In short
- A delivery link is a way to collect files. It is not a place to keep them for years.
- Ask on day one whether the link expires, how long it stays active and whether it can be renewed.
- Download every file soon after delivery and check that each one plays.
- Long-term keeping is the client's job unless storage is agreed in writing.
A download link is a way to collect your files, not a place to keep them. Save every file soon after delivery, check it plays, and treat long-term keeping as your responsibility unless you have agreed otherwise in writing.
Why do download links expire?
Most online sharing services let the sender decide how long a link works. Some remove files after a set period. Some limit the number of downloads or the total storage. The rules differ between services and change over time, so check the rules of the service your link uses.
Note the expiry date in your calendar as soon as you receive the link, and download well before it, not on the last day.
What matters for you is simple. The link is built for delivery. It is not built as an archive. If you need the video in two years, plan for that from the start.
Who is responsible for what?
| Question | Usually the client | Usually the videographer | Agree in writing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downloading the delivered files | Yes | Sends the link and tells you what is on it | How long the link stays open |
| Checking the files play and are complete | Yes | Answers questions and fixes errors | How long after delivery you can report a problem |
| Keeping a second copy | Yes | Not covered unless agreed | Whether a copy is held for you |
| Keeping project files or raw footage after delivery | Only what you hold | Sometimes | Whether they keep them, for how long, and how you can ask for them |
| Re-sending an expired link | Asks for a new link | Sometimes | Whether it is offered, and any extra fee |
If the last two rows matter to you, settle them before the event, when you agree your event videography quote. An old project cannot always be found later.
What should I download first?
Download in this order, so the most important files are safe even if something goes wrong:
- Final approved films and full recordings of ceremonies, speeches or sessions you cannot repeat.
- Captions, transcripts and cover images.
- Social clips and other versions.
- Raw footage and project files, if they are part of your agreement.
Raw footage is usually the largest. Check you have the room first, using how much space your delivered video files may need or the video storage and transfer calculator.
How do I check a download is good?
- Compare the file names and number of files to the delivery list.
- Open each file and play it from start to end, or at least skip through the beginning, middle and end.
- Check the sound and any captions.
- Note the file size. A file that is much smaller than the others of similar length may be incomplete.
- Tick it off on your handover list.
If anything fails, tell us right away while the link is still active.
What happens after I have the files?
You become the keeper. Put the files in a folder with a clear name, keep a second copy somewhere separate, and write down where they are. Our guide to keeping independent copies of important event films covers this.
For a company, record the folder owner by role, not by one person’s name, so the files survive a change of staff. For a family, choose one relative as the keeper and tell the others where to ask.
If you later change suppliers or need old material, see what to request before changing video suppliers.
What we confirm for your event
- Whether the delivery link is time-limited, its date, and whether it can be extended.
- Whether files can also be delivered on a drive or another way, and any extra cost.
- Whether we keep a copy after delivery, for how long, and how you request it.
- The cut-off for reporting a problem with a file.
The video archive and handover planner can turn the answers into reminders.
If you are planning an event, ask us how the films will be delivered and how long the link stays open. We write the answer into your quote.
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