Managing Content with Box for Android

The Box for Android mobile application gives you the power and simplicity of Box on any Android device. Create, view, edit, and share content, all on the go.

This topic contains the following sections:

• Adding Files and Folders
• Moving and Copying Files and Folders
• Deleting Files and Folders
• Editing Files
• Recents
• Saving Files for Offline Access
• Box Notes
• Classification Labels

 

Adding files and folders

When you use your device to upload or download files, Box:

• Queues uploads and downloads of files while your device is offline.
• Automatically resumes uploads and downloads of files on your device following network interruptions.
• Never loses progress of large uploads and downloads in the event of a disconnection.
• Enables you to manually retry failed uploads and downloads of files from your device's progress screen.

To add files from your Android device to Box:

1. Navigate to the folder where you'd like to add your files. If you'd like to create a new folder or add files to the root level of your account, stay on the All Files screen.
2. Tap the + icon at the bottom of the screen.
   

 

Choose how you'd like to add files:

• New Folder: Create a new folder at the root level of your account or within the folder you're viewing
• New Document: Create a new Microsoft Office Document or text file.
• Upload Content: Upload media (photo, video, documents) from your device's media library as well as other local document storage apps.
• Capture Media: Use your device's camera to take a photo or video and upload it directly to Box. 
• New Box Note: Create a new Box Note.

Moving and copying files and folders

To move or copy a single item:

1. Navigate to the file/folder that you would like to move or copy.
2. Tap the ellipsis (...) to the right of the file or folder name to open the More Options menu.
3. Select Copy/Move.
   
4. Select a destination folder.
5. Tap Copy Here to copy the file/folder or Move Here to move the file/folder.

Alternatively, you can perform these actions after previewing an item. Simply tap the ellipsis in the top-right corner of the preview screen, and select Copy/Move..

To move or copy multiple items:

1. Navigate to the files/folders that you would like to move or copy.
2. Select the items you'd like to move or copy by long-pressing (press and hold) on an item, then tap the checkbox next to additional items to select them as well.
3. Tap the Copy/Move icon in the top-right corner.
   
4. Select a destination folder.
5. Tap Copy Here to copy the files/folders or Move Here to move the files/folders.

 

Deleting files and folders

To delete a single item:

1. Navigate to the file/folder that you would like to delete.
2. Tap the ellipsis (...) to the right of the file name to open the More Options menu.
3. Select Delete.
   

Alternately, you can delete an item after previewing it. Simply tap the ellipsis in the top-right corner of the preview screen, and select Delete.

To delete multiple items:

1. Navigate to the files/folders that you would like to move or copy.
2. Select the items you'd like to delete by long-pressing (press and hold) on a item, then tap the checkbox next to additional items to select them as well.
   
3. Once you have selected the appropriate items, tap the ellipsis (...) in the top-right corner.
4. Tap Delete.

 

Editing files

You can open and edit files with the appropriate application on your mobile device, provided you have that application installed (e.g. To edit a PowerPoint file, you must have the Microsoft Office mobile app installed on your device).

Box for Android does not support the editing of Google Docs, Google Sheets, or Google Slides files.

 

To edit files:

• Tap the file to preview it in Box
• Tap the Open with icon in the top bar:
  
• The file will be opened in the default application installed on your device. (The default application used to open a given file type can be modified in your device's settings.)

 

Recents

The Recents section gives you quick access to your recently-viewed files. This includes files recently accessed on other devices or browsers. The following files appear in this section:

• Actively-previewed files
• Files opened from a shared link
• The last 100 files that you viewed

To access the Recent section:

1. Tap Browse in the bottom tab bar.
2. Tap Recents.
   

Tap to filer the Recents list by Files shared with [you].

Favorites

The Favorites section allows you to quickly access files/folders that you have marked as favorites. Mark files and folders as favorites if you need to access them often.

To mark an item as a favorite:

1. Tap the ellipsis to the right of the item's name.
2. Tap Collections.
3. Select the Favorites check box.
4. Tap Done.

To access your Favorites:

1. Tap Browse in the bottom tab bar.
2. Tap Favorites.
   

Saving files for offline access

You can save files and folders from Box to your Android device so you can access them when your phone is not connected to a network (data or WiFi). You can access all files saved for offline access by tapping Offline.

To make a single file available for offline use:

1. Locate the file or folder you'd like to save for offline access.
2. Tap the ellipsis (...) to open the More Options menu.
3. Tap Make available offline. The icon that indicates that the file has been/opened/viewed on your device will become filled in.
   

Alternatively, you can perform this action after previewing an item. Simply tap the ellipsis in the top-right corner of the preview screen, and select Make available offline.

To make multiple files available for offline use:

• Locate the files or folders you'd like to save for offline access.
• Select the items by long-pressing (press and hold) on a item, then tap the checkbox next to additional items to select them as well.
• Once you have selected the appropriate items, tap the ellipsis (...) in the top-right corner. Then tap Make available offline.

 

Exceptions:

• If you do not have sufficient storage space on your device, you will not be able to save the content for offline use.
• Box Notes cannot be saved for offline use

 

Box Notes

• Create a Box Note directly from the mobile app. See Box Notes in Box for Android for more detail.

 

Classification labels

If your enterprise uses Box Shield and you view or preview a file or folder, Box displays a label showing the content's security classification.