WeTransfer link expired? Can you get the files back, and how to stop it happening

Usually no. On WeTransfer's Free and Starter plans an expired transfer's files are permanently removed, so the only way to get them back is for the sender to upload them again. The exception is WeTransfer Ultimate, which can restore expired transfers for a set window. To stop it happening next time, send a link that has no timer, such as a Link in Seconds link, which stays live until you delete it.

Can you get the files back from an expired WeTransfer?

It depends on who you are and which plan the sender was on. WeTransfer's own pages (checked October 2026) put it like this:

WeTransfer's recovery page also says the Ultimate window covers transfers that expired before the upgrade. That is worth knowing if the sender no longer has the original files and the transfer is still inside the window. If they do still have the files, a fresh upload is quicker and free.

If you are the recipient

Waiting won't help: an expired link does not come back on its own. Reply to the sender, tell them the link had expired by the time you opened it, and ask for either a new transfer you will open the same day or a link without a countdown. Asking for the second saves you both from doing this again.

If you are the sender

Start a new transfer with the same files. Before you do, check your free allowance: WeTransfer Free allows up to 10 transfers, or 3 GB in total, in any rolling 30-day window, whichever comes first. The 3 GB is the whole allowance for that window, not a size per transfer, so a re-send can be refused for reasons that have nothing to do with expiry. We break down which limit you hit in WeTransfer limit reached.

Why did the link expire so fast?

Two reasons catch most people. The 3-day clock starts when you send, so a transfer sent on Friday evening can be gone before someone opens it on Monday. And downloading doesn't matter: a transfer that was never opened expires on exactly the same schedule as one that was downloaded ten times. On Free you can also shorten the expiry before sending, so check you didn't pick 1 day. The full plan-by-plan breakdown is in how long WeTransfer links last.

How do you stop it happening again?

• Tell the recipient the deadline. If you stay on WeTransfer Free, say "this link dies on Monday" in the message. It is the cheapest fix.
• Pay for longer expiry. WeTransfer Ultimate lets you set any duration, change it after sending, or choose never expire. Starter does not: it has the same 3-day cap as Free.
• Use a link that doesn't expire. For anything people open at their own pace (a client deliverable, a portfolio, a contract, a price list), a permanent link removes the problem rather than managing it.

Share it with a link that never expires

1. 1

   Upload the file once

   Sign in to Link in Seconds with a free account (Google or an email code, no card) and drop the file in. Free files can be up to 250 MB each.
2. 2

   Copy the link

   You get a short lisview.com link and a QR code. There is no timer on it. It stays live until you delete it.
3. 3

   Send it where the conversation already is

   Paste it into the email, chat or message you would have sent the WeTransfer link in. The recipient opens it in any browser with no account.
4. 4

   Add an end date only if you want one

   In Link settings you can set an expiry date, a password or a view limit. All of them are optional and free on every plan.
5. 5

   Update without re-sending

   Replace the file and the same link shows the new version, so nobody has to ask you for a fresh link again.

More on why links die and what it costs you in share links that never expire, and a wider look at the options in WeTransfer alternatives compared.

Quick answers

Go deeper

• How long do WeTransfer links last?
• WeTransfer limit reached? Which limit you actually hit
• WeTransfer alternative with permanent links