Link files hosted on Drive, Dropbox, or any URL Free

A FileDeck Pro document can point at an external URL instead of an uploaded file — Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, Amazon S3, or any URL. The document looks and behaves like any other in your library, and clicking its download link sends the visitor to the external host.

FileDeck Pro — this feature is included in all Pro plans. See pricing

How to link an external file

1. Go to Documents → Add New Document (or open an existing document under All Documents).
2. In the document’s file settings, choose the external URL option instead of uploading, and paste the file’s URL.
3. Fill in the title and any other fields as usual, then click Publish or Update.

Adding many at once? The CSV import under Documents → Bulk add / export accepts external links in its file_url column, so a spreadsheet of Drive or SharePoint URLs becomes a library in one step.

How external links behave

• Links, not sync. FileDeck stores the URL and nothing else. If you update the file on Google Drive, visitors get whatever that URL serves — FileDeck never copies or mirrors the file.
• Downloads redirect. Clicks still route through FileDeck’s download endpoint, which counts the download and then redirects the visitor to the external host. Download counting works exactly as it does for uploaded files.
• File protection does not apply. Signed URLs and file protection cover only files uploaded to your site. For an external link, the external host controls access. You can still use access control to restrict who sees the document in your library, but the underlying URL is only as private as the host makes it.
• Health scans watch them. A library health scan checks every published document, including external links that no longer resolve, and flags any that have gone stale.

Connecting a cloud account to browse and sync

Instead of pasting one URL at a time, Pro can connect an Amazon S3, Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive account under Documents → Cloud storage, then browse it and attach files, or set a scheduled one-way pull that imports new files from a folder automatically. Attached files show their size in your library just like uploaded files.

• Administrators only. Connecting an account, browsing it, and attaching files are all administrator-level actions, so the connected storage is never exposed to lower-level roles.
• Credentials stored encrypted. The keys and tokens FileDeck holds for a connection are encrypted where they’re stored.
• Downloads stay private. For providers that support it, each download is served through a fresh, short-lived signed link generated per click, so a private bucket or account never has to be made public.

Check sharing permissions first

The most common problem with external files is the host’s own sharing settings. On Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and SharePoint, the file must be shared publicly — or with every viewer who needs it — or visitors will hit a sign-in prompt or a permission error instead of the file. Before publishing, open the URL in a private browsing window to confirm it works while signed out.

FAQ

Does FileDeck sync or copy the external file?

No. It stores a link only; the file lives on, and is served by, the external host.

Do download counts work for external files?

Yes. The click is counted by FileDeck’s endpoint before the visitor is redirected to the host.

Can I protect an external file with signed URLs?

No. File protection applies only to files uploaded to your site; the external host controls access to its own files.

Why do visitors get a permission error?

The file is not shared widely enough on the host. Adjust the Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or SharePoint sharing settings so your viewers can open the URL.