# What to do when a file transfer link expires

> Check a DROP link’s expiry, distinguish download failures from preview issues and ask the sender for a new upload when expired.

Canonical page: https://drop.space/en/blog/expired-transfer/
Content updated: 2026-10-29
Published: 2026-10-29
Publisher: DROP

Temporary delivery has a deadline. If a DROP link is expired, reopening the browser, changing the URL or signing in afterward does not restore the original transfer. Ask the sender for a new upload.

## Check what failed

An incomplete address can produce a missing-link message. An expiry message means the download window has ended. A preview error can instead mean an unsupported format, codec or unavailable converter; try downloading the original while the link remains valid.

## Plan the next handoff

Anonymous DROP retention starts at creation and lasts 24 hours, not 24 hours after the recipient first opens it. Optional verified Google sign-in before expiry can extend an owned upload to 72 hours from creation when configured. If your recipient will be offline longer, use a storage or delivery option whose documented retention fits the schedule.