Protected View mode is for the times when a password on a transfer is not quite enough. It is built for sharing sensitive files, such as contracts, design comps, unreleased videos, or financial documents, where you want recipients to be able to see the file without being able to save a copy.
When Protected View is on, the file is shown inside a secure viewer in the browser or in the HeftySend mobile app. There is no Download button, the file is never delivered as a raw download, and several extra controls work together to make casual copying much harder.
What Protected View gives you
Turning Protected View on unlocks a small set of controls that you can mix and match for each transfer:
- Password gate — recipients enter a password before the viewer opens.
- View limit — the transfer stops working after a set number of views.
- Device limit — only a set number of unique devices can ever open the transfer.
- Watermark overlay — your text floats across every file in a tiled, semi transparent pattern.
- Visible area — only a slice of the file is shown at any one time, so recipients have to scroll to read more.
- Mobile app only — the transfer can only be opened inside the HeftySend mobile app, where the operating system itself helps block screenshots and screen recording.
You can use any combination of these. A typical setup for a sensitive contract might be password plus watermark plus a view limit of 3. A typical setup for an unreleased video clip might be Mobile app only plus a watermark.
Protected View is available on all paid plans (Premium, Ultra, and Lifetime). It is not part of the Free plan. See Plans and Pricing for the full breakdown.
How the Mobile app only option works
The Mobile app only option is the strongest setting in the list. When it is on, the secure viewer is the HeftySend mobile app — not the browser.
Here is what each side sees:
- The sender turns the switch on when creating the transfer, or flips it on later from the Manage dialog. The transfer's settings show a clear "Mobile app only" badge so you always know which transfers are locked to the app.
- A recipient on the web opens the link and instead of the viewer, they see a friendly "Open in the HeftySend app" page. It has an Open in app button (which deep links straight into the app if it is installed), App Store and Google Play buttons, and a QR code so a desktop visitor can scan it with their phone. The file itself never streams in the browser.
- A recipient in the app opens the link normally. If you also set a password, they enter the password first and then the viewer opens.
The Mobile app only option pairs well with a password. The password keeps a forwarded link safe, and the app requirement adds the operating system's own screenshot protection on top.
Screenshot and screen recording protection on mobile
Once a protected transfer is open in the HeftySend mobile app, the operating system steps in and helps block screen captures. The exact behaviour depends on the platform, and it is worth being honest about what each one can and cannot do.
| Platform | Screenshot | Screen recording |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Hardware blocked. The screenshot is captured as a blank frame. | Hardware blocked. The recording shows a blank frame for the duration of the protected screen. |
| iOS | Allowed by the system, but the app shows a brief notice on screen letting both you and the recipient know a screenshot was taken. | The content is hidden the moment a recording starts and stays hidden until the recording stops. |
Apple does not give apps a way to make screenshots literally impossible on iOS. We hide the content during screen recordings (which catches the most common workaround) and we surface a clear notice when a screenshot is taken. If you need absolute protection against a determined attacker with a second camera, no software on any platform can give you that. Choose a layered setup (Mobile app only plus password plus watermark) and treat it as a strong deterrent, not a guarantee.
This mobile protection applies to every protected transfer opened in the app, not only the ones you mark as Mobile app only. Turning on Mobile app only simply forces recipients onto that protected path.
How to enable Protected View as a sender
When you create the transfer
- Add your files in the upload area as usual.
- Open the extra options panel underneath the file list.
- Tick Protected view (no downloads).
- Adjust the controls you want: Visible area, Watermark overlay, View limit, Device limit, and Mobile app only.
- (Optional but recommended) Tick Password protect and set a password. See Protecting your transfer with a password for more.
- Send the transfer.
After the transfer is live
- Go to your account and open the transfer from your list of recent transfers.
- Click Manage (or the edit icon) on the transfer.
- Toggle any of the Protected View options on or off, including Mobile app only, and save.
Existing recipients will see the new settings the next time they open the link.
For a walk through of what recipients see at every step, read How the download page works.
FAQ for recipients
Why do I need the HeftySend app to open this?
The sender chose the Mobile app only option for this transfer. It is one of HeftySend's strongest protection settings: it makes sure the file is only ever shown inside the HeftySend mobile app, where the operating system itself helps block screenshots and screen recording. It is usually picked for genuinely sensitive content (contracts, unreleased media, internal documents), so it is not something the sender can casually undo on your behalf.
I do not want to install the app. What now?
The transfer cannot be opened in a browser while Mobile app only is on. The best thing to do is reply to the sender and ask them to either turn the Mobile app only option off, or to send you a separate copy with weaker protection. They can change the setting at any time from the Manage screen on their transfer.
Will the sender know if I take a screenshot?
On iOS, the app shows a brief notice when a screenshot is taken. On Android, screenshots are blocked outright so there is nothing to notify about. We never share your name, email, or device details with the sender as part of this notice.