---
ref: tool:dropbox/search-files
name: Search files
company: company:dropbox
workflows: []
access: [api]
tags: [capability:store-files, category:storage, has:api]
docs: https://docs.dropboxapi.com/dropbox-api/api-reference/user-endpoints/files/search-v-2
updated: 2026-09-26
---

# Search files

Returns files and folders that match a query, optionally limited to a folder, file extensions, file categories or file names only.

Note: Page through results with `search/continue_v2`, up to 10,000 matches in total; recent changes can take a short while to be indexed.

## Set up

Use the first option your agent supports.

### API (official)

- Base URL: https://api.dropboxapi.com
- Endpoint: `POST /2/files/search_v2`
- Auth: an OAuth access token, sent as `Authorization: Bearer <token>`
- Docs: https://docs.dropboxapi.com/dropbox-api/api-reference/overview

Before anything else, confirm access with the cheapest read-only call, like a list or a search. Never send or change anything to test access.

## Rules

- Ask the user before anything that sends messages, costs money, or changes data, and say how many records it touches. One approval covers a batch the user has seen.
- Never print API keys.