When a temporary link is the right tool
Plenty of file sharing is genuinely momentary: a build for a colleague to test, a design export for a client to look at once, a log file attached to a support ticket, a video that will not fit through email. None of these deserve a permanent folder, a shared drive invitation or an account for the recipient.
A link with an expiry matches the actual lifespan of the need. The file is available while it matters and gone afterwards, without anyone having to remember to clean it up - which, realistically, nobody ever does.
Expiry as a security control
A share link is a credential in the shape of a URL. Anyone who has it has the file, and links spread: forwarded in email, pasted into a group chat, captured in a ticketing system, retained in someone browser history for years.
An expiry bounds that exposure. A link that stops working in a day is a credential with a one-day lifetime, which is a meaningfully different risk from one that quietly stays live indefinitely. Set the shortest expiry the recipient can realistically work with.
Not indexed, and not a backup
Shared files are excluded from search indexing, so a link posted in a public forum does not turn into a permanently discoverable download.
This is transfer, not storage. Files are deleted when they expire and there is no recovery afterwards, so keep your own copy of anything you care about. For genuinely sensitive material, encrypt the file before sharing and send the password through a different channel than the link.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need an account to share a file?
- No. Upload, get a link, share it. Files you share are remembered in your browser under My stuff so you can find and manage them later.
- How long do shared files last?
- Until the expiry you set. Once expired the file is deleted and the link stops working permanently, with no recovery.
- Is a shared file private?
- It is unlisted rather than private: anyone with the link can download it, and links are excluded from search engines. For sensitive material, encrypt the file first and send the password separately.
- Can I delete a file before it expires?
- Yes. Files you created can be revoked early from My stuff, which immediately stops the link working.