How to update shared files without sending a new link

You send the files, the client replies within the hour: could you tweak the colour on page three, and add the square version of the logo? Fair requests. The awkward part is what happens next. A new link means a new email, and now there are two links in circulation, one of them out of date.

A better pattern is to keep one link for the life of the delivery and change what is behind it. This guide explains how that works, how to communicate revisions, and when a fresh link is still the right call.

Why a stable link helps

One place to look. The client, and anyone they forwarded the active link to, lands on the files currently attached.
Fewer competing links. Keeping the updated package at one address helps clients find the right version in earlier emails.
Less inbox noise. A short “updated, same link” message is easier to act on than another round of links.

Keep the delivery, change its contents

In SentIt, a shared delivery stays editable. Open it from your deliveries list and you can:

add files by uploading them or choosing them from Dropbox or Google Drive;
remove files that have been superseded;
reorder files so the newest or most important comes first;
edit the title, the message and the expiry date.

Added and removed files change the live delivery straight away, so anyone who opens the link sees the current set. Edits to the title, message and expiry date apply when you save them. The link itself never changes. Cloud attachments do not automatically sync with your working folder: changed source files may need refreshing or reattaching before clients can download them.

Add, replace or keep old versions?

The simplest rule: the delivery should contain exactly what the client should use today.

Replace a file when the old version should no longer be used. Remove it and add the corrected one. Using a version number or date in the file name, such as harbour-cafe-menu-print-v2.pdf, makes the change obvious to anyone comparing downloads.
Add a file when it is genuinely new, such as an extra size or format the client asked for.
Keep an earlier version only when the client needs both, for example two approved alternatives. Name them so the difference is clear.

Remember that updating a delivery cannot reach files that have already been downloaded. If someone saved version one yesterday, they still have it. That is exactly why the next step matters.

Tell people what changed

A stable link removes the need to send new URLs, not the need to communicate. When you update a delivery, send a brief note:

what changed, such as “page three colour corrected”;
what was added, such as “square logo added in PNG and SVG”;
whether earlier downloads should be discarded;
that the link is the same as before.

Updating the delivery’s message as well keeps that context next to the files for anyone who opens the link later. A line such as “Updated October 6: corrected menu colours, added square logo” is enough.

One caveat: messaging apps and social platforms often store their own copy of a link preview when a link is first shared. After you change a title, those earlier previews may keep showing the old one for a while. The delivery page shows your saved title and current attachments.

Mind the expiry date

Revisions take time, and a link that closes in the middle of a feedback round is frustrating for everyone. Check the expiry date each time you update a delivery.

On Free, a link closes within 7 days of when you first shared it. Editing the files does not restart that window, so plan longer projects accordingly.
On Premium, you can move the expiry to a future date or choose no scheduled expiry while your Premium subscription continues. This is not a promise of permanent storage; keep your own copies.
If a link has already expired, you can reactivate it within the limits of your plan. The URL stays the same.

When a new link is the better choice

Keeping one link is a default, not a rule. Start a new delivery when:

the audience changes, such as files meant for a printer rather than the client;
the content becomes a different project, not a revision of the same one;
the link reached people who should no longer have access. A delivery link works for anyone who has it, so expire the old link and share a new one only with the right people.

An example revision

A designer delivers a café’s menu files on Monday: print PDFs, web images and the source file. On Tuesday the owner asks for corrected prices and a square logo for social media. The designer opens the delivery, removes the two outdated PDFs, adds corrected versions with “v2” in their names, adds the square logo, and updates the message to list the changes. Then they reply to the client’s email: “Updated, same link as before. Please use the v2 PDFs.” One link, one short message, no confusion.

For the steps that come before the first send, see our client file handoff checklist.