• ACCESS
  • SECURITY
  • AUDIT
  • HUMAN

How to manage folder permissions with your AI

Connect Box to your AI client once. After that, you can control who sees what just by typing a command.

Ask AI about this page

Short answer

Can I change folder access using my AI?

Yes. You can tell your AI to add or remove collaborators from specific Box folders or files. It uses the create_collaboration tool to update permissions instantly. This allows you to manage access without opening the Box web interface.

Where every change lands.

Permission outcomes

The AI executes your commands and updates your Box environment immediately.

ACCESS

New collaborators added

The AI uses create_collaboration to invite new people to a folder. You'll see the new users appear in your Box permission list.

SECURITY

Permissions revoked

When you tell the AI to remove someone, it updates the folder settings. This ensures unauthorized users lose access right away.

AUDIT

Updated folder settings

All changes made by your AI are reflected in your Box account. You can verify the new permission levels in the Box UI.

HUMAN

Manual oversight needed

The AI cannot delete folders or change ownership. You must handle those high-level administrative tasks yourself in Box.

The workflow

What your AI does when you request access changes.

Your AI translates your natural language into specific API calls to Box.

  1. Identify the target

    The AI looks up the specific folder or file you mentioned to find its unique ID.

    create_collaboration

  2. Process the request

    Your agent determines if you want to add a user or change an existing permission level.

    create_collaboration

  3. Execute the update

    The AI triggers the permission change in your Box account using the available tool.

    create_collaboration

  4. Confirm completion

    The AI tells you exactly which user was added or removed and which folder was affected.

    create_collaboration

Try it

Copy these to start.

Use these prompts to test the Box connection.

Starting points

Replace the names in brackets with your actual folder names or email addresses.

Box Connector

You're all set. Choose your MCP client and follow the setup instructions.

Connector linkhttps://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_sZxaYYdILkmNS9CsBbYAfqKO1qZRuv23U1H4ARTe/mcp

Claude Desktop

Follow the steps below to connect in seconds.

  1. 1In Claude Desktop, open Settings → Connectors.
  2. 2Click “Add custom connector” and paste the connector link above as the remote MCP server URL.
  3. 3Click Add and start a new chat — Box capabilities are ready to use.
Configuration · claude_desktop_config.jsonCopy
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "box-mcp": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_sZxaYYdILkmNS9CsBbYAfqKO1qZRuv23U1H4ARTe/mcp"
    }
  }
}
Copy into chat04

  • Add [email address] as a collaborator to the [folder name] folder.

  • Give [email address] editor access to the [file name] file.

  • Remove [email address] from the [folder name] folder.

  • Grant collaborator access to the [folder name] folder for [email address].

  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Cursor
  • VS Code
  • Windsurf
  • Claude Code
  • JetBrains
  • Cline

Start here

Connect Box once, then ask.

Click the link to connect your account. Your login stays encrypted and secure, and you can start managing permissions immediately.

Connect Box to your AI

FAQ

How the task behaves

  • 01

    Can the AI delete a folder?

    No. The AI can only manage collaborations and access levels. It cannot delete folders or files.

  • 02

    Can I change the owner of a folder via AI?

    No. Ownership changes must be performed manually within the Box interface.

  • 03

    Does the AI need my Box password?

    No. You connect via a secure link, and your credentials stay encrypted.

  • 04

    How do I know if the permission change worked?

    The AI will confirm the action in your chat, and you can verify the change directly in Box.

  • 05

    Can the AI create new folders?

    No. This specific capability is limited to managing collaborators for existing folders and files.

  • More questions about Box? See everything the Box Connector can do

Connect Box to Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT & more