Share a guest review link
Give an external reviewer limited access without creating a workspace account.
A guest link is the safest way to share one asset with a client, partner, or occasional reviewer who should not receive a Brightproof account. Each link belongs to one asset and has its own expiry, security, and permissions.
Before creating a link
The asset must be shared for review. Guest links cannot be created for a draft, and an existing link will not open while the asset is returned to draft.
Decide what the guest needs to accomplish:
- Viewing and commenting are enough when the guest is providing feedback.
- Enable approval when you want a recorded external decision.
- Enable required sign-off only when the asset must wait for that external approval.
- Enable downloads or version history only when the guest genuinely needs them.
Create the link
- Open the asset and select the Info tab.
- In Guests, select Create link.
- Add an internal label, such as the client name or review round. Guests do not see this label.
- Choose an expiry date.
- Optionally add a passcode of at least six characters.
- Review each permission and select Create link.
- Copy the URL immediately. For safety, Brightproof shows the full link only once.
If you added a passcode, send it through a different channel from the link whenever possible.
Understand the permissions
Every guest link can be configured independently:
- View allows the link to open the asset. It is always required for a usable link.
- Comment allows notes on the current version.
- Approve allows the guest to approve or request changes.
- Required sign-off makes the link’s external decision part of final approval. Turning it on also enables approval.
- Download original exposes the uploaded source file, not only the preview.
- Show version history allows the guest to open earlier versions.
The narrow default is view and comment access to the current version. Approval, downloads, and version history start off.
What the guest experiences
On the first visit, the guest enters a name and email address. If the link has a passcode, Brightproof asks for it as part of the access check.
The guest then sees a focused review screen for this asset. Depending on permissions, they can view the preview, leave comments, record a decision, download the original, or select another version.
The same guest can return through the same link and see their own earlier comments and decision. They never receive access to the wider workspace, other projects, or other assets.
Guest comments appear in the asset’s Comments tab under From external guests. Guest decisions appear in Info beside the guest’s name and link label.
Advisory versus required approval
An ordinary guest approval is advisory. It is clearly recorded, but it does not replace the internal reviewers’ decisions.
A link marked Required sign-off adds an external requirement to the current review:
- At least one guest using that link must approve.
- A change request from any guest on that link moves the asset to Changes requested.
- The asset cannot become Approved while the required link is still waiting for approval.
Only make a link required when external sign-off is truly necessary. A required link that expires while still pending continues to hold the review open until the link is revoked or a qualifying decision is recorded before expiry.
Revoke a link
- Open the asset’s Info tab.
- Find the link under Guests.
- Select Revoke, then confirm.
Revocation takes effect immediately and cannot be undone. Create a new link if access needs to be restored.
The guest’s existing comments and decisions remain in the review history after revocation. Revoking a required link also removes that link’s pending sign-off requirement from the asset.
Expired or unavailable links
A guest sees a generic unavailable message when a link is expired, revoked, lacks view permission, or points to work that is archived or currently a draft. Brightproof does not reveal asset details through an invalid link.
If a guest reports a problem, check the link’s expiry and revocation state, confirm the asset is shared and not archived, and verify that the intended permissions were enabled.