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File sharing usually starts with whatever is closest to hand. A tax return goes out as an email attachment, a folder of client work goes through a cloud link set to anyone with the link, and a scan of a passport gets sent over a messaging app because someone asked for it right then. Each of those copies then lives on in another person’s inbox or downloads folder, where you can no longer see or change it.

This guide looks at the common ways people share files online, where each one leaves gaps, and how to share from Fabric with set roles, view-only links, passwords and per-link visit data, so a file reaches the people it’s meant for with the access they need.

How people usually share files online

Email attachments are the default because the recipient needs nothing new. The trade-off is that a full copy leaves with the message. It can be forwarded, saved and resent, and size limits push larger files onto other services anyway.

Cloud drive links from Google Drive, Dropbox or OneDrive keep the original with you, which is a real improvement. The weak point tends to be the settings. When someone is in a hurry, anyone with the link feels easier than asking the recipient to sign in, and that setting often stays in place long after the job is done. Over a few years a drive collects dozens of open links that no one remembers creating.

Transfer services such as WeTransfer suit a one-off delivery of a big batch. The link expires, which helps, but there’s no way to collect feedback on the files and they sit apart from the rest of your work. Messaging apps fill the remaining gaps, mostly for photos of documents, and those copies are the hardest to track down later.

Step 1: Put the files in Fabric

Drag files into the Fabric web or desktop app, paste them, or click Upload a file. Uploading handles large numbers of files at once. If you prefer working in Finder or File Explorer, the Fabric desktop app mounts Fabric as a virtual drive on Mac, Windows and Linux, so you can move files in like any other folder. On a phone, the share sheet sends files from any app.

Everything in your workspace stays private until you share or publish it. File uploads are included on the free plan.

Step 2: Decide whether to share or publish

Fabric has two ways to give someone access, and picking the right one does most of the security work. Sharing is for collaboration. You give each person a role (viewer, commenter, editor or admin), set at space or file level, and they can work with the item according to that role. External people can open shared links without signing up. The roles and permissions page covers what each role allows.

Publishing is for delivery. A published link lets visitors view the item, and download it only if you allow that. You can create as many publish links as you like for the same file or folder, each with its own settings. A folder publishes as a web page, and editing the source in Fabric updates what people see.

As a rule of thumb, publish when the other person only needs to look, and share when they need to comment or edit.

Step 3: Set up the link with only the access it needs

To publish, click Share to open the share modal, open the Publish tab and click Create link. Then work through the settings. Give the link a name you’ll recognize later. Choose whether to collect engagement analytics. Turn off allow indexing by search engines for anything private. Turn off allow visitors to copy it to their Fabric unless you want them to keep their own copy. Leave allow downloads off if the file should stay view-only, or turn it on when the person needs to save it. Downloads are available on every plan.

Indexing is the setting people most often overlook, so it’s worth checking on every link. How to stop search engines indexing a shared file explains what that setting controls.

Step 4: Add a password to sensitive files

Right-click the file or folder, or open it and click the three-dot menu, then choose Add password protection and enter a password. Password protection is on the Pro and Team plans.

Anyone with access to that item has to enter the password, and their access lasts 6 hours before they’re asked again. A password on a folder also covers files added to it later, which suits a folder that fills up over the course of a project. There’s no password reset, so save it in a password manager. Sending the password by a different route from the link (a text message when the link went by email, for example) means one intercepted message isn’t enough to open the file.

Step 5: Keep track of each link

On Pro and Team, turning on collect engagement analytics gives each publish link its own chart of traffic over time, with visit dates and the location and device of each visitor. Link analytics report visits to a link and don’t name the visitor, so if you need to know which person opened a file, give each person their own named link. How to send a different tracking link to each recipient walks through that setup.

Visits from an unfamiliar location or device on a link meant for one person are worth a follow-up. For a wider view of how Fabric handles stored data, see private and secure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the safest way to share a file online?

Send a link to a file you control rather than an attachment, give the person only the access they need, and add a password for anything sensitive. In Fabric that means a publish link with downloads and indexing off, plus password protection on Pro or Team.

Can people open my shared files without a Fabric account?

Yes. External people can use shared links without signing up, and published links open in a browser.

How do I share a file as view-only?

Publish it and leave allow downloads turned off, or share it and give the person the viewer role.

Can I password protect a shared link?

Yes. Password protection works on both shared and published items, and it’s on the Pro and Team plans. Each visitor’s access lasts 6 hours before the password is needed again.

What happens if I forget the password?

There’s no password reset, so store it in a password manager when you set it. To change a password you need to enter the old one first.

Will my shared files show up on Google?

Only if you allow it. Each publish link has an allow indexing by search engines setting, which you can leave off for private material.

Can I see who opened a file I shared?

Link analytics on Pro and Team show visits to each publish link with dates, location and device. To tell people apart, create a separate named link for each recipient.

Is secure file sharing available on the free plan?

Publishing, including the download setting, is on every plan. Password protection and link analytics need Pro or Team. See pricing for plan details.