What a download limit does
Every ordinary share link has a hidden problem: you cannot see where it ends. You send it to one person, they forward it, someone posts it, and a month later a file you meant for one recipient has been downloaded two hundred times. A download limit puts an end to that story.
When you set a limit, upload.am counts completed downloads of the file. As soon as the counter reaches your number, the link is switched off. The next visitor sees a clear notice that the limit was reached instead of the file. The file itself stays safe in your account if you have one, so you can create a fresh link whenever you like.
You can pick any value from 1 to 1,000. A limit of 1 gives you a one-time download link — also called a burn-after-download link — which is the safest way to deliver something to exactly one person.
Common uses for one-time and limited links
Sensitive documents
Send an ID scan, a contract or a medical report with a limit of 1. Once the recipient has it, the public link is gone. Add a password and the file is covered twice.
Licence keys and software builds
Hand a customer a private build or a licence file that should be fetched once, not shared around.
Paid or gated deliveries
Cap a link at the number of people who paid. When the quota is used up the link closes by itself.
Beta tests and review copies
Give twenty testers a build and set the limit to twenty. You never have to chase down a leaked link.
Drafts for approval
Send a draft to a client, let them download it once, and ask for a new request if they need it again.
Bandwidth control
A large file linked from a public page can be downloaded endlessly. A limit keeps the number of fetches predictable.
How the limit is counted
A download is counted when the file is actually delivered, not when someone merely opens the page. Seeing the download page, reading the file name and size, or previewing an image does not use up your limit. Only a real download does.
The counter is enforced on the server, so it cannot be bypassed by reloading the page or copying the address. Once the number is reached, new download requests for the file are refused.
You can see the running count at any time in your cabinet. If you want to know the moment someone downloads, turn on the notification email: you will be told when a file from your link was downloaded.
Combine the limit with the other link controls
A limit answers “how many times”. The other controls answer different questions, and they are designed to work together on the same link:
- Add a password so only the intended person can use the download slot.
- Add a lifetime with a self-destructing link: the link ends at whichever comes first — the limit or the deadline.
- Use one link for several files to give a recipient a whole package with a single, limited link.
- On a public Upload Inbox or a Drop Room, use the room and inbox rules to cap how many files visitors may send you.
Because all of this is available on the Free plan, you can use it for ordinary sharing as well as for sensitive work.
What happens when the limit is reached
The next person who opens the link sees a short, friendly page saying that the link has reached the maximum number of downloads set by whoever uploaded it. No file, no error code, no confusion. If you are the sender and still need the file shared, open your cabinet and create a new link. If the file has been deleted by retention rules, upload it again — the process takes seconds.
A limit does not delete your file. If you want the file itself to disappear after a while, combine it with your plan retention or delete it from your online file manager.
How to set a download limit
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1
Upload your file
Use the upload box on this page. You can drop one or several files.
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2
Turn on “Limit number of downloads”
Switch the option on and enter a number from 1 to 1,000. Use 1 for a one-time download link.
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3
Add a password or an expiry (optional)
For sensitive files also switch on the password and choose how long the link should live.
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4
Share the link
Copy the link or email it. When the limit is reached, the link switches itself off.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a one-time download link?
Upload your file, switch on “Limit number of downloads” and enter 1. The first completed download uses the only slot, and the link then stops working.
What is the maximum number of downloads I can set?
You can set any value from 1 to 1,000 per link.
Does opening the download page count as a download?
No. Only a completed download is counted. Viewing the page or previewing a file does not use up the limit.
Is the download limit free?
Yes. The limit is included on the Free plan and can even be used without an account.
Can I raise the limit or reuse a link that has ended?
You can create a new link for the same file from your cabinet at any time. The file stays in your account until its retention ends.
Will I be notified when someone downloads my file?
Yes. Turn on download notifications in your account settings and you will get an email when a file from your link is downloaded.
Can I combine a download limit with a password and an expiry?
Yes. All three can be active on one link. The link ends as soon as the limit is reached or the lifetime runs out, whichever comes first.