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> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.zata.prathamchopde.site/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.zata.prathamchopde.site/_mcp/server.

# Object ACL

The object ACL decides who can **download one particular file**. A file is either:

| State                                  | Who can download it                                                                         |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Private** (default for every upload) | Only you, and people you gave access with a key or a [presigned URL](/buckets/share-a-file) |
| **Public**                             | Anyone with the link, with no sign-in. The link never expires.                              |

Making one file public does not expose anything else in the bucket. Visitors can see the bucket's file list only if the [bucket ACL](/access/bucket-acl) is also public.

## Make a file public

#### Open the file's menu

Open the bucket. On the file's row, open the **Actions** (⋮) menu and select **Make public**.

![The Bucket Details file list with a file's Actions menu open and Make public highlighted](/_fern-img/9a199bcca9f5c2979a23e64ea16bdfe0e99effaffe8a4e68ada9f986ab4bb590.webp)

#### Confirm

The **Make this file public?** dialog explains that anyone with the link can view and download the file. Select **Make public**.

![The Make this file public? dialog with Cancel and Make public buttons](/_fern-img/341ea43bbda23dfa31251bfe36126994b08a8219e17f70a1d9d59320ade1f213.webp)

#### Copy the link

A green globe now appears next to the file name. Open the **Actions** (⋮) menu again and select **Copy public link**.

![A public file marked with a green globe, its Actions menu showing Copy public link and Make private](/_fern-img/22e158d38e8e21b30930ddee23214e9ecf8dedba88677b3fe740dc871073c3b9.webp)

The link uses your bucket's region and the full file path, including folders:

```text
https://bom01.zata.ai/my-bucket/photos/myfile.txt
```

(`idr01` for a bucket in Indore.) You can also make a file public or private from the file preview in the [Preview Manager](/buckets/preview-manager).

> **Note**
>
> If the dialog says the bucket has a policy that blocks public access, making the file public has no effect until you change that policy on the **Policies** page.

## Make a file private again

#### Open the file's menu

On the file's row, open the **Actions** (⋮) menu and select **Make private**.

![The Bucket Details file list with a public file's Actions menu open and Make private highlighted](/_fern-img/596a0e8aa783aec332edec9ec71f4da32c303e7583c4320a50dba52454a84986.webp)

#### Confirm

The **Make this file private?** dialog shows the file name. Select **Make private**.

![The Make this file private? dialog with Cancel and Make private buttons](/_fern-img/a9553f6a6064ee5be33204396d8aa1b6322da08cce03283774c24f092dff1ffb.webp)

The link stops working at once; anyone who saved it gets an access-denied error. This is the only way to switch off a public link, because it never expires on its own.

## Good to know

* You set this one file at a time. New uploads are always private, even in a public bucket.
* Making a file private does not delete it or change its versions or [Object Lock](/buckets/object-lock/overview) settings.
* A public link can be forwarded and saved by anyone. To share for a short time, use a [presigned URL](/buckets/share-a-file) instead.
* Downloads count towards your egress, and public links stop working while your account is suspended.
* Sub-users cannot make files public.