How Filemonk protects your files
Selling files means handing them over. Filemonk's protection works by controlling access to the download, and by making a shared copy traceable back to whoever leaked it. This guide explains each layer, so you can decide which ones to turn on and what to expect from them.
What happens on every download
When someone clicks download, Filemonk checks the request before serving anything. It confirms:
- Access to the order has not been revoked, whether by you, a refund, or a fraud check.
- The order passed its fraud check, if fraud protection is on.
- Any preorder has actually been released.
- EU withdrawal consent has been given, where you require it.
- The order is inside its download count and date limits.
- Your store is within its fair usage allowance.
If any check fails, the download is refused. Every successful download is logged with its size, which is what you see in an order's download history.
The layers you control
| Layer | What it stops | Where to set it |
|---|---|---|
| Download limits | Endless re-downloading, and links living forever | Limit the number of downloads per order |
| Login requirement | A forwarded link working for anyone | Require customers to log in |
| PDF watermarking | Anonymous sharing, by stamping the buyer's details on each PDF | Protect PDFs with a watermark |
| Refund and fraud rules | Access surviving a chargeback or a cancelled order | Disable access for refunded or cancelled orders |
| Manual revocation | A specific customer you no longer want served | Disable access to downloads for any order |
Used together, a leaked link is time-limited, count-limited, tied to an account, and carries the buyer's name on the file.
What no download app can prevent
Once a customer has legitimately downloaded your file, it is on their computer. They can copy it, email it, or upload it somewhere. That is true of every digital product on every platform.
What you can do is make it unattractive and traceable: watermark PDFs with the buyer's details, keep limits tight enough that a shared link stops working, and require login so the link alone is not enough. Treat protection as deterrence, not a lock.
Files hosted elsewhere are different
A file added by link is served by Google Drive, Dropbox, or whoever hosts it. The checks above protect the Filemonk page, not the file at the far end, and that URL keeps working for anyone who has it. Upload files you seriously need to protect. See Add files from Google Drive or Dropbox.
Troubleshooting
A customer says their download is refused
Work through the checks in order. Usually it is a spent download limit or an expired date, sometimes revoked access after a refund. The order page tells you which. See Troubleshoot a single order.
I think a file has been shared around
Open a leaked copy and read its watermark: it carries the buyer's details for the order it came from. Then disable access on that order. See Disable access to downloads for any order.
Downloads are blocked for everyone, not one customer
That is a store-level stop, not a protection rule: usually a plan limit or a fair usage flag. Check your usage on Home. See Usage alerts.
A refunded customer still has access
The automatic rule for refunded and cancelled orders is off. Turn it on, then disable access on that order by hand, since the rule applies from when it is enabled. See Disable access for refunded or cancelled orders.
FAQ
Where are my files actually stored?
Files you upload are held in Filemonk's storage and served through your download page. Files you add by link stay wherever you host them.
Can I stop someone downloading twice?
Yes. Set the maximum downloads per file to 1, though be ready for support requests when someone's download genuinely fails. Two or three is a common compromise. See Limit the number of downloads per order.
Does watermarking work on anything other than PDFs?
No. It is a PDF feature, since it modifies the document itself. Other formats rely on the access rules instead.
Can customers find my files by guessing a URL?
Files are not listed publicly and their addresses are not guessable. The realistic risk is a link being shared deliberately, which is what limits, login, and watermarks address.
Do these protections apply to files I email directly?
A link you send from an order still goes to that order's download page, so the rules apply. A link you copy from the content library does not. See Get a downloadable link for a file.
Related guides
- Limit the number of downloads per order, the most effective single setting.
- Protect PDFs with a watermark, to make sharing traceable.
- Require customers to log in, to tie downloads to an account.
