--- title: "Require customers to log in to access downloads" description: "Tie downloads to a customer account, so a forwarded link is not enough." url: https://help.filemonk.io/require-customers-to-log-in/ section: "Downloads" last_updated: 2026-09-08 --- # Require customers to log in to access downloads > Tie downloads to a customer account, so a forwarded link is not enough. By default a download link works for whoever holds it. Requiring a login ties the download to a customer account, so a link forwarded to a friend asks them to sign in as the buyer. There are two ways to do this, and they suit different stores. ## Choose your method | Method | How it works | Trade-off | |---|---|---| | **Require customers to login** on your download page | The page asks for a login before showing files | Marked **Beta** in the app. Test it before relying on it. | | **Customer Account page** | Downloads live inside the customer's Shopify account, which already requires a login | More setup, since it needs Filemonk's extensions added to your store | The second is the more established route and gives customers a permanent home for everything they have bought. See [Let customers download from the account page](https://help.filemonk.io/downloads-on-the-customer-account-page/). ## Before you begin - Customers need to be able to create or access an account on your store, so check your Shopify customer account settings first. - Requiring a login adds a step before the file. Expect some drop-off and more "I can't get in" emails, and weigh that against the protection. - Guest checkout buyers may have no account matching their order, which is the most common cause of lockouts. ## Set it up To require a login on your download page: 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. Turn on **Require customers to login**. Then write what the login screen says: 1. On the same tab, click **Customize** to open the download page editor. 2. In the editor's left sidebar, click **Login Controls**. 3. Set the **Title**, the **Message**, and the **Button text**. 4. Save. The defaults are "Login required", "Please login to access your downloads.", and "Login". Replacing them with wording that says which account to use prevents most confusion. ## What customers will see Opening their download link, a customer who is not signed in gets your login screen instead of their files. After signing in they land back on the download page. Customers already signed in see no change. ## Check your setup Open a test order's download link in a private browsing window, where you are not signed in. You should get the login screen. Sign in as the buyer and confirm the files appear. See [Create a test order](https://help.filemonk.io/create-a-test-order/). ## Troubleshooting ### A customer can't log in to reach their files Check they are using the same email address as the order. Orders placed as a guest, or with a different address, will not match an account. If they cannot resolve it, send them the files another way and consider whether the requirement suits your buyers. ### The login screen never appears Confirm **Require customers to login** is on, and that customers are reaching the download page rather than a direct file link. A direct link bypasses the page and its rules. See [Get a downloadable link for a file](https://help.filemonk.io/get-a-downloadable-link/). ### Support requests went up after turning this on That is the expected cost, and it falls hardest on stores with lots of guest checkout. Rewrite the login message to name the account to use, or move to the customer account page route instead. ### The feature is marked Beta. Should I use it? Treat the label seriously: test it with a real order on your own store before switching it on for customers. For a mature setup, the customer account page route is the safer choice today. ## FAQ ### Does this stop sharing completely? No. It stops a forwarded link working on its own, but a customer who shares their account credentials shares their downloads. Pair it with limits and PDF watermarks. See [How Filemonk protects your files](https://help.filemonk.io/how-filemonk-protects-your-files/). ### What about customers who checked out as a guest? They have no account to sign in to, which locks them out. Either allow account creation with the order's email, or leave the login requirement off if guest checkout is common on your store. ### Does it apply to orders placed before I turned it on? Yes. There is one download page and one rule, so past orders start asking for a login too. ### Can I require login for some products only? No, it is store-wide. Per-product protection is better served by download limits and watermarking. ## Related guides - [Let customers download from the account page](https://help.filemonk.io/downloads-on-the-customer-account-page/), the other way to require a login. - [How Filemonk protects your files](https://help.filemonk.io/how-filemonk-protects-your-files/), for how this fits with the rest. - [Customize the download page](https://help.filemonk.io/customize-the-download-page/), where the login wording lives.