Box Drive is a desktop application that lets you access all your files stored in Box directly from your computer's file explorer (like Finder on a Mac or File Explorer on Windows), without using up much hard drive space.
- Go to the official Box downloads page: https://www.box.com/resources/downloads
- Select the right version for your computer:
- Click on "Download Box Drive for Windows (64 bit)" if you have a Windows PC.
- Click on "Download Box Drive for Mac" if you are using a Mac.
- Save the installer file to a location you can easily find, like your Desktop or Downloads folder.
Important Prerequisite: If you have an older application called Box Sync installed, you must uninstall it before installing Box Drive. The Box Drive installer will typically handle this for you, but it's best to be aware of it.
Install Box Drive Using Admin by Request
Admin by Request is a tool that allows you to request temporary administrator permissions to install approved software. The most common method is to run the installer with elevated rights, which Admin by Request will intercept and manage.
Here are the step-by-step instructions
On a Windows PC:
- Locate the Installer: Go to where you saved the Box Drive installer file (e.g., Box-x64.msi).
- Initiate "Run as administrator": Right-click on the installer file. From the context menu, select Run as administrator.
- Admin by Request Prompt: Instead of a standard Windows prompt, an Admin by Request window will appear.
- Submit Your Request:
- The window will likely ask for a reason for the request. Type in a clear justification, such as "Installing Box Drive for file access."
- Your email or other details may be pre-filled.
- Click OK or Submit.
- Approval (If Required):
- Auto-Approved: In many organizations, requests for known applications like Box Drive are automatically approved. You will see a notification that the request was approved, and the installation will begin.
- Manual Approval: If your IT department needs to approve the request, you will see a message that your request has been sent for approval. You will receive an email or a desktop notification once it's approved. After approval, you may need to right-click and "Run as administrator" again.
- Complete the Installation:
- Once approved, the Box Drive installer will launch. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- When the installation is finished, the Box Drive login window will appear.
- Locate the Installer: Go to your Downloads folder and find the Box Drive installer file (e.g., Box.pkg).
- Run the Installer: Double-click the Box.pkg file to start the installation.
- Complete the Installation:
- Follow the prompts, clicking "Continue" and "Install."
- If prompted, select "Install for all users of this computer."
- You will see a confirmation when the installation is complete.
After the installation is complete, you need to log in to your Box account.
- Launch Box Drive: The application should launch automatically. If not, find it in your Start Menu (Windows) or Applications folder (Mac) and open it.
- Log In: At the login screen, enter your UA email address and click Log In. You will likely be redirected to WebAuth single sign-on (SSO) page to complete authentication.
- Take the Tour (Optional): Box Drive will offer a quick tour of its features. This is helpful for new users.
- Access Your Files: Once you are logged in, a new Box folder will appear in your File Explorer (under "This PC" or "Quick access") or in Finder (under "Locations"). You can now access all your cloud files as if they were on your computer.