--- title: "What people see when they open your link" description: "How a shared PDF opens for the people you send it to: passwords, sign-in for restricted links, comments, filling and sending a copy back, and downloads." url: https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/shared-link-recipient-view/ collection: "Sharing & delivery" section: "Share links" updated: 2026-10-18 publisher: "PDFBetter (AI Generated Inc.)" --- # What people see when they open your link > The link opens the document in the browser with "Shared by" your name. Depending on the permission, people can comment, fill fields and click **Send to …**, open it in the editor, or **Download** it. Passwords and named-people limits are checked first. ## Getting in - **Password**: they see **This document is password-protected**, enter the **Password** and click **Open**. After too many wrong attempts they must wait 15 minutes. - **Only specific people**: they see **Sign in to open this document**. They sign in with one of the emails you listed, and confirm that email if they haven't yet. - **Turned off**: **This link was turned off**. - **Expired**: **This link has expired** — ask the person who shared it for a new link. Once open, the header shows **Shared by** your name, "fixed copy" for a hosted PDF, and the expiry date if there is one. ## Commenting 1. **Start a comment**: Click **Comment**, then click (or tap) the spot on the page. 2. **Write it**: Enter **Your name** and the comment, then click **Post comment**. 3. **Reply**: Click an existing comment pin to open the thread and **Reply**. Comments land in your document's [comments panel](https://help.pdfbetter.com/editing/highlight-comment-annotate/), marked **via share link**. ## Filling and sending a copy back 1. **Fill the fields**: On a **Can fill** link, people fill in the fields right on the page. 2. **Send it**: They add **Your name** and an optional **Email**, then click **Send to …** (your name). 3. **You get the copy**: You receive an email with **Download filled PDF**. The copy is also saved with the document's exports; your live document isn't changed. ## Editing and downloading On a **Can edit** link, named people click **Open in editor** and work on the same document as you: their changes are yours too. If **Allow download** is on, everyone sees **Download**. ### They see "The owner's download limit has been reached". Your plan's [edited-document downloads are used up](https://help.pdfbetter.com/troubleshooting/download-limit-reached/) for the month. They can still view the document. Upgrade or wait for your allowance to reset. ### Do I get an email for every comment? No. Comments appear in the document. You get an email when someone sends a filled copy back. ### Can they comment on a hosted PDF? No. A hosted PDF is a fixed copy for viewing and downloading only. ## Related articles - [Share a PDF with a link](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/create-share-link.md): In the editor, click Done → Share, pick what people can do (Can view, Can comment, Can fill or Can edit), set expiry, password and download options, then click Create link and Copy link. - [See who opened, downloaded or filled your shared links](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/share-link-activity.md): Open Link activity in the sidebar. You'll see activity per day, Links by recent activity, form responses and Recent events (viewed, downloaded, commented, filled in, wrong password, opened after expiry). Your plan keeps activity for 14 days on Free. - [Find documents other people shared with you](https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/documents-shared-with-me.md): Open Shared with me in the sidebar. It lists documents someone invited your email address to edit, with who shared each one and when your access ends. Click one to open it in the editor. - [Highlight, comment on and annotate a PDF](https://help.pdfbetter.com/editing/highlight-comment-annotate.md): Use Highlight, Underline or Strikeout and drag across text; use Sticky or Comment for notes and threads. Open More → Review annotations to reply, resolve and filter, and Done → Export comments for a PDF, CSV or JSON summary. - [“Create a free account” or “Limit reached” when you download](https://help.pdfbetter.com/troubleshooting/download-limit-reached.md): Guests need a free account to download edited documents; your work moves into it and the download continues. Free includes 3 edited-document downloads a month. When they run out, Limit reached offers Pro, Business or a Day Pass, or wait for the reset. - [Someone sent you a PDFBetter link: what it is and what to do](https://help.pdfbetter.com/getting-started/got-a-link-from-pdfbetter.md): PDFBetter is the tool the sender used. You don't need an account, an app or a payment to sign, fill or view what they sent. Look at the email or link to see which kind it is, then follow the matching article below. --- Source: https://help.pdfbetter.com/sharing/shared-link-recipient-view/ · PDFBetter Help Center · Last checked against the product 2026-10-18. Questions: support@pdfbetter.com