Sharing encrypted files securely

Share your encrypted files with anyone while maintaining zero-knowledge security. Recipients need the passphrase you provide to decrypt and access files.

How do I create a share link?

To share files securely:

Select the file(s) you want to share from your Files dashboard
Click the "Share" button
Configure optional settings: expiration time, download limits, country restrictions, and a passphrase hint
Copy the generated share link
Important: Send the passphrase separately from the link (via a different channel like text message or phone call)

Note: You must have your vault key active to create share links.

What restrictions can I set on share links?

Expiration time: Between 5 minutes and 30 days. Link becomes invalid after this time.
Maximum downloads: Limit to 500 downloads or leave unlimited (still subject to your bandwidth quota).
Geographic restrictions: Restrict access to up to 10 specific countries. Anyone outside these countries will be denied access.

Do recipients need a ShieldFive account?

No. Recipients don't need to create an account or sign in to download shared files. They only need:

The share link you provide
The correct passphrase to decrypt the file
To meet any restrictions you set (country, download limits, expiration)

Do not include the passphrase in the link URL. Always send it separately (ideally via a different channel) for better security.

How do geographic restrictions work?

When you set country restrictions, ShieldFive checks the visitor's location based on their IP address. If they're not in an allowed country, they'll see an access denied message showing which countries are permitted. This feature is useful for compliance requirements or limiting access by region.

Do shared downloads use my bandwidth quota?

Yes. All downloads by recipients count toward your monthly transfer quota. If you exceed your plan's bandwidth limit, recipients will be unable to download shared files until:

Your quota resets (every 30 days), or
You upgrade to a plan with higher bandwidth

What happens when a link expires or reaches its download limit?

When a share link expires or hits its maximum download count:

The link becomes permanently invalid
Recipients see a clear message explaining why access was denied
You must create a new share link if you want to continue sharing

How do I revoke or cancel a share link?

To stop sharing a file:

Use the "Unshare" action in your Files dashboard to immediately invalidate the link
Delete the file permanently (moving to Bin doesn't revoke the link)

Once revoked, anyone with the link will no longer be able to access the file.

Are there limits on creating share links?

To prevent abuse and ensure service quality, share link creation is limited to 10 requests per minute. Additionally, individual share links have a rate limit of 5 access attempts per minute per IP address to protect against unauthorized access attempts.