Why I Set Expiration Dates on Images
I used to share images and forget about them. Old links would stay active forever, outdated content would still be accessible, and I had no control over when access should end. Expiration dates solved all of this.
Time-Sensitive Content
For event photos, promotional materials, or limited-time offers, expiration dates ensure content is only accessible during relevant periods. Once the event ends or promotion expires, access automatically stops.
Automatic Cleanup
Expired links automatically become invalid. No need to manually revoke access or remember to remove old links. The system handles it automatically.
Security Control
Prevent old links from being accessed indefinitely. Even if someone saved your link, it becomes useless after expiration. Perfect for sensitive or confidential images.
Create Urgency
Expiration dates create urgency and encourage faster engagement. "This link expires in 7 days" gets more immediate responses than open-ended links.
How Image Expiration Works
Upload Images
Upload your images to MaiImg (up to 25 at once).
Set Expiration Date
Choose when the link should expire - 1 day, 7 days, 30 days, or a specific date. You can also set view limits.
Automatic Expiration
After the expiration date, the link automatically becomes invalid. Recipients see an expiration message.
Combining Expiration with View Limits
You can combine expiration dates with view limits for maximum control:
Expiration Date
Set when the link expires (e.g., 7 days from now, or a specific date). After this date, the link becomes invalid regardless of views.
View Limits
Set how many times the link can be opened (e.g., 10 views). Once reached, the link expires even if the date hasn't passed.
My Strategy
For event photos, I set expiration to 30 days and view limit to 100. This ensures photos are accessible for a month, but if they go viral and get 100 views quickly, access stops automatically. Best of both worlds.
Perfect Use Cases for Expiration
Event Photos
Share event photos with attendees. Set expiration to 30 days - gives everyone time to download, but prevents old links from staying active forever.
Promotional Materials
Share limited-time offers or promotional images. Set expiration to match the promotion period. Creates urgency and prevents access after promotion ends.
Client Proposals
Share proposal images with clients. Set expiration to 14 days - gives them time to review, but prevents old proposals from being accessed indefinitely.
Course Materials
Share course images with students. Set expiration to end of semester. Ensures materials are only accessible during the course period.
Best Practices
- Match Expiration to Content: Set expiration dates that match your content's relevance period. Event photos: 30 days. Promotions: match promotion period.
- Communicate Expiration: Let recipients know when links expire. "This link expires in 7 days" encourages faster engagement.
- Extend When Needed: You can extend expiration dates if needed. Perfect for when events are extended or promotions are prolonged.
- Combine with View Limits: Use both expiration dates and view limits for maximum control and security.
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