How to Create an Expiring File Link
Set an access expiry, check the time zone, and explain what happens to previously downloaded copies.
On this page (7 sections)▼
An expiring link gives recipients a defined review window. It does not retrieve files they have already downloaded or erase information they have already seen.
Choose a deadline that matches the actual task, confirm how the sharing service interprets it, and test the boundary using a harmless file. A date written in an email is not a configured access control.
1. Choose a deadline recipients can understand
Start with the business event: a proposal review, a temporary external consultation or a handover period. Ask how much time the recipient needs and whether late access requires approval. An arbitrarily short window can create support work without solving the underlying confidentiality problem.
Write the deadline with a date, time and named time zone. For example, your internal release note might specify October 20 at 17:00 Europe/London. This is an illustrative deadline, not a universal recommendation.
Avoid phrases such as “expires tomorrow” when recipients work in different regions. Decide who can extend access and how requests should reach that person.
2. Configure the saved link
Open the link settings and locate the expiry control. Set the chosen deadline, save, then reopen the settings to check the stored value. SendNow documents editing expiry on an existing link without changing its address. SendNow: Edit link settings
Do not guess which time zone a control uses. Inspect the interface and provider documentation; if the interpretation is unclear, ask support before using a sensitive file. Keep a note of the value displayed after saving.
| Item | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Deadline | Saved date and time |
| Time zone | Actual interpretation, not an assumption |
| Link scope | The specific URL controlled |
| Other limits | View limits or permissions that could close access earlier |
| Renewal owner | Person authorized to extend the window |
3. Test a short sample window
Create a separate harmless test file and a short-lived link. Before its deadline, open the link as a recipient and confirm the sample is available. After the deadline, try a new browser session and record the result.
Test the newly opened session separately from a page already loaded before expiry. Existing sessions, cached content and future access can have different behavior. Report what the service actually does; do not promise that every open screen disappears instantly.
If there are several links to the same file, verify each one. One expired URL does not demonstrate that other URLs or room permissions have expired.
4. Explain what expiry cannot undo
A recipient may already have an ordinary downloaded copy, a screenshot, notes or material forwarded outside the controlled viewer. Expiring online access does not reliably remove those copies. Decide download permissions before sharing, rather than after the deadline.
Keep the original file and release record under your normal retention process. Expiry is an access decision, not an instruction to delete the source. SendNow's recipient troubleshooting documentation distinguishes a stopped link from a deleted file. SendNow: Recipient access troubleshooting
If you need to manage protected downloaded documents, investigate that specific rights-management workflow separately. Do not assume a standard sharing link provides it.
5. Handle extensions without confusion
When someone asks for more time, confirm their identity and the continuing business need. Check whether the original document is still the approved version. Extend or replace the access window using the workflow your service supports, then test the recipient path again.
Tell the recipient the revised deadline and whether the address changed. Update your release register so colleagues do not rely on the old date. Avoid creating several overlapping links without recording which one is current.
For sensitive material, keep extension approval separate from routine troubleshooting. A blocked link may be working exactly as intended.
Frequently asked questions
Does expiry delete a downloaded copy?
No ordinary link expiry can be relied on to delete a previously downloaded file. Manage those copies through the recipient agreement and any separately configured protection.
Which time zone controls the deadline?
The sharing service’s implementation controls it. Confirm the saved interface value and documentation, then state a clear zone in your recipient instructions.
Why did access stop before the expiry date?
Another control may have blocked it, such as a view limit or changed permissions. Check the specific link settings and error rather than extending the deadline automatically.
Before you share
Use expiry when you can state the review window clearly, verify the saved boundary, and explain the limits for retained copies. Keep a named owner available for legitimate renewal requests.
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Sources and editorial disclosure
Primary documentation reviewed October 11, 2026. Product settings and entitlements can change; use the linked help for current details.
VDR Directory is published by the SendNow team. SendNow is included where relevant to the task. This guide is based on public documentation and editorial recommendations, not a claim that a signed-in product demonstration was performed. Stock photos illustrate the topic; they do not show the described product interface or prove feature behavior. Examples and verification checklists are illustrative unless explicitly stated otherwise.
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