What to Do When a Download Link Doesn't Work

A dead link is frustrating on both ends, sender and recipient. Most of the time, the cause is one of a small handful of things, worth checking before assuming something's actually broken.

It's a One-Time Link, Already Used

If the upload had a one-time download setting turned on, the link only ever works once. If someone (including the original sender testing it) already opened it, that's why it's dead now.

It's Expired

Links with an availability window close automatically once that period's up. Worth checking with the sender when the file was originally shared.

It Was Copied Wrong

A trailing space, a cut-off character at the end, links are easy to mangle when copying from certain apps. Try copying it again from the original source rather than retyping it.

The Simple Fix

When none of the above explains it, the fastest solution is usually just asking the sender to re-upload and send a new link. Chasing down exactly what went wrong rarely saves more time than that.