View only file sharing: share files without allowing downloads
View only lets recipients preview a transfer's files in the browser, without a download button.
View only lets a recipient look at the files in a transfer in the browser, without a download. Use it when someone needs to see, watch or listen to a file but should not take a copy. The setting belongs to a file transfer, so it applies to the people who open that transfer link.
How it works
Set the transfer to view only when you create it on Transfers. When the recipient opens the transfer link, the files open in a preview in the browser, and the Download button at the top of the transfer page is not shown. The Copy Link button stays on the page.
A direct download link does not work for a view-only transfer. Opening one returns an error instead of starting a download, and downloading a video from a view-only transfer is refused too. Direct download links are described in Direct download links in Tarkle.
View only is set on each transfer. To download files from your library, select them in Files and click Download, as described in How to download several files at once.
Supported file types
Tarkle previews these formats in the browser:
Images: JPG, JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG, BMP, AVIF, ICO and TIFF
Video: MP4, M4V, MOV, WebM, OGV, MKV, 3GP and 3G2
Audio: MP3, WAV, OGG, OGA, OPUS, FLAC, AAC and M4A
Documents: PDF, DOCX, DOC, XLSX, Markdown, and text files such as TXT, CSV and JSON
Archives: ZIP files
A video that uses a format or codec the recipient's browser cannot play will not play.
Common uses
Design previews: Share a mockup or visual concept with a client for feedback, without giving them the image file.
Audio and video review: Send a music track, podcast episode or video cut for approval.
Document review: Share a contract, proposal or report that the recipient reads in the browser.
Restrictions
A paid transfer cannot be view only. Tarkle refuses to create a paid transfer with View only turned on, because a paid transfer gives the buyer download access. Paid transfers are described on Paid transfers.
A view-only transfer cannot be used as a direct download link, because a direct link only starts a download.
To limit who can open a transfer at all, read How to limit a transfer to one client organization.