Link Protection

Control who can access your links with passwords, expiration dates, click limits, and geo-restrictions. Keep sensitive content secure while maintaining convenience.

Why Protect Links?

Not every link should be accessible to everyone forever. Protection features let you share content with the right people at the right time, then automatically restrict access when needed.

Password
Require authentication
Expiration
Time-limited access
Click Limit
Limited availability
Geo-Block
Regional restrictions

Password Protection

Require visitors to enter a password before accessing the destination. Perfect for private content, client deliverables, or exclusive offers.

Setting Up Password Protection

  1. Create or edit a link
  2. Expand the Protection section
  3. Enter a password in the Password Protect field
  4. Save the link

Visitor Experience

When someone clicks a password-protected link, they see a branded password entry page. After entering the correct password, they're redirected to the destination.

This link is password protected
Password entry page preview

Password Best Practices

  • Use memorable but not obvious passwords
  • Share passwords through a different channel than the link
  • Consider using unique passwords for different recipients to track who accessed
  • Combine with expiration for time-sensitive protected content
Use Case: Share preview links with clients that expire after the feedback deadline. Password protection ensures only they can access it.

Link Expiration

Set an expiration date and time for your links. After expiration, visitors see a friendly message instead of being redirected, or can be sent to a custom URL.

Setting Expiration

  1. Create or edit a link
  2. Expand the Protection section
  3. Set the Expires At date and time
  4. Optionally set an Expiration URL for custom redirect
  5. Save the link

After Expiration

No Expiration URL Visitors see a "Link has expired" message
With Expiration URL Visitors are redirected to your specified page
Expiration URL Ideas
  • Sale ended: Redirect to regular pricing page
  • Event passed: Redirect to recording or recap page
  • Limited offer: Redirect to waitlist signup
  • Seasonal content: Redirect to evergreen alternative

Click Limits

Limit the total number of clicks a link can receive. Once the limit is reached, the link behaves like an expired link.

Setting Click Limits

  1. Create or edit a link
  2. Expand the Protection section
  3. Enter the maximum clicks in Click Limit
  4. Save the link

Common Use Cases

Exclusive Offers "First 100 customers get 50% off"
Contest Entries Limit entries to specific quantity
Free Samples Distribute limited free access codes
Event RSVPs Cap registration at venue capacity
Scarcity Marketing: Click limits create genuine urgency. Display "Only X spots left!" messaging alongside limited-click links for powerful conversion drivers.

Geographic Restrictions

Control access based on visitor location. Allow only specific countries or block certain regions from accessing your links.

Geo-Blocking Modes

Allow List Only visitors from selected countries can access
Block List Visitors from selected countries are blocked

Setting Up Geo-Blocking

  1. Create or edit a link
  2. Expand the Traffic Rules section
  3. Select countries to allow or block
  4. Save the link

Use Cases

  • Regional Promotions: Offers only valid in certain markets
  • Compliance: Restrict access based on legal requirements
  • Localized Content: Ensure visitors see region-appropriate content
  • Fraud Prevention: Block high-risk regions
Note: Geo-blocking uses IP-based geolocation, which is generally accurate but not perfect. VPN users may bypass geographic restrictions.

Deep Linking

Automatically open links in the appropriate mobile app instead of the browser when available. Improves user experience for app-native destinations.

Configuring Deep Links

  1. Create or edit a link
  2. Expand the Protection section
  3. Enter the iOS App Scheme (e.g., twitter://)
  4. Enter the Android App Scheme
  5. Save the link

How It Works

When a mobile user clicks your link, ShrinkLink first attempts to open the native app. If the app isn't installed, they're redirected to the web destination instead.

Common App Schemes
Twittertwitter://
Instagraminstagram://
Facebookfb://
YouTubeyoutube://
Spotifyspotify://

Combining Protection Features

Protection features can be combined for sophisticated access control:

Example: Exclusive Early Access
  • Password: earlybird2024
  • Expires: January 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM
  • Click Limit: 500
  • Geo: US and Canada only

Only the first 500 people in US/Canada with the password can access before the deadline.

Link Status Indicators

Your dashboard shows the status of each link at a glance:

Active Link is working normally
Expiring Soon Link expires within 24 hours
Expired Link has passed expiration date
Limit Reached Click limit has been reached
Protected Password protection enabled

Best Practices

Plan Expiration URLs

Always set an expiration URL so visitors land somewhere useful, not a dead end.

Use Click Limits Strategically

Display remaining availability to create urgency without frustrating visitors.

Separate Password Channels

Share passwords via different channel than the link for better security.

Monitor Protected Links

Check analytics to ensure protection isn't blocking legitimate users.

Brand Your Links

Use your own custom domain for professional, branded short links that build trust.

Custom Domains