Limit the number of downloads per order

Without limits, a download link works forever and can be passed around indefinitely. Limits cap how many times each file can be downloaded per order, and how long the link stays live. They are the single most effective protection against casual sharing.

Before you begin

• Limits apply per order, and the count is per file. A limit of 3 on an order with four files means three downloads of each file, not three in total.
• Set them before you start selling if you can. Changing limits later affects existing orders, and customers who have already used up their allowance will contact you.
• Be generous enough to survive real life. Failed downloads, new laptops, and lost files are normal, and a limit of 1 turns each into a support ticket.

Set it up

1. Click Filemonk in the left menu of your Shopify admin.

2. Click Settings in the app’s menu, then open the Download page tab.

3. In the Customize page card, click Customize Download page. The editor opens as a full window with a list of sections on the left.

4. In that list, under Access, click Download limits. The row shows On or Off beside its name, so you can tell at a glance whether limits are already set.

5. Under Limits, set either or both:

   1. Max. number of downloads per file, in downloads.
   2. No. of days available to download, in days, counted from when Filemonk created the order. For orders imported from before you installed Filemonk that is the import date, not the date the customer bought. Resetting an order’s limits also restarts its day count.

6. Under On the Download page, tick Show limits on Download page so customers can see where they stand.

7. Click Save in the save bar at the top of the editor.

   

You can also reword what customers see. Ticking Show limits on Download page reveals Max. # of downloads label and No. of days available label below it. Error message sits under those and is what a customer sees once they have run out.

On the Start plan every field in this section is greyed out, with an upgrade button under Limits. See Filemonk pricing and plans.

What customers will see

With Show limits on Download page on, each file shows its remaining downloads and how long the link lasts. Once either is used up, the download stops working and your error message explains why. Leaving the display off does not remove the limits, it just means the first a customer knows of them is when they hit one.

Choose your limits

Setting	Sensible starting point
Downloads per file	3 to 5. Enough for a retry and a second device without being an open door.
Days available	30 to 90, or leave open if you promise lifetime access.

If you advertise lifetime access, leave the day limit open and rely on the download count.

Check your setup

Place a test order and download a file more times than the limit allows. The last attempt should fail with your error message. See Create a test order.

Troubleshooting

A customer used up their downloads and needs another

Reset the limit on their order, either for the whole order or a single file. See Reset download limits for an order.

Customers hit the limit far too quickly

Usually the limit is too tight for how people actually download: an interrupted transfer often counts, and a customer may open the link on a phone and then a laptop. If Open PDFs in a viewer is ticked in the download page editor, viewing a PDF and then downloading it counts twice. Raise it, and consider showing the limit so nobody is surprised.

The limit doesn't seem to apply

Two common reasons: the file is hosted externally, so the link works independently of Filemonk, or the customer is using a direct file link rather than their download page. See How Filemonk protects your files.

I changed the limit and old orders changed too

That is how it works: there is one setting and every order is measured against the current value, with no per-order snapshot. Lowering it can lock out customers who already bought, the moment you save. Someone who has used four downloads is cut off as soon as you set the limit to three.

A customer says the link expired too early

The day count runs from the order, not from their first download. Someone who waits three weeks to open a 30-day link has a week left, not thirty.

FAQ

Are limits per file or per order?

The count is per file within an order, so each file gets its own allowance. The day limit applies to the order as a whole.

What happens when a customer runs out?

The download is refused and they see your error message. Nothing is deleted, and resetting the limit restores access immediately.

Should I show limits on the page?

Usually yes. Customers who can see “2 of 3 downloads left” plan accordingly, and it heads off the “your link is broken” email.

Can I set different limits for different products?

No, the limits are store-wide. Set them for your most sensitive product and reset individual orders as needed.

Related guides

• Reset download limits for an order, when a customer needs another go.
• How Filemonk protects your files, for the other layers.
• Customize the download page, where these settings live.