Limit and restrict downloads

To stop download links from being shared, ABC Digital Downloads can limit how often, for how long, and from where, customers download their files. Set the rules for every order in Settings, change them for a single order, or turn off an order's links completely.

Set limits for every order

1. In ABC, go to Settings.
2. Under Downloads, enter a number in Download Limit.
3. Enter a number in IP Limit.
4. Enter a number of days in Access Limit (days).
5. Tick Restrict downloads to the billing country.
6. Click Save in the save bar at the top of the page.

Skip any step you don't need: an empty limit means no limit. These settings apply to every order you haven't overridden. A changed Download Limit also applies to orders placed before the change.

Download limit

Available on the Essential, Professional and Plus plans.

Download Limit sets how many times a customer can download each file on an order. Each file is counted separately: with a limit of 2, a customer can download every file on their order twice. It's empty (unlimited) until you set it.

💡 Tip: If a customer reaches the limit and needs another download, tick Override global download limitations for this order on their order, then enter a higher Download Limit, or leave it empty for no limit. The customer's link works again.

IP limit

Available on the Professional and Plus plans.

IP Limit sets how many different IP addresses can download each file. It's empty (unlimited) until you set it.

Access limit

Available on the Essential, Professional and Plus plans.

Access Limit (days) sets how many days customers can access their files, counted from when the download email is sent, or from the order date if no email is sent. It's empty (unlimited) until you set it. See Limit how long customers can download.

Billing country

Available on the Professional and Plus plans.

Restrict downloads to the billing country only allows downloads from the same country as the order's billing address. It's off until you tick it.

Fraudulent orders

Block download emails for fraudulent orders, also under Downloads in Settings, stops ABC from sending download emails for orders that Shopify recommends you cancel or investigate. It's off until you tick it.

Change the limits for one order

Until you override them, an order's Download Limitations card shows your limits from Settings, grayed out.

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. Change Download Limit, IP Limit, Access Limit (days) or the billing-country option. An empty Download Limit means no limit for this order, even if Settings has one. 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. The billing-country option shows the order's country, for example Restrict downloads to the billing country (GB). The plan rules from Settings apply here too.

To use the limits from Settings again, untick Override global download limitations for this order.

Turn off all download links for an order

1. In ABC, go to Orders.
2. Click the order.
3. In Download Limitations, tick Disable all download links. You don't need to tick the override first.

ABC turns off every download link on the order. ABC's file list disappears from the customer's Order status page, and links the customer already has stop working. To turn the links back on, untick the same box.

When you cancel or refund an order in Shopify, its download links are turned off too. The customer's links then open a page saying the order was canceled or the item refunded.

What customers see when a download is blocked

Instead of the file, the customer gets a page that explains why the download is blocked. Each page shows the order number and the file, with a Contact your store's name button that emails you and a Back to store button. The page depends on the reason:

• Download limit reached: "This file has already been downloaded the maximum number of times your store's name allows."
• Too many devices or locations: the file has reached your IP Limit.
• Your access has expired: the order's access period has ended. See Limit how long customers can download.
• Not available in your location: the customer is outside the order's billing country.
• Downloads are unavailable: you turned off the order's download links.
• This order was canceled or This item was refunded: the order was canceled, or the item refunded, in Shopify.
• File unavailable: "We couldn’t find this file. your store's name may have replaced or removed it."

Each message ends "If you think this is a mistake, please contact the store."

💡 Tip: To see these pages with your store's name and contact details, go to Settings > Blocked download page and click Preview next to a page. The previews use an example order and file.

What counts as a download

• Every download that starts counts, even if the customer cancels it in their browser.
• Blocked attempts don't count, and they don't appear in the order's File download activity.
• Streams don't count toward the download limit. See How to set up streaming for video and audio files.
• The order's Downloaded column shows how many times each file has been downloaded.