Feature
How do I share private photos with a link that expires?
York Vault shares any items as a private link. It encrypts them on your phone with a new key. The key sits after the # in the link, so our server never gets it. On the Free plan, a link expires after 7 days or 3 opens, blocks saving and protects against screenshots. Plus and Pro let you set each rule yourself.
Why share from York Vault
When you send a photo in a chat app, the other person gets a full copy. It stays in their chat, their photo library and their backups, and you have no say about it after that. A private link changes this. The photo stays encrypted. The link has an end date and an open count, and you can stop it at any time.
Private links are on every plan, including Free. York Vault on iPhone and on Android sends them the same way.
How a private link works
- Pick the photos, videos or files that you want to share.
- York Vault encrypts them on your phone with a new random key.
- York Vault uploads only the encrypted data to our share server.
- York Vault builds the link and puts the key after the # sign.
- Send the link in any app you like.
MDN, the web reference from Mozilla, explains why the # matters: “The fragment is not sent to the server when the URI is requested”. So the browser keeps the key, and our server stores data that it cannot open. We test this. Server logs and stored files hold no key and no file name. See what we can and cannot see.
What the other person sees
| Device of the other person | Where the link opens | Screenshots |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone with York Vault | York Vault | A screenshot ends the view and blanks the content |
| iPhone without York Vault | The York Vault App Clip, no install | The same as in the app. The App Clip keeps nothing after it closes |
| Android with York Vault | York Vault | Android blocks screenshots and screen recording |
| Android without York Vault, or a computer | A web page that decrypts in the browser | No protection. The page says so |
Apple describes App Clips as “small parts of an app that allow you to complete a task quickly and without downloading the entire app.” The App Clip shows a button to get York Vault, and nothing more.
On iPhone, York Vault hides the content while the screen records or mirrors. If the other person takes a screenshot, the view ends and you can get a notice. On Android, York Vault uses the flag that Android Developers describe this way: “Android prevents screenshots from being taken and prevents the window from being displayed on a non-secure display”.
Free, Plus and Pro links
| Free | Plus | Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size of one link | Up to 50 MB | Up to 50 MB | Up to 5 GB |
| Expiry | 7 days | 1 hour to 30 days | 1 hour to 30 days |
| Open limit | 3 opens | 1 to 100 opens | 1 to 100 opens |
| Saving by the other person | Off | Your choice | Your choice |
| Screenshot protection | On | Your choice | Your choice |
| Web page for other devices | On | On, or off to require the app | On, or off to require the app |
Free keeps up to 3 active links at a time. Plus and Pro have no limit on the number of links. Links larger than 50 MB are in Pro, because they use York Cloud space. See pricing for what else each plan includes.
The server enforces the rules
Some apps check expiry and open limits only inside the app of the person who gets the share. A changed app can skip those checks. York Vault puts the rules on the server. After the last open, or when the time runs out, the server deletes the encrypted data. A request after that gets nothing back, from any app.
See and stop your links
A list in York Vault shows each active link with its items, the opens used and the time left. Each row has a button to revoke the link now.
Someone may make you open York Vault. In that case, the erase code opens your cover library and revokes every active link.
Report a link
Every link view has a Report button, for anyone who gets a link. A report turns the link off at once while we review it, and we answer within 24 hours. We cannot see the content, so the person who reports can attach what they saw. Our terms do not allow illegal content.
How other apps share
| App | How it shares | Where we read it |
|---|---|---|
| Vaultaire | “Share a separate encrypted vault with someone you trust. They open it in Vaultaire with a phrase you give them.” Its site adds: “The recipient needs Vaultaire, an iCloud sign-in, and the unused sharing phrase.” | App Store listing and Vaultaire site |
| Keepsafe | “Safe Send for sharing pictures for a limited time from Keepsafe”. The app text says photos are “viewable for 10 seconds”. | App Store listing and app package |
We read each app package in September 2026 and checked the listings on 2026-10-03. Vaultaire’s site is open about its design: “expiry, open limits, and screenshot and export blocking are app rules, not cryptography.”
To share a full copy instead of a link, see share files safely. To share an album with people who use York Vault, see shared albums. Before you pick any vault app, read are photo vault apps safe.
Questions people ask
Can private photo vault be shared?
It depends on the app. Vaultaire's listing says the other person opens a shared vault in Vaultaire with a phrase you give them. Keepsafe's listing names Safe Send for a limited time. York Vault sends a link that opens on iPhone without an install, and in a web page on other devices.
Does the other person need York Vault to open the link?
No. On an iPhone without York Vault, the link opens in a small App Clip, which keeps nothing after it closes. On Android without the app, or on a computer, a web page decrypts the items in the browser. A sender on Plus or Pro can turn the web page off and require the app.
Can the other person take a screenshot of a shared photo?
In York Vault on Android, Android blocks screenshots and screen recording. On iPhone, a screenshot ends the view, blanks the photo and can tell you. The web page has no screenshot protection and says so. No app can stop a photo of the screen taken with a second camera.
Can York Vault see the photos I share?
No. York Vault encrypts the items on your phone and uploads only encrypted data. The key sits after the # in the link, and browsers do not send that part to a server. Our server logs and stored files hold no key and no file name.
How do I stop a link I already sent?
Open the list of your links in York Vault and revoke the link. The list shows the items, the opens used and the time left for each link. If you type your erase code, York Vault revokes every active link at once.
Sources
- URI fragment (MDN Web Docs) · checked Oct 2, 2026
- Learn more about App Clips (Apple Support) · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Secure sensitive activities (Android Developers) · checked Oct 2, 2026
- Photo Vault - Vaultaire (App Store, US) · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Secure sharing (Vaultaire) · checked Oct 3, 2026
- Secret Photo Vault: Keepsafe (App Store, US) · checked Oct 3, 2026
