Hosted Files: Securely Host Downloadable Files

Hosted files let you upload PDFs, workbooks, images and other downloads straight into Memberstack and give them only to the members who should have them. Each file belongs to a content group, so the group's access rules decide who can download it. Members get a short-lived download link, so a shared link stops working within minutes.

Supported files: PDF, Word (DOC, DOCX), Excel (XLS, XLSX), PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX), CSV, TXT, EPUB, PNG, JPG, WebP and ZIP. Up to 50 MB per file.

Storage: 1 GB per app on a paid plan, 25 MB on a free app. A free app that is nearly full sees a link to upgrade where you upload files.

1) Upload a File

You can upload from the Files page or from inside a content group. Both do the same thing.

From the Files page

1. In your Memberstack dashboard, go to Gated Content > Files.
2. Click Upload file.
3. Choose the Content group the file goes in. Members with access to that group can download it.
4. Choose the file. The Name fills in from the file name; change it if you like. The content ID your site uses is made from this name, so it needs at least one letter or number, and no other hosted content item can already be using it.
5. Click Add file.

From a content group

1. Go to Gated Content and open the content group.
2. Under Hosted content, click Add.
3. Set the Content type to FILE and click Choose file. The Name fills in from the file name; change it if you like.
4. Click Add content. In an existing content group that saves it right away. If you're creating a new content group, click Create content to save the group with everything in it.

Password-protected files can't be scanned for malware, so they're refused when you upload them: you'll see "Couldn't upload [file]. This file looks password-protected…". This applies to password-protected PDF, ZIP, Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Remove the password and upload again.

2) Wait for the Malware Scan

Every upload is scanned for malware before members can download it. While that happens the file shows Scanning. It usually takes under a minute, and the status updates on its own.

3) Add the File to Your Webflow Site

Add the data-ms-secure-file attribute to the element that should give members the file, with the file's content ID as the value. The quickest way to get it: on the Files page, open the file's menu (⋯) and click Copy Webflow attribute (on WordPress and Script Tag sites it's called Copy attribute). You can also click the wrench (Install) button next to the file in its content group.

Example: a link block with data-ms-secure-file="course-guide".

Optional attributes

• data-ms-secure-file-download (no value): add it next to data-ms-secure-file on a link or button to make PDFs and images download instead of opening in the browser.
• data-ms-secure-file-name="course-guide": sets an element's text to the file's name, for example "Course Guide.pdf".
• data-ms-secure-file-size="course-guide": sets an element's text to the file's size, for example "4.2 MB".

Publish your site to see it working.

4) Who Can Download It

• Members with access to the file's content group (the plans you chose, or all members) get the file.
• Logged-out visitors and members without access don't see the element at all: Memberstack removes it from the page.
• Access is checked on Memberstack's servers, so it can't be bypassed in the browser.
• Download links last 5 minutes and refresh on their own while the page is open. A copied link stops working after that, so it can't be passed around.

5) Manage Your Files

Go to Gated Content > Files to see every file your app hosts, with how much storage you've used. You can search, filter by file type, content group or status, and use each file's menu to:

• Download or Preview (PDFs and images) the file.
• Rename it. The file type stays the same.
• Copy Webflow attribute (Copy attribute on WordPress and Script Tag sites, Copy content ID on apps built with code).
• Open content group.
• Delete it. This also removes it from its content group, and members can no longer download it.

The Need attention count shows files members can't download (Couldn't scan, Malware found or Taken down). Click it to list just those files.

To swap in a new version, open the file's content group, edit the item, click Replace file, then save. The content ID stays the same, so your Webflow elements keep working.

Using Code Instead of Webflow

If you build with the Memberstack DOM package, call getSecureContent({ contentId }). For a hosted file it returns a download link and the file's details. See the developer docs.

FAQs

Can I host video?
Not yet. Hosted files support the file types listed at the top of this article.

What happens to a file I uploaded but never saved?
If you cancel or close the upload, it's deleted right away. One that gets left behind (for example, if you closed the browser tab) shows on the Files page as "Not in use" and is deleted automatically about a day after it was uploaded; you can delete it sooner from its menu (⋯). A file the malware scan flagged (Malware found) is deleted when you cancel or close the upload too; one that gets left behind stays until you delete it from its menu (⋯), and counts toward your storage until then.

Do deleted files still count toward my storage?
No. Deleting a file frees its space right away. A file Memberstack staff have taken down (Taken down) can't be deleted and still counts until it's reviewed; contact support about it.

Can members share the download link?
A link only works for 5 minutes, then it stops working. Each member gets their own fresh link.

Why don't members see my download button?
Check that the member has access to the file's content group, that the content ID in the attribute matches the file, and that the file's status isn't Scanning, Couldn't scan or Malware found.