Where Uploaded Files Go: Email, Dropbox, SFTP & Cloud Storage
When a customer uploads a file, two things should happen: you get told about it, and the file lands somewhere you actually work. File To Inbox does both — an email notification to your inbox for every upload, and the file itself delivered to the storage you choose. You can keep it simple with the app's built-in Cloud storage, or send uploads straight into your own Dropbox or SFTP / FTP server. This guide covers picking a destination, connecting your own account, and setting the email that gets notified.
1 See where your files can go
On the dashboard, the Where your uploaded files go card lays out your two paths. Our storage needs nothing set up — the app keeps your files (downloadable right from the dashboard) and holds them for 365 days. Your own storage sends every upload straight into an account you connect. You decide which to use per widget, so different widgets can even go to different places.
2 Connect your own storage account
Want files in your own account? Under Connect your own storage, find Dropbox or SFTP / FTP and click Connect (or Set up for SFTP). Dropbox sends you through a quick permission screen; SFTP asks for your server details. Once it says Connected, that destination is ready to pick for any widget. You can Reconnect or Disconnect it from the same row later.
3 Set the email that gets notified
Click Notification settings on the dashboard to open the Notification email field. This is where upload alerts are sent — every completed upload pings your inbox so nothing slips by. You can enter multiple emails (comma-separated) to alert a whole team, and if you leave it empty it defaults to your shop email. Save when you're done.
4 Choose the destination for each widget
Open any upload widget or page and scroll to Storage destination. The Storage destination dropdown lets you send that widget's files to Cloud storage (the built-in option), your Dropbox, or SFTP / FTP. Because it's set per widget, your product-page uploads and your standalone page can land in completely different spots.
5 Keep each upload in its own folder
Still under Storage destination, Same or separate folders? decides how uploads are organized. Leave it on the default to drop everything in one folder, or switch to a separate folder per upload session so each customer's files stay grouped — much easier to sort by order or job. For Dropbox you can also set a Dropbox folder subpath to keep app uploads tidy inside your account.
Frequently asked questions
Where do customer uploads go?
Every upload triggers an email notification to your inbox, and the file itself is delivered to the storage you choose per widget: the app's built-in Cloud storage (downloadable from the dashboard), your own Dropbox, or an SFTP/FTP server.
How do I send Shopify uploads to my Dropbox?
On the dashboard, under Connect your own storage, click Connect next to Dropbox and approve the permission screen. Then open your widget, set Storage destination to Dropbox, and Save — new uploads go straight into your Dropbox.
Can I upload customer files to my own SFTP or FTP server?
Yes. Under Connect your own storage choose Set up next to SFTP / FTP and enter your server details. Once connected, select SFTP / FTP as the widget's Storage destination.
Do I get an email when a customer uploads a file?
Yes. Set the address in Notification settings (the Notification email field) and every completed upload sends an alert to that inbox. You can enter multiple comma-separated addresses to notify a whole team, and it defaults to your shop email if left empty.
How long are files kept in the app's cloud storage?
Files in the built-in Cloud storage are kept for 365 days and can be downloaded from the dashboard. If you connect your own Dropbox or SFTP, you control retention.
Can different widgets send files to different places?
Yes. Storage destination is set per widget, so your product-page widget can go to Dropbox while your standalone page uses Cloud storage, for example.
Can I keep each customer's files in a separate folder?
Yes. Under Storage destination, set "Same or separate folders?" to a separate folder per upload session, so each customer's files stay grouped together instead of mixed into one folder.
Do I have to connect any storage to get started?
No. The built-in Cloud storage works out of the box with nothing to set up — connecting your own Dropbox or SFTP is optional.
