On a private forum, the links used to open uploaded files, photos, and other attachments are signed. A signed link only works for a short time, so a link copied out of your forum cannot be used later to open the file. This keeps attachments available to your members only.
When links are signed
Attachment and photo links are signed when any of these apply to your forum:
- The forum is private, so only members can view it
- The forum is invite only
- The forum is hidden from listings
- The forum is password protected
- The category the file belongs to is private
On a public forum, attachment links are regular links and do not expire.
How long a signed link works
A signed link works for 15 minutes from the moment it is created. Pages create fresh links every time they load, so members browsing your forum will not run into expired links while they read and post.
If a member keeps a page open for a long time and clicks an attachment after its link has expired, they are asked to reload the page. Reloading creates a new link and the file opens normally.
What members see
Nothing changes for your members. Photos and attachments display normally inside topics. While a page loads, the browser address may briefly show a longer address with a signature on it. This is normal and shows the link is protected.
This protection applies to files uploaded after it was introduced. Files uploaded earlier keep their original links.
Attachment links in notification emails
Post notification emails and private message emails can include the message text along with inline images and attachments. These emails are read outside of your forum, so the links in them are direct signed links that stay valid for 30 days. Images display in email programs like Gmail and Outlook without requiring the recipient to log in, and the links do not depend on the recipient's browser cookies.
If you prefer not to include message content and attachments in notification emails, you can turn them off. See Removing the message from post notification emails.