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Yoink public file links: what "anyone with the link" means
Every file you upload to Yoink gets a direct public URL, and anyone who has that URL can open it. There is no password, no recipient check, and no per-person permission in the current service.
Updated
A random-looking URL is not access control
Yoink links point to files on files.yoink.zip with unpredictable-looking paths. That is not the same as a recipient permission. Once someone has the link, nothing checks who they are. They can open it, forward it, post it, embed it, or download a copy, and every person they share it with can do the same.
Signing in with Google before uploading only attributes the upload to your account. It does not restrict who can open the link, and there is no setting that turns a public link into a private one. There is also no guarantee about whether a link could surface in search or be indexed elsewhere, so do not treat the link format as protection.
What this is fine for, and what it is not
A public link is a reasonable fit for things you would not mind a stranger seeing:
- A screenshot you want to paste into a chat or forum
- An explicitly public sample file or release asset a colleague will grab once
- Anything already intended for wide distribution
It is a poor fit for:
- Passport scans, ID documents, or anything with sensitive personal data
- Client contracts or confidential work files meant for named recipients
- Backups, credentials, keys, or secrets
If you need named readers, revocation, or an audit trail, use a managed sharing tool with restricted access instead. And remember that anyone who downloads a copy keeps it; nothing you do later controls that copy.
Check the file before you upload
Look at what you are actually sharing. A screenshot may show more of your screen than you meant: open tabs, names, notifications. Files can also carry metadata you did not intend to share. Inspect the file yourself before uploading, and do not assume anything is stripped automatically.
You cannot revoke a link from the interface
Removing a row from My Files or clearing your recent upload history only changes what your browser shows. It does not delete the stored file or revoke access via the URL. There is no self-service way to remotely delete an uploaded file, and a link's lifetime is not guaranteed either way. So if you would need controlled withdrawal of a file later, choose a restricted sharing service from the start.
For how data is actually handled, see the privacy page. For size limits and what is and is not promised about retention, see limits and retention.