Send a PDF by link — view it straight in the browser
Send PDF documents over a secure link. Recipients open the link and view the file page by page in a built-in browser viewer — no forced download, no account, no ads.
Free, no sign-up, time-limited link. Ideal for contracts, quotes, reports, folders, or internal notes.
This guide explains how to send one or more PDF documents by link so recipients can view them in their browser without installing anything. FileVert Explore mode turns on a built-in PDF viewer on the transfer page; recipients flip through page by page and download only if they choose.
Why send a PDF by link instead of as an attachment
Email attachments cap out at 25 MB and often mean downloading before you can read. Google Drive and Dropbox need an account and keep files stored long term. Typical transfer services make people download the PDF before they can even open it. With a FileVert link in Explore mode, your recipient — client, partner, colleague — views the document in their browser, page by page, and downloads only if they choose. You keep control of the send; they keep control of how they read.
- 01
Prepare your PDF document
Select your PDF (or export it from Word, Pages, or another format). Send one document or bundle several PDFs in the same transfer.
- 02
Start the transfer
From the send page, drop your file(s). The free tier without an account covers typical sends.
- 03
Check that Explore mode is on
Explore mode is on by default for compatible transfers. Uncheck only if you require a direct download.
- 04
Share the link
Copy the secure link and send it by message or email. The recipient opens the link and views the PDF in the built-in browser viewer; they download only if they decide to.
View a PDF received by link — what the recipient sees
When your recipient opens the link, a PDF viewer appears right in their browser. They can flip through page by page, zoom, search text, and read the full document without installing anything. Download stays available — voluntary, never forced.
Typical situations
Lawyer
Send a first draft contract for a quick on-screen read.
HR
Share an internal note people can read without extra local copies.
Freelancer
Send a quote: the client reads, discusses verbally, downloads only to sign.
Built-in PDF viewer — what Explore mode adds
- View straight in the browser: nothing to install on the recipient side.
- Page-by-page navigation: smooth flipping, zoom, text search.
- No forced download: they view first and download only if they want to.
- Nothing saved on disk until they trigger a download.
- Free transfer, no sign-up, time-limited link (2–15 days depending on your plan).
- Several PDFs in one link: send a full folder in a single URL.
Prepare your PDF before sending: compress, merge, split, clean
Before you share by link, process several PDFs in batch: shrink, merge into one file, split pages, or strip metadata — all in the browser with the FileVert PDF tool, fully local, no server upload.
Open the FileVert PDF tool (compress, merge, split, clean)Send a contract, quote, or folder by link
For lawyers, freelancers, HR teams, and consultants, a FileVert link beats email attachments or Google Drive sharing. Your client, candidate, or partner views your contract, quote, or report in their browser without downloading a file that sits in Downloads for months. Viewing is immediate; download is voluntary — and the link expires after a few days, limiting uncontrolled circulation of your documents.