---
title: "Get a downloadable link for a file"
description: "Copy a file's direct link for your own use, and understand who else it works for."
url: https://help.filemonk.io/get-a-downloadable-link/
section: "Files"
last_updated: 2026-09-08
---

# Get a downloadable link for a file

> Copy a file's direct link for your own use, and understand who else it works for.

Every file in your content library has a direct link. Copying it is useful for checking a file, sending it to a colleague, or referencing it in your own tooling. It is not how you deliver files to customers: buyers get theirs through the download page, which is what enforces limits and access rules.

## Before you begin

Treat this link like a key. Anyone who has it can reach the file without buying anything, so keep it out of your storefront, your product descriptions, and any public page.

## Set it up

1. Click **Filemonk** in the left menu of your Shopify admin.
2. Click **Content library** in the app's menu, on the **Files uploaded** tab.
3. Open the file, or use its row actions in the list.
4. Click **Copy link**.

A **Copied to clipboard** message confirms it. Use **Open file** instead if you only want to check the contents.

## Check your setup

Paste the link into a private browsing window. It should open or download the file directly, with no Filemonk page around it. That is exactly why it should not be shared publicly.

## Troubleshooting

### The link stopped working after I replaced the file

Copy it again. Replacing a file can change the underlying address, so a link copied earlier may be stale. See [Replace a file](https://help.filemonk.io/replace-a-file/).

### I want customers to use this link

Don't. A direct link bypasses download limits, login requirements, and PDF watermarking, and it never expires with the order. Send customers to their download page instead, or email them their links. See [Send emails with links for orders](https://help.filemonk.io/send-emails-for-orders/).

### Copy link isn't in the menu

You are looking at an external file, which is already just a URL you supplied. Open it and read the **Link** field.

## FAQ

### Does downloading through this link count against anything?

It is a download of your file, so it uses bandwidth. What it does not do is count against a customer's per-order download limit, because it is not tied to an order.

### Can I use it for a free giveaway or lead magnet?

You can, and people do, but understand the trade-off: the link is public forever once shared, and you cannot revoke it or see who used it. For anything you also sell, create a free product in Shopify instead so delivery goes through Filemonk normally.

### Is there a different link per customer?

Yes, for delivery. Each order gets its own download page, which is what applies limits and access rules per customer. The link in this guide is a single link to the file itself.

### Can I turn off direct links?

No. The link exists because the file is served over the web. This is why the protection that matters lives around the download page. See [How Filemonk protects your files](https://help.filemonk.io/how-filemonk-protects-your-files/).

## Related guides

- [How Filemonk protects your files](https://help.filemonk.io/how-filemonk-protects-your-files/), for what protects customer downloads.
- [Manage your files](https://help.filemonk.io/manage-your-files/), for the rest of a file's actions.
- [Send emails with links for orders](https://help.filemonk.io/send-emails-for-orders/), the right way to get a file to a buyer.