check first

You need a Dropbox account. If you belong to a Dropbox team, the admin may restrict connecting apps. Ask beforehand if in doubt. For Claude in the browser or desktop app, you need a plan with custom connectors; for ChatGPT, a plan with developer mode.

Step 2: Claude Code

Run claude mcp add --transport http DropboxMCP https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp. On first use, your browser opens and you allow Claude Code to access your Dropbox. Inside a session, /mcp shows whether the server is connected.

claude mcp add --transport http DropboxMCP https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp

Step 3: Codex

Add the server with codex mcp add DropboxMCP --url https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp. Then sign in with codex mcp login DropboxMCP. Sign-in happens in the browser here as well.

codex mcp add DropboxMCP --url https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp
codex mcp login DropboxMCP

Cursor

Open Settings, then Cursor Settings and Tools and MCP. Click New MCP Server and add an entry Dropbox MCP under mcpServers with the url field set to https://mcp.dropbox.com/mcp. After saving, Cursor asks you to sign in to Dropbox.

Claude and ChatGPT in the browser

In Claude, go to Settings, Connectors and choose Add custom connector. Enter Dropbox MCP as the name and the server URL as the address. In ChatGPT, first enable Developer Mode under Settings, Apps & Connectors, Advanced settings. Then go to Settings, Apps, click Create app, enter the server URL and choose OAuth for authentication.

Other MCP clients

Only the five clients above register with Dropbox automatically. For everything else, create your own app in the Dropbox App Console. Choose Scoped access and Full Dropbox. Enable the scopes files.metadata.read, files.content.read, files.content.write, sharing.read, sharing.write, file_requests.read, file_requests.write and account_info.read. Use the app key and app secret to set up OAuth in your client. Access tokens are short-lived. If you change the scopes later, reconnect the server.

Know the beta limits

The server only reads and writes file content up to 5 MB. Folder listings and revision lists stop at 100 items. Large move or delete jobs run in the background, and the assistant polls their status. The Dropbox Paper tools currently only work in Claude Code, Cursor and Codex.

Work safely

The server can delete, move and publicly share files. Approve write actions one at a time instead of allowing them across the board. Be careful with files from outside sources, since a file can also carry hidden instructions for the assistant. Deleted files can only be recovered within your plan's recovery window.

Dropbox OAuth. For Claude Code, Claude web and desktop, ChatGPT web, Codex and Cursor, the client registers itself automatically (Dynamic Client Registration). Other clients need their own app in the Dropbox App Console with an app key and app secret; access tokens are short-lived. If you change the app settings, such as a scope, you have to reconnect.

Read and write access to the entire Dropbox account. For custom apps, Dropbox lists the scopes files.metadata.read, files.content.read, files.content.write, sharing.read, sharing.write, file_requests.read, file_requests.write and account_info.read with Full Dropbox access. Tools for Dropbox Sign and Paper come on top.

The server runs at Dropbox. File content the assistant reads is passed to the respective AI provider and handled under that provider's terms. Additional Dropbox beta terms apply during the beta.

Medium to high, because the server can delete, move and publicly share files. A misunderstood request or a crafted file with hidden instructions can trigger unwanted actions. Approve write actions one by one. Deleted files can only be recovered within your plan's recovery window.