Password-protected and expiring links: when and how to use them

Most links should last forever. But two controls, a password and an expiry date, are exactly right for specific jobs. Here's when to reach for each, and how they fit with permanence.

Password-protected links

A password-protected link asks for a code before it redirects. Reach for it when a link shouldn't be openly shareable:

• A gated download or a draft you're sharing with a client.
• An internal resource you want behind one shared secret.
• A pre-launch page only certain people should see.

It's a light gate, not a vault: good for "not for everyone", not for protecting truly sensitive data.

Expiring links

An expiring link stops working after a date or time you set. That's useful when access should end:

• A time-limited offer that shouldn't be redeemable later.
• A temporary file share.
• An event page that's irrelevant once the event has passed.

Why expiry is opt-in, never default

The danger with expiry is applying it by accident. A link on a printed flyer or in an old email must keep working, so on Urlicer, links are permanent by default and only expire if you set a date on that specific link. Nothing lapses behind your back.

Setting them

Both are options when you create a link (open "Advanced options" on the form) and can be added or changed later from the link's settings. See pricing for which plans include them.

Need a link with a time limit or a password? Shorten a link free. No signup, and every link gets a QR code and click analytics.