Quick answer: To share a file as view only: upload it, open More options, tick "View only (no downloads)" and keep "Watermark previews" on. Recipients can open photos, PDFs, videos and text in the browser, but there is no download button, and every preview carries their email and the time as a watermark. Screenshots cannot be blocked by any website; the watermark shows who took them. Free, up to 20 GB per transfer.
How to send a view-only link
- Upload your files.
- Open More options and tick View only (no downloads).
- Keep Watermark previews with the viewer's email and the time ticked.
- Set Who can open the link to Anyone who confirms their email, so the watermark names a real, verified person.
- Share the link.
What recipients can and cannot do
| File type | In a view-only link |
|---|---|
| Photos (JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF) | View full screen; the watermark is burnt into the image itself |
| Read page by page with a watermark over each page | |
| Video and audio | Play in the browser with a watermark over the player |
| Text and code | Read in the browser |
| Other files (ZIP, PSD, RAW) | Listed but cannot be opened, since the browser cannot show them |
There is no download or "save all" button, and the file URLs are not handed out.
An honest note on screenshots
No website can stop a screenshot, a screen recording or a phone camera. What view-only sharing does is remove the easy way to keep the original file, and make any copy traceable: the watermark carries the viewer's email and the time, so a leaked screenshot shows who it came from. That deterrent is what most people actually need.
Good uses for view-only links
- Showing a contract draft or a pitch deck before an agreement is signed (add an NDA too).
- Photographers showing proofs to a client before payment (combine with client review).
- Teachers sharing answer keys or notes to read, not forward (see sharing exam papers and notes).
- Film and music previews for press or investors.
Frequently asked questions
Can people download a view-only file?
Not from the page: there is no download button and the original file is never offered. They can still take a screenshot, which the watermark makes traceable.
What does the watermark show?
The viewer's verified email (or an anonymous guest code on open links) and the date and time of viewing, repeated across the preview.
Which files can be viewed?
Photos, PDFs, videos, audio and text files. Other formats are listed but cannot be opened in view-only mode.
Can I let some people download later?
Send them a separate normal link. A view-only link stays view only for everyone.
Is view-only sharing free?
Yes, for files up to 20 GB per transfer, with no account needed.
Ready to send?
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