Attachment or link?
- Send an attachment when the other person needs to keep the file, like a signed contract, a receipt or a ticket.
- Send a link when the file is private, when it only matters for a short time, or when it's too big for email. A quote that's valid for a week, a CV sent to one employer, a statement for a landlord to check, or a draft for feedback all suit a link.
- You decide how long: The reader gets the same pages, but you decide how long they can see them.
How the link protects the file
- The key never reaches the server: Share PDF Link encrypts your PDF with AES-256 and a new random key before it's saved. The key isn't stored on the server. It's added to the link after the # sign, a part that browsers don't send to servers when they load a page. Without the full link, the stored file can't be opened, even by us.
- The link is the key: The flip side is that the link is the key. Anyone who has it can open the file until it expires, so send it only to the people who need it.
Choosing expiry, password and download settings
- Expiry: Pick the shortest expiry that works: an hour for something you're discussing on a call, a day or three for most sharing, and up to seven days at most.
- Password: Add a password for anything personal, and send it separately, for example read out on the phone or sent by text, not in the same email as the link.
- Downloads: Leave downloads off unless the reader needs to keep the file.
- View-only mode: In view only mode, pages appear as images in the browser and the PDF itself is never sent, which stops casual saving and forwarding of the file.
Tracking access and turning a link off
- The manage link: After you create a link, you also get a manage link. Keep it private.
- What it shows: It shows when the file was opened or downloaded, any wrong password attempts, the browser and system used, and a shortened network address for each visit.
- Switching a link off: If you see visits you don't expect, or you sent the link to the wrong person, turn it off there. The file is deleted straight away and anyone opening the link sees that it's been switched off.
- How long history is kept: The history stays for one more day, then it's deleted too.
What a link can't protect against
- Screenshots and forwarding: No sharing method can stop someone who can see a page from taking a photo or screenshot of it. Anyone with the link can also pass it on before it expires. So a link reduces risk but doesn't remove it.
- Share less in the first place: Before sharing anything sensitive, take out what the reader doesn't need: remove pages, black out details with Redact PDF and clear the document properties.
- Sanitize files from outside: If the file came from outside, run it through PDF Sanitizer first, so you don't pass on hidden scripts.
Questions
Does the person opening the link need an account?
No. They open the link in any modern browser, enter the password if there is one, and read the file.
Can I change the expiry after creating a link?
Not yet. Turn the link off and create a new one with the expiry you want.
What if I lose both links?
The file can't be opened or managed without them, and it's deleted automatically when the link expires.