Egnyte makes it easy to share content inside and outside of your organization through Share links. Follow one of the links below to learn how to effortlessly collaborate with Egnyte.
Only Administrators and Power Users can create share links.
Share File Links
Share Folder Links
Direct Links
Share File Links
To share a file with a user without requiring a login, a link to the specific file can be sent. When the user clicks on the link, Egnyte will generate a preview of the file. The user can review it there or download the file. There are three easy ways to share files from Web UI.
The first option is to hover on the three-dots icon for a file and select the Share button.
Alternatively, hover over the file, click on the three-dots option and click on the Share option from the context menu. Users can also right-click on the file and select the Share option from the context menu.
The example below displays the context menu when the user right-clicks on the file.
Another way is to select the checkbox next to the file and then click on the Share option in the Context menu.
When the dialog opens, the user will see the share options and link properties.
If they click on Get share link, the link will be copied with the access settings and link properties as selected.
Choosing Email Link option will enable the user to specify the email recipients and share the link with them.
Access Settings
To adjust the access settings before sharing the link, choose any of the following options.
- Anyone: Public link accessible to anyone with the link
- Anyone with a password: Password protected public link accessible to anyone with the link and the password
- Existing user(s): Private link accessible only by users with an active account on the domain
- People you choose: Accessible only by the recipients of the link shared using the Email Link option
Links Properties
The user can set the link properties using the options available.
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Co-Editing: Choose to allow co-editing on the file. The option enables the link recipients, regardless of the permissions, to co-edit the file in online editor and save changes back to the original location of the file. When co-editing is allowed, the option to show recent file version is auto-enabled and cannot be changed.
- Downloading: Choose to allow downloading the file
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Link expiry: Make links more secure by setting the link expiry for a specific date or number of clicks on the link.
- Notify when link accessed: Request an email notification whenever the link is clicked
- Include file name: Choose to include file name in the link
- Watermark file: Choose to watermark a file. Watermarking a downloadable file will convert it into a non-editable PDF
- Show recent file version: Set whether the link always points to the most recent version of the file or whether it references the current version only. When co-editing is allowed, the option to show recent file version is auto-enabled and cannot be changed.
- The user cannot watermark a co-editable file and vice versa.
- Co-edit via normal links is available to all the platform plans whereas co-edit via Preview Only Link is only available to the Platform Enterprise Lite, Platform Enterprise, and both the Document Room plans.
Share Folder Links
To share the contents of an entire folder with a user who doesn't have permission to a folder or with an outside business partner, browse to the folder and then select the Share option at the top.
Users can also select a specific folder and click on the Share option in the context menu.
The folder link dialog looks very similar to the file link dialog. Users can adjust the link's options to decide who will have access to the folder, set an expiration for the link, and more.
When the recipient opens a folder link, they'll see a display of all its contents. They can preview the contents there, download all of it at once, or pick individual files. If the public folder link is password-protected then they'll be asked to enter the password before they can proceed.
Users can also share preview-only folder links. The recipients will be able to preview the content in the Web UI using these links but will not be able to download it.
Preview-only folder links are available to Platform Enterprise, Egnyte Gov Enterprise, Life Sciences Professional, Document Room, Document Room Professional and GxP with Governance customers.
Direct Links
To send the folder to someone with existing permissions, a few steps can be saved by using a Direct Link. Direct links take the receiver directly to the folder in the Web UI.
Select the folder and click on Copy direct URL.
Alternatively, navigate to the folder that is to be shared, click three-dots icon, and choose More actions -> Details & Options.
From there, just copy the Direct link on the Details tab and start sharing.
The direct link is the URL address of the file within the Egnyte domain, ensuring continuous accessibility except in the following scenarios:
- When the file or folder associated with the direct link is deleted. Note that deleting a version of the file does not impact the direct link.
- When accessing the direct link, the recipient lacks permission to the source folder.
Moving or renaming a file/folder will not change the URL address (aka direct link). However, making a COPY is creating a new URL address for the copied item.
Learn more about Share Links vs Direct Links by watching a Quick Tip on Egnyte University: Share Links vs. Direct Links
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Share links through the Desktop App