File Share: Secure, Controlled File Sharing — Now in PDF Translator Pro
PDF Translator Pro handles your documents from start to finish — and that now includes getting them to the right people. File Share lets you upload any file, generate a secure link, and control exactly who can access it, for how long, and how many times. No separate file-hosting service needed.
File Share supports files up to 10 GB. You set the retention period, choose whether the link is open to anyone or restricted to specific accounts, and optionally protect it with a password. Once the link is ready, recipients can download the file directly from their browser — no account required on the public option.
Creating Your First Share
Getting a file link takes under a minute. Here's how:
- Open PDF Translator Pro and navigate to File Share from the main menu.
- Click Choose File or drag and drop a file onto the upload zone. Any file type is accepted, up to 10 GB.
- Select how long you want the file to be available: 1 Day, 7 Days, or 30 Days. The credit cost is shown on each option so you know the price before confirming.
- Choose who can access the link — Public (anyone with the link) or Authenticated (specific signed-in accounts you add).
- Optionally set a password or add a note for recipients, then click Create Share Link.
Once the upload completes, a QR code and share link appear immediately. Copy the link or use the Share button to send it through any app on your device.
Controlling Who Can Access Your File
Two access modes are available, and the right choice depends on how sensitive the file is.
Public shares can be opened by anyone who has the link — no sign-in required. This is the simplest option and works well for sharing with a broad audience, a team that doesn't have platform accounts, or anyone where ease of access matters more than restriction.
Authenticated shares restrict access to verified platform accounts. You add email addresses individually, and only those accounts can open the download page after signing in. This is the right choice when the file is confidential and you need to control distribution precisely.
When creating an authenticated share, the app asks for your name if one isn't already set — recipients see it in the invitation so they know who the file is coming from.
Retention Periods and the Grace Window
Every share has a fixed retention period: 1 Day, 7 Days, or 30 Days. When the period ends, the share enters a 3-day grace window. During this time the file is still in storage but the download page shows an "On Hold" message — recipients cannot download, but nothing has been deleted yet.
From your File Sharing dashboard, you can renew the share at any point during the grace window to bring it back to active. If you don't renew within those 3 days, the file is permanently deleted from the servers and the link becomes inactive. Deletion after the grace period cannot be undone.
Advanced Controls
Beyond access type and retention, several additional controls let you manage distribution precisely.
- Download Limit. Set a maximum number of downloads. When that number is reached, the link deactivates automatically. Page views — someone opening the download page without downloading — do not count towards this limit. Only completed downloads do.
- Pause & Resume. Temporarily suspend a share without deleting it. While paused, the download page shows an "On Hold" message and recipients cannot access the file. Resume from the dashboard at any time to restore the link instantly. This is useful when you need to hold distribution briefly without losing the share.
- Password Protection. Add an optional password to your share. Recipients can see the file name and size on the download page, but the download button doesn't appear until the correct password is entered. The password is hashed in your browser before being sent — it is never transmitted or stored in plain text.
- Notes for Recipients. Add a personal message or description that appears on the download page. Use this to tell recipients what the file contains, what version it is, or any instructions they need before downloading.
Managing Your Shares
All your active and past shares are available in the File Sharing dashboard under your account. From there you can:
- View statistics — see how many times the link was opened and how many downloads occurred.
- Extend or renew — increase the retention period for an active share, or renew an expired one during its grace window.
- Pause or resume — suspend and restore a share without deleting it.
- Delete — remove a share immediately. The file is permanently deleted from storage and the link stops working at once.
How Credits Are Calculated
The cost of a share depends on two factors: the size of the file and the retention period. Larger files and longer periods cost more credits. The exact cost is shown on the retention buttons before you confirm, so there are no surprises.
As an example: sharing a 250 MB file for 7 days costs 3 credits. A file under 25 MB for 1 day costs 1 credit. You can always check the full pricing table on the File Share page.
Credits are deducted once when the share is created. Extending or renewing a share later deducts credits for the additional period at the time of extension.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of File Share
- Use authenticated access for sensitive documents. If you're sharing contracts, financial reports, or anything confidential, authenticated access ensures only the accounts you name can download the file.
- Set a download limit for controlled distribution. If you're releasing something to a limited number of people — a beta asset, a licensed file — a download cap means the link deactivates automatically once the intended recipients have it.
- Use the grace period to decide, not to act. The 3-day window after expiry is for reviewing whether a share needs to continue. Don't rely on it as a planned extension — renew before expiry if you know the file will be needed longer.
- Add notes when the file name isn't self-explanatory. A short note on the download page — version number, instructions, context — reduces back-and-forth with recipients before they open the file.
- Pause instead of delete for time-sensitive releases. If you need to hold distribution temporarily without losing the share configuration, pause it. Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
One Platform for Documents and Files
File Share uses the same account, the same credit balance, and the same dashboard as Translate PDF and Translate Text. Whether you're translating a document and then distributing the result, or sharing source files with a collaborator, everything happens from the same place without switching between tools or managing separate accounts.
To try it, open File Share from the main menu, drop in a file, and create your first link.
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