Sharing an album
FWDLink albums stay in your library until you create a share link. Recipients typically open a gallery in the browser — they do not need your full account. You choose who can open the link: anyone, invited people, or anyone who knows a password.
This article covers everyday sharing (Public, Private, and Password). Monetized options such as Members or One-time purchase follow the same share flow when those features are available on your account.
Before you share
- Open the album in Records / Storage.
- Confirm the photos and files you want are in the album (or select the subset you intend to share, if the screen supports selection).
- Tap or click Share / Generate share link (wording can vary by screen).
- Choose an access level, set any password or invites, then copy the link.
You can send the link by text, email, WhatsApp, or QR — whatever your recipient prefers.
Access levels (everyday albums)
| Access | Label in the app | Who can open it |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Public | Anyone with the link can view |
| Private | Private | Invite-only members (signed in), or people you grant access |
| Password | Password | Visitors must enter the password you set |
Public
Use Public when the link itself is the secret you are willing to share broadly — for example, a lookbook or a job highlight you are comfortable sending to several people. Anyone who gets the URL can open it. Do not use Public for sensitive personal or medical content.
Private
Use Private when only specific people should see the album. Recipients usually need to be invited or signed in as allowed members. Prefer Private for client deliverables when you know exactly who should have access.
Password
Use Password when you want a simple gate without managing a full invite list. Set a strong password, send the link and the password through different channels when possible (for example, link by email and password by text), and avoid reusing passwords across albums.
Example
You send a client a progress gallery. You choose Password, set a one-time phrase, text them the link, and email the password. They open the gallery in the browser without installing an app. Your other albums stay unshared.
Tips for safer sharing
- Prefer Password or Private for client work, family albums, and anything you would not post publicly.
- Treat a Public link like a published URL — anyone who forwards it can open it.
- After you share, keep adding to the same album when the product keeps the same link live; confirm on your share screen whether the link updates automatically.
- Revoke or stop sharing when the job or event is done if you no longer want the link to work.
How this differs from Album lock / vault
Everyday share access (Public / Private / Password) protects the link. Album lock protects how the album behaves in your app and, when encryption is on, how files are stored.
| Feature | What it affects | Sharing |
|---|---|---|
| Require unlock to open | PIN before viewing photos in the app | Share links still use their own Public / Private / Password (or other) rules |
| Encrypted / Locked album | AES-256 on your device before upload | Private storage focus — sharing and monetization are limited or unavailable while encryption stays on |
Short version: A vault PIN is not a substitute for a share-link password. If the album is encrypted as a locked vault album, do not expect open Public or monetized sharing the way a normal album works. For full lock details, see How Album lock works.
After you copy the link
- Open the link yourself in a private/incognito window to confirm the gate behaves as expected.
- Send it to one trusted recipient first when the content is sensitive.
- If someone cannot open it, check whether they need the password, a sign-in, or an invite — matching the access level you chose.
Troubleshooting
Recipient sees a password screen
Expected for Password access. Send them the current password, or change it on the share settings and resend.
Recipient cannot open a Private link
They may need to sign in with an invited account, or you may need to add them again. Confirm the invite email matches the account they use.
I turned on Require unlock, but the share link still opens
Expected. Require unlock gates the album in the app; the share link uses its own access rules.
I cannot share after enabling Encrypted / Locked album
Expected while encryption remains on for that album (private storage). See Album lock help for how encryption interacts with sharing.
Need more help?
Browse the Help Center or Contact support.