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Uploads and sharing

On private instances, Settings > Uploads lists files you uploaded and message links you shared. Availability, size limits, and expiration are controlled by the administrator.

Relay can remove supported image metadata in the client before upload and sanitizes supported images again on the server. Review the result before sharing sensitive media.

Shared messages

Use Copy message link on a message to create a read-only share. Sharing requires a private authenticated account; it saves a snapshot and does not require message logging or file uploads to be enabled. Anyone with the resulting link can read the shared snapshot; review the content before distributing it. The Uploads page shows each share's creation and expiration time and lets you copy or delete it. Deletion removes the server copy and cannot be undone. At the audited commit, Relay's service worker can still show a previously cached share after the server returns 404; deletion does not erase cached or downloaded copies.

When enabled, Short Links lists your redirects and lets you sort, open, or delete them. Experimental DCC transfers require approval before download; received files are private to your account and appear with their expiration time.

The desktop client can use Catbox instead of Relay storage. Those files are public, do not appear in Relay's upload manager, and remain governed by the external service.

Upload and expiration

When uploads are enabled, use the composer's file control, paste a file or drop one into chat, then review the resulting link before sending. The server defaults to a 10,240 KiB maximum (10 MiB) and 24-hour expiration, but uploads themselves default to disabled. The administrator may choose a different limit or disable expiration. The proxy can impose a lower request limit.

Shared messages use the upload expiration setting when created. Expiration or deletion makes a link unavailable; it cannot recall copies already downloaded by recipients. Short links have their own expiration policy. Keep important originals outside Relay instead of treating temporary uploads as a backup. DCC transfers additionally require administrator resource budgets and your approval of the incoming offer.