PDF download control, per document.
Download control lets you choose whether a shared PDF shows a download option, so readers open the document in the browser first.
The PDF opens in the browser without a SharePDF download button.
Hiding the button helps most viewers stay in the browser. It is not DRM.
Download option off The PDF opens in the browser without a SharePDF download button.
Decide whether the download button appears.
Each page is built around one practical job, so the steps stay clear.
Open PDF settings
Choose the PDF where you want to control downloads.
Turn the download option on or off
Show the download option when needed, or hide it for a view-first experience.
Share the PDF link
Viewers open the document page with the setting you chose.
What hiding the download button changes.
The details below keep the feature practical, with no heavy setup or technical wording.
Useful for view-first sharing
Keep the main experience focused on reading the PDF in the browser.
Easy to change later
Show the download button again if the audience should be able to save the file.
Works with other controls
Use download control together with passwords or expiry dates for more careful sharing.
Cleaner than storage folders
Send one document page instead of a folder interface with extra file actions.
Documents where downloads are worth limiting.
These examples make the page useful for real searches and real visitors.
Plan availability
Turn the download option on or off for your PDF links.
Use download control with password, expiry, and email capture.
Apply download control across a larger PDF library.
Apply download control across an unlimited library.
View-only PDFs reduce casual downloads
Hiding the download button removes the easy path for most viewers, usually the 80 to 90% who use the visible buttons. It is not DRM: someone with technical knowledge, browser tools, or screenshots can still save what they can view.
Turning the download button off, and what that achieves.
Hiding the download option changes how most people treat a document. It does not make the document impossible to keep, and it is worth being direct about the difference.
Read here rather than file it away
A visible download button invites a particular behaviour: save the file, close the tab, read it later from a folder. Once that happens the document is detached from the link, which means it is detached from any expiry, any password, and any update you make afterwards.
Turning the button off nudges readers to read the document where it lives. That keeps the document current and keeps your access controls meaningful.
What it does not do
This is not DRM and it is not encryption. The document is still rendered in the reader’s browser, so it can be screenshotted, printed to PDF, or retrieved with browser tools by anyone who cares to.
The honest framing is that it removes the easy path, not every path. It changes the default behaviour of ordinary readers, which is usually the actual concern, rather than defeating a determined one.
When to leave downloads on
Leave them on whenever the reader has a legitimate reason to keep the file: signed contracts, invoices, receipts, tickets, manuals they will need offline, templates they are meant to use.
Removing downloads from a document someone needs to retain does not protect anything. It just makes you look like an obstacle, and they will screenshot it anyway.
Using it alongside other controls
Download control pairs naturally with expiry: if a link is meant to close on a date, allowing an easy permanent copy undercuts the point. It pairs with passwords for the same reason.
For genuinely sensitive material, treat these controls as friction rather than a guarantee, and let the decision about who receives the link do the real work.
Download control — common questions.
Short answers for visitors who want to know if this fits their PDF sharing workflow.
Can I hide the PDF download button?
Yes. You can hide the SharePDF download option for a PDF link.
Does hiding the download button stop every save method?
No. It removes the easy SharePDF download path for most viewers, but it is not DRM. A technical viewer can still use screenshots or browser tools to save what they can view.
Can I show the download button again?
Yes. You can change the download setting later from your dashboard.
Is download control available on the Free plan?
Yes. Download control is available on every plan, including Free.
Can someone still save the document with downloads turned off?
Yes. It can be screenshotted or printed to PDF. Turning the button off removes the easy path, not every path.
When should I leave downloads on?
Whenever the reader legitimately needs to keep the file, such as contracts, invoices, receipts, tickets, or manuals used offline.
Does hiding downloads stop printing?
It removes the download button, but a reader can still use their browser’s own print function.
Keep exploring SharePDF features.
These links connect nearby search intent without repeating the same page.
Create your first PDF link today.
Start free, upload a PDF, and use the right SharePDF feature when your PDF needs more than an attachment.