The 24-hour keep-alive is a simple rule that keeps your links useful for as long as people actually need them. Every time someone downloads your file, the link's life is extended by another 24 hours. Links that people keep using stay available, and links that nobody touches expire right on schedule - the files then sit in your file manager until you re-share or delete them.
How the keep-alive works
When you create a link, you pick an expiry: 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours (the default), 3 days, or 7 days. That sets the starting clock. From there, each download resets the countdown so the link stays alive for at least 24 more hours.
Think of it like a light switch on a motion sensor. As long as there is activity, the light stays on. When the room goes quiet, the light turns off on its own.
- A download happens: the clock is bumped to 24 hours from that moment.
- No downloads happen: the link expires at its scheduled time.
- The link expires: it stops working for everyone, and the file waits in your account.
An example timeline
Say you create a link at 9:00 AM Monday with the default 24-hour expiry. Here is how the keep-alive plays out:
| Time | Event | New expiry |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 9:00 AM | You create the link | Tue 9:00 AM |
| Mon 6:00 PM | A teammate downloads it | Tue 6:00 PM |
| Tue 10:00 AM | Another person downloads it | Wed 10:00 AM |
| Wed 10:00 AM | No more downloads | Link expires; file remains in My Files |
The link kept renewing while people used it, then quietly expired once the downloads stopped. You did not have to touch a thing.
Good to know: Each download extends the link by 24 hours from that moment, no matter which starting expiry you picked. A busy 1-hour link can outlive a quiet 7-day one.
Does the keep-alive last forever?
Only while people keep downloading. Once 24 hours pass with no activity, that public link expires for good. The file remains private in My Files, where you can re-share it or move it to the rubbish bin. If you want a strict cutoff no matter what, see the options in can I delete or cancel a link after sharing?.
Why the keep-alive is handy
This feature solves a common headache: a link that dies right before someone needs it. Here is where it helps most:
- Busy teams. If several people are grabbing the same file over a couple of days, the link stays live without you re-sharing it.
- Different time zones. A colleague across the world can download hours later, and their download keeps the link fresh for the next person.
- Popular files. A file that many people want stays reachable as long as the interest lasts.
- Hands-off public-link cleanup. The moment interest fades, the address disables itself. The stored file remains private in My Files until you remove it.
Because unused links still expire on time, public access does not linger. This is part of why expiring links are safer than links that stay up forever.
Keep-alive with other options
The keep-alive works alongside your other choices, with one important exception:
If you want a link that renews with use, keep the burn option off. If you want it gone after one grab, turn it on.
Related
Curious about the starting timers that the keep-alive builds on? Read how long do share links last?. To see the whole journey from upload to auto-deletion, check out how it works, or browse more answers in our help guides. shareit.onl is a free, no-account browser tool and is not affiliated with the SHAREit app.