Why email attachments hit their limits
Many email services limit attachments to a few megabytes. For a photo album, a video or the documents of a whole project that is not enough. On top of that, an attachment then sits in every inbox it has passed through – you cannot get it back.
A link from cloud storage solves both. The file stays with you and the recipient downloads it from there. And when it is no longer needed, you delete the link – afterwards it leads nowhere.
Protecting links properly
Four settings turn a simple link into a controlled one:
- Password: protect confidential content. Send the password via a different channel than the link – for example the link by email and the password by text message or phone.
- Expiry date: in SafeDoc you choose 1, 7 or 30 days. After that the link stops working – even if someone forwards it.
- Download limit: decide how often the file may be downloaded. The server counts; even many simultaneous requests cannot exceed the limit.
- View only: anyone opening the link can view the file but not download it. This keeps casual copies down – it does not prevent a screenshot.
Which combination fits when:
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Holiday photos for the family | Folder link, "view only", expiry 30 days |
| Proposal or contract for a client | Password and expiry 7 days |
| Large video file for an agency | Download limit 3 and expiry 7 days |
| Job application documents | Password, expiry 7 days, download limit 2 |
| Documents for your accountant | Share with people if the firm has an account – otherwise password and expiry |
Data protection when sharing
If a file contains personal data – such as CVs, customer lists or health records – a few extra rules apply:
- Only share what the recipient really needs.
- Use a password and an expiry date; a link without an end is rarely right for such data.
- Tidy up "Shared by me" regularly and delete links nobody needs any more.
- In a company: agree who may create public links. In a SafeDoc organisation only owners and admins can.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. How SafeDoc protects links technically is on the security page.
What recipients see
Anyone opening your link lands on a simple share page: the name and size of the file – for a folder, the files it contains – and, depending on the settings, a download button. If the link is protected, the page asks for the password first.
If the link has expired, was deleted or its download limit is reached, the page only shows that it is no longer available – without a reason. It does not reveal who owns the file or what else is in your storage. Share pages are also blocked for search engines: a link does not appear in search results just because someone mentioned it somewhere.
Step by step in SafeDoc
- Confirm your email address once – public links cannot be created before that.
- Select the file or folder and click "Teilen" (Share).
- Set password, expiry and download limit, or tick "view only, no download".
- Click "Neuen Link erstellen" (Create new link) and then "Kopieren" (Copy).
- Later, under "Von mir geteilt" (Shared by me), you see how often it was downloaded and delete the link with one click.
The detailed guide with all variants is in the help centre.
Common mistakes – and how to avoid them
- Password in the same message as the link: whoever forwards the email forwards both. Use separate channels.
- The whole folder instead of a subfolder: create a separate folder for the handover.
- Forgotten links without expiry: delete what you no longer need under "Shared by me".
- Inviting people without an account: you invite them by email. They only get access once they have created and confirmed an account with exactly that address – optionally for a limited time only Available.