How to Send a File That Deletes After It's Downloaded

The simplest way to send a file that deletes itself after download is a single-use link: you upload the file, get a link, and the link stops working the moment the first person downloads it. No recipient account, no file sitting in an inbox forever, no "wait, who else got forwarded this?"

Why "delete after download" matters

A normal share link is a standing liability. It gets pasted into chat, copied into an email thread, logged by a proxy, saved in someone's browser history. Every one of those is a place the file can be re-downloaded later by someone you didn't intend. A link that dies after one download shrinks that blast radius to exactly one retrieval - if it leaks afterward, it leaks a dead link.

The fastest way: a single-use link

Instead of attaching the file or hosting it somewhere permanent, you issue a link with a usage limit of one. The server enforces it: after the first completed download, the link returns "gone" and the file is removed.

Step by step

• Upload the file and choose single-use (max 1 download).
• Set an expiry so the link also dies on a clock - say, 24 hours - even if nobody opens it.
• Add a password (optional) so a leaked link alone isn't enough.
• Share the link with your recipient. Create one here.

Single-use vs. expiring - what's the difference?

They solve different leaks. Single-use caps how many times a file can be retrieved (one). Expiring caps how long the link is alive (a deadline). Use both: "one download, within the next hour" is far tighter than either alone.

Why we also strip metadata

Deleting the link after download protects the file's distribution; stripping metadata protects its contents. Photos and PDFs carry hidden data - GPS, author, device, revision history. We remove that server-side before delivery, so a "private" send is private in both senses. (See why most transfer tools don't.)

A note on safety & abuse

Self-destructing links are also exactly what malware and phishing crews want, which is why Firefox Send was shut down. A responsible single-use service requires a verified sender, blocks executable file types, and gives every link a report-abuse path. That accountability is what keeps the feature usable instead of becoming a malware drop.

Send a file that deletes after download → · related: send a contract that opens once.