Export sharing

This document provides a step-by-step guide on how to use the Export Sharing feature in Content Exporter for Confluence to generate secure, shareable links for your document exports.

Anyone with the shared link can access the file; Confluence authentication or any other credentials are not required. The only exception is if the shared file is a PDF with password protection enabled by the person who generated the link.

The links are generated using secure, unguessable digitally signed URLs, making them practically impossible to guess.

Overview

The Export Sharing feature allows you to generate temporary, secure web links for PDF exports directly from Confluence. Instead of downloading files to your local machine and sending them as heavy email attachments, you can generate a protected link with custom expiration settings and optional password protection (PDF only).

Key Features

• Quick Link Generation: Generate export links directly from the page byline or the export modal.

• Expiration Control: Set custom expiration periods (e.g., 1 day, 3 days, 1 week).

• PDF Password Protection: Set a password required to open/view the exported PDF.

• Link Management: View the latest generated link or revoke active links instantly when needed.

How to Generate a Shared Export Link

You can generate a shareable export link through two main entry points in Confluence: Quick Export (from the page byline) or the Customized Export modal.

Method 1: Using the Quick Export Menu

Default format for the Quick Export is PDF. If there was a previous custom export from the page, the latest settings (format, profile, etc.) take place.

Select one of the share options:

• Share export of current page

• Share export of all children

A popup window titled Export share in progress will appear.

Configure your sharing settings:

• Link expires in: Select the link lifetime from the dropdown menu (1 day, 3 days, 5 days, 1 week).

• Password protection: (Optional) Toggle on "Set an optional password for this PDF share link" and enter your desired password. Password protection is only available for PDF files at the moment.

Click Generate link.

Once processing finishes, the dialog displays the status Finished along with action buttons:

• Download: Directly downloads the file to your computer.

• Copy link: Copies the secure URL to your clipboard.

• Close: Closes the modal.

Method 2: Using the Customized Export Modal

1. Click on Export with Content Exporter in the page byline and select Customized export, or select Apps / Export with Content Exporter option from the three dots menu.

2. After customizing the export as usual, at the top of the modal click the Share button.

3. The Export share in progress popup will appear:

   • Choose your expiration period.

   • Optionally enable password protection (available for PDF exports only) and set a password.

4. Click Generate link.

5. Copy the generated link using the Copy link button.

Managing Previously Generated Links

Viewing the Latest Link

If you closed the window without copying the URL or need to retrieve the link again later:

1. Open byline or Customized export from the menu.

2. Click Show latest link.

   

   
3. A dialog titled Last generated link will display the creation date/time along with options to Copy link or Revoke link.

   

Revoking a Shared Link

If you sent a link by mistake or need to disable access immediately:

1. Open the Show latest link dialog.

2. Click Revoke link.

3. The link will be instantly invalidated, and any future access attempts will fail (displaying an access denied error).

Recipient Experience (Opening the Shared PDF)

1. When a recipient opens the generated share link in their browser, the file loads securely.

2. Password Protected Files: If password protection was enabled during generation, a prompt reading "Password required - This document is password protected. Please enter a password." will appear before the content can be viewed.

3. Once the correct password is submitted, the PDF document opens in the viewer.