Link Expiry

A shared link can stop working on its own after a while. That way, an old email doesn't keep opening a private document forever.

You choose this on the doc's tile in the composer, under Link Works For.

The Choices

• 1 Hour, 1 Day, 7 Days, 30 Days, 90 Days or 1 Year — the link stops working that long after you send it.
• Custom Date — pick an exact date and time, under Or Pick A Date And Time.
• Never Expires — the link keeps working until you switch it off yourself.

The tile tells you in plain words what you picked, for example "Stops working Friday, March 6 at 5:00 PM" or "Keeps working until you turn it off".

For an Anyone With The Link doc you always make a choice; your organization's usual setting is picked for you to start with. Verified Recipients docs can use the same choices.

When Never Expires Isn't Offered

Your organization can require links that anyone can open to expire. If so, Never Expires is greyed out with the note "Your organization requires these links to expire." Pick a duration instead.

Change Or Switch Off A Link Later

You can change your mind after the email has gone:

• Extend it — give the link more time, or make it never expire.
• Shorten it — make it stop sooner.
• Turn it off — the link stops working straight away.

Do this from the doc's Access tab in Docs. Turning a link off never deletes your document; it only stops the link from opening it.

What The Reader Sees When A Link Has Ended

• An expired link shows "This link has expired" and the date it stopped working, with a button to ask you for access again.
• A link you turned off shows "This link was turned off".

Either way the reader never sees the document, and you can share it again whenever you like.

Everyday Example

You send a contractor the floor plans with Anyone With The Link for 7 Days. A week later the job is done and the link stops working by itself. If the contractor needs them again, they click the button to ask you for access and you approve.