Limit how long customers can download

An access limit in ABC Digital Downloads makes an order's download links stop working a set number of days after the download email is sent. Set it once for every order in Settings, or change it for a single order.

Available on the Essential, Professional and Plus plans.

Set an access limit for every order

1. In ABC, go to Settings.
2. Under Downloads, enter a number of days in Access Limit (days).
3. Click Save in the save bar at the top of the page.

The access period starts when ABC sends the order's download email, or on the order date if no email is sent. Leave the field empty for no limit. The shortest limit is 1 day.

Change the access limit for one order

1. In ABC, go to Orders.
2. Click the order.
3. In Download Limitations, tick Override global download limitations for this order. The order's fields start empty: your values from Settings aren't copied in.
4. Enter a number of days in Access Limit (days), or leave it empty for no limit on this order.

Changes save as you type, and ABC confirms "Order limitations have been updated." There's no Save button. An empty Download Limit on the order means no limit for this order, even if Settings has one, so enter your download limit again if you want to keep it. To use your limit from Settings again, untick Override global download limitations for this order.

Give a customer more time

Resending the download email restarts the customer's access period.

1. In ABC, go to Orders.
2. Click the order.
3. Click Resend Download Email.

While the order has an end date, the button's tooltip says when the current period ends: "Resending restarts the customer's download access period (currently ends …)". See Resend a download email for the button's other rules.

⚠️ Important: Only Resend Download Email on the order's page in ABC restarts the period. Neither Send updated download email, which you click after attaching files to an order, nor ABC: Resend download email in the Shopify admin restarts it.

What customers see when access ends

When the period is over, the customer's download link opens a page titled Your access has expired. It says "Access to the files for this order ended on" the end date, with their order number, the file, and a link to contact your store.

To see the page yourself, go to Settings > Blocked download page and click Preview next to Your access has expired. The other pages customers can see are in Limit and restrict downloads.