How to give a client access to only their files

Every agency and freelancer eventually runs into the same problem. You have dozens of clients, each with their own briefs, deliverables, contracts, and feedback threads. You need to share files with Client A without Client A ever catching a glimpse of Client B's work. And you need to do this without turning file sharing into a second job.

Most cloud storage tools were not built for this. They give you a folder, a share button, and a prayer. You end up creating separate accounts, sending one-off links that expire at the wrong moment, or nervously double-checking that the brand guidelines you just shared belong to the right company. The margin for error is thin, and the consequences of getting it wrong range from embarrassing to career-ending.

Fabric approaches the problem differently. Rather than bolting permissions onto a file system as an afterthought, it treats granular access control as a core part of how you organise and share work. The result is a system where you can give each client a clean, self-contained view of their own materials, while your internal files, other clients' work, and your own notes stay completely hidden.

Start with structure

The foundation of controlled sharing is good organisation. In Fabric, you can create a dedicated space or folder for each client. Think of a space as a container that holds everything related to one relationship: the project brief, design files, status updates, invoices, and final deliverables. Each space is independent, with its own permissions, its own collaborators, and its own visibility settings.

This matters because permissions in Fabric are inherited. When you set a client as a viewer on their space, they can see everything inside it. When you add a subfolder for a new project phase, it inherits those same permissions automatically. You do not need to reshare every time you add a file. The structure does the work for you.

For agencies managing ten or twenty clients at once, this folder-per-client approach eliminates the tangled mess of shared drives where one wrong click can expose confidential work. For freelancers juggling multiple retainers, it keeps each engagement neatly separated without requiring separate tools or accounts.

Set permissions at the right level

Fabric offers four permission roles: viewer, commenter, editor, and admin. These roles can be applied at the space level, the folder level, or the individual file level.

A viewer can see and download files but cannot change anything. A commenter can leave feedback and annotations. An editor can modify files, upload new ones, and reorganise content. An admin can do all of that plus manage who else has access.

The key detail is that these roles are independent at every level of your hierarchy. You might set a client as a viewer on their top-level space so they can browse deliverables, but then grant them commenter access on a specific feedback folder so they can leave notes on draft designs. Meanwhile, your internal planning documents sit in a separate space that the client has no access to whatsoever.

This layered approach means you never have to choose between convenience and control. You are not forced into an all-or-nothing model where sharing one file means exposing an entire drive.

Share without requiring sign-up

Not every client wants to create an account just to download a PDF. Fabric lets you generate shareable links that work for anyone, regardless of whether they have a Fabric account. You can share a single file, a folder, or an entire published space via a link that opens in the browser.

This is particularly useful for one-off deliveries. If you are sending a final logo package to a client who only needs to grab the files and move on, a shareable link with no sign-up friction is the right tool. For ongoing relationships where the client will return regularly to check progress or leave feedback, inviting them with an email address and assigning a role gives you more control and a clearer audit trail.

The two approaches are not mutually exclusive. You might invite your main client contact as a commenter on the project space, while sending a view-only link to their legal team so they can review a contract without needing to be added as collaborators.

Add password protection when it matters

Some files demand an extra layer of security. Contracts with sensitive terms, financial documents, embargoed announcements, or anything that would cause real harm if it landed in the wrong inbox. For these, Fabric offers password protection on any file or folder.

When you enable password protection, the recipient needs both the link and the password to access the content. You can share the password through a separate channel, such as a phone call or a secure messaging app, so that intercepting the link alone is not enough. This is a simple measure, but it closes a real gap that most file-sharing tools leave wide open.

Password protection works alongside role-based permissions, not instead of them. A file can be both shared with specific collaborators and protected with a password for anyone accessing it via a public link. The two mechanisms complement each other.

Publish a space as a client portal

For clients who need ongoing access to a collection of files, a published space is often the cleanest solution. Publishing turns a Fabric space into something that looks and feels like a simple website, accessible via a dedicated link.

You can think of it as a lightweight client portal. The client bookmarks the link, visits whenever they need to, and sees a tidy view of everything you have shared with them. You control what appears in the published space by controlling what sits in the underlying folder. Adding a new deliverable is as simple as dropping a file into the right place.

Published spaces are especially valuable for retainer clients or long-running projects. Instead of sending a new link every time you complete a milestone, you update the space, and the client sees the changes next time they visit. It reduces the back-and-forth and gives the client a single, reliable place to find their materials.

Track who is looking at what

Sharing files is only half the picture. Knowing whether the client has opened them is the other half. Fabric's link analytics show you who viewed a shared file or folder, when they viewed it, and how long they spent on it.

This is useful in ways that go beyond curiosity. If you have sent a proposal and the client has not opened it after a week, you know to follow up. If they spent twenty minutes reviewing a design deck, you know they have seen it and can reference it in your next conversation. If multiple people from the client's team have accessed the files, you have a sense of who is involved in the decision.

Link analytics turn file sharing from a one-way push into something closer to a conversation. You are no longer guessing whether your deliverables reached the right people.

Keep your own files completely private

Everything discussed so far is about what you choose to share. Equally important is what stays hidden. In Fabric, any space, folder, or file that you have not explicitly shared is visible only to you and anyone on your team with the appropriate internal permissions.

Your cloud drive acts as an infinite storage layer where you can keep all your working files, drafts, internal notes, and templates without worrying about local storage limits. Because Fabric uses AES-256 encryption and holds CASA Tier 2 certification, your private files are protected both in transit and at rest.

The separation between shared and private is absolute. A client who has been granted access to their project space cannot browse upward to see your other spaces. They cannot search across your account. They see only what you have placed in front of them, and nothing else.

Use AI to prepare client materials

Fabric's AI assistant can help you prepare materials before sharing them. You can use it to summarise project updates, draft status reports, or pull together key points from scattered notes into a single client-ready document. Because the AI works within the context of your Fabric workspace, it understands the materials you are working with and can draw on them directly.

This is especially useful when you need to organise client files before a handoff. Rather than spending an hour assembling a status update from three different project threads, you can let the AI draft one and then review it before dropping it into the client's space.

A practical workflow

Putting these pieces together, a typical workflow for a new client engagement looks like this.

You create a space named after the client. Inside it, you create subfolders for different phases or categories: briefs, deliverables, feedback, contracts. You invite the client's main contact with commenter access so they can review and annotate. You share a view-only link with their wider team for downloading final assets. You add password protection to the contracts subfolder. And you bookmark the published space URL so the client can return to it whenever they like.

As the project progresses, you drop files into the appropriate folders. The client sees updates in their portal without you needing to send individual links. Analytics tell you when they have reviewed new materials. Your internal working files, stored in a separate space, remain invisible to them throughout.

When the project ends, you can revoke access or simply stop sharing. The files remain in your cloud drive for your own records, but the client's view goes dark.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share a single file without sharing the entire folder?

Yes. Permissions in Fabric can be set at the individual file level. You can share one file from a folder without exposing anything else in that folder. You can also generate a shareable link for a single file, with or without password protection.

Do clients need a Fabric account to view shared files?

No. You can share files and folders via links that anyone can open in a browser, with no account required. If you want to assign a specific role with more granular permissions, inviting them by email does require them to create an account, but for simple viewing and downloading, a link is enough.

Can I set different permissions for different people on the same folder?

Yes. Each collaborator can have a different role on the same space or folder. One person might be an editor, another a commenter, and a third a viewer. Roles are assigned per person, so you can tailor access precisely.

How do I prevent a client from seeing other clients' files?

By keeping each client's materials in a separate space or folder and only sharing that specific space with them. Fabric does not allow collaborators to browse outside the spaces they have been given access to. The isolation is structural, not just cosmetic.

Can I revoke access after sharing?

Yes. You can remove a collaborator from a space or folder at any time, and you can disable or regenerate shareable links. Once access is revoked, the client can no longer view the files, even if they previously bookmarked the link.

Is password protection available on individual files or only folders?

Password protection can be applied to both individual files and entire folders. When applied to a folder, every file inside it is protected by the same password.

Can I track whether a client has opened a shared file?

Yes. Fabric's link analytics show you who accessed a shared file, when they accessed it, and how much time they spent viewing it.

How secure are shared files?

Fabric uses AES-256 encryption for data at rest and in transit, and holds CASA Tier 2 certification. Shared files are delivered over encrypted connections, and access is controlled through the permissions and passwords you set.

Can I use Fabric's AI to help organise files before sharing them with a client?

Yes. Fabric's AI tools can summarise documents, draft status updates, and help you structure materials so they are ready for client review. The AI works within the context of your workspace, so it can draw on existing files and notes.

What happens to shared files if I delete them from my account?

If you delete a file from your Fabric account, it is also removed from any shared spaces or links. Collaborators and link recipients will no longer be able to access it. If you want to stop sharing without deleting, revoke access or disable the link instead.

Related pages

• How to set up a client portal

• How to organise client files

• Working with clients

• Stop sending Google Drive links to clients

• Fabric for agencies

• Fabric for freelancers

• AI knowledge base for clients