Artilio™Secret links
Secret links grant access to anyone who has the URL. Set an expiry, cap the number of uses, and revoke them instantly when you are done.
A secret link is a shareable URL that grants access to a gallery without requiring the viewer to have an Artilio account or verify their email. You paste it into a message, a QR code, or a wedding speech and everyone who opens it gets in.
Creating a secret link
[SHOT: The "Create secret link" button in the Share panel]
- Open the gallery Share tab.
- Click "Create secret link".
- Set an expiry date (optional).
- Set a max-uses limit (optional).
- Choose which chapters are visible.
- Set the capabilities: can viewers download? Can they leave comments?
- Copy the link.
Expiry
An expiry date means the link stops working at midnight on the set date. Anyone who tries to open the link after expiry sees an "access expired" message. The photos are not deleted, only this specific link is no longer valid.
Use expiry for preview links sent to magazine editors, time-limited wedding guest access, or teaser galleries that should disappear after the full delivery.
Max uses
Max uses means the link stops working after a set number of opens. Once the counter reaches the limit, the link returns an "access exhausted" message to anyone new who tries it.
Combine max uses with expiry for extra control. For example: valid for 7 days, maximum 1 use, a single-use link that also expires.
Revoking and regenerating
- Revoke, instantly invalidates the link. Anyone who opens it from now on is rejected, even if the expiry date has not passed and uses remain.
- Regenerate, creates a brand-new link with a new URL. The old URL is permanently invalidated. Use this if you accidentally shared a link publicly that was meant to be private.
Good practices
- Set an expiry on every secret link you send to wedding guests. A week after the wedding is a reasonable default.
- Use named access (email invite) for anyone who needs download rights. Secret links are better for viewing-only audiences.
- For paid content or private sessions, prefer named access, it gives you an audit trail.
- Keep the secret link URL secret. Anyone who has it can access the gallery regardless of how it was obtained.