Who can see uploaded files by default?
Who sees uploaded files before and after approval, and why files are never public on the internet by default.
Use this article to understand who can see files at each stage after upload, and why uploaded photos are not visible to the public until you publish them.
Uploaded files are never public on the internet by default. Who sees a file depends on whether it is still pending review, approved into Media, and published through a shared gallery or workspace.
Before a file is approved
When an upload zone has auto-approve turned off, uploaded files stay pending until an admin approves them and finishes review. Pending files appear in Review and in the upload batch on Uploads. They do not appear in "Media → All media" yet.
When auto-approve is on, files are approved as soon as processing finishes and can sync to Media without waiting in Review. Your built-in Admin Uploads zone always uses auto-approve, so files your admin team uploads through Media or Uploads skip manual review by default.
Most dedicated upload zones and workspace upload zones start with auto-approve turned off unless you change the setting.
Who can see approved files in the admin workspace
After approval, files sync to "Media → All media" for club admins. Members of the "Admin" group can browse, search, tag, and manage all approved files in the admin Media library, including built-in views such as "Not tagged" and "Trash".
Members in custom groups only do not get the admin Media sidebar by default. They see approved files only through shared workspaces and galleries they can open, not through the full admin library.
Who can see files in a shared gallery or workspace
Publishing controls who outside your admin team can see files:
| Portal type | Default visibility |
|---|---|
| Not published | Only club admins in Media |
| "Public" shared gallery or workspace | Anyone with the link |
| "Login required" workspace | Any signed-in Clipido user |
| "Private" workspace | Members of linked groups, plus "Admin" group members |
Files must be in a gallery linked to that portal before recipients can see them. Linking galleries and setting authentication happens in Sharing on each shared workspace or gallery.
Shared galleries are public by default when you publish them. Workspaces can be "Public", "Login required", or "Private" depending on the "Auth method" on the "Publish" panel.
What is never visible by default
These situations do not expose files without an explicit admin action:
- Pending uploads waiting in Review are not in Media and are not on a public link.
- Approved files in Media are not on the internet until you add them to a published shared gallery or workspace.
- A person in a custom group cannot browse Media unless they are also in the "Admin" group.
Note
Changing who can download or upload inside an open portal is separate from who can see files in Media. Portal capabilities are configured on each shared workspace or gallery in Sharing, not on Settings → Members.