=== Shared Files – Frontend File Upload Form & Secure File Sharing ===
Contributors: anssilaitila, freemius
Tags: download manager, file sharing, file upload, upload, file manager
Requires at least: 5.9
Tested up to: 6.9
Stable tag: 1.7.57
Requires PHP: 7.2
License: GPLv2
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

File management plugin featuring frontend file upload form, download manager, statistics and download log.

== Description ==

== The best file sharing plugin for WordPress ==

Shared Files is a powerful WordPress plugin that allows you to securely share and manage files, documents and downloads directly from your WordPress site.

With features like user permissions, frontend file upload, and download tracking, it's the perfect solution for businesses, educational institutions, and anyone needing to share files easily and securely.

Install Shared Files today and enhance your WordPress site's file management capabilities.

You can also optionally collect new leads by asking for contact info before showing the files.

*Get the Shared Files plugin and stay neatly organized and managed with your documents and files.*

Shared Files provides an interface for uploading and managing a large group of documents and files easily with numerous layout options and shortcodes for inserting downloadable files anywhere on the website.

* Controlled and isolated files from the media library, making it simple to list shared files on the WordPress website
* Frontend uploader and file manager functionality to upload files
* View supported files in the browser, including photos, movies, and other types of files (including lightbox view)
* Search functionality to easily and quickly find uploaded documents

== Download Manager ==

* Top 50 most popular files
* Collect leads by asking for contact info before showing the file(s)
* Download log of all file downloads
* Search log of all searches made in the front end
* Download counter for all files
* Front end search from all files
* Add tags to files
* Allow visitors to upload files without logging in
* Allow only logged in users to upload files
* Enable support for any file type
* File manager in the WP admin area

These are just some of the highlights offered by the Shared Files plugin.

* [Shared Files Plugin Demos](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/)
* [Documentation](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/docs/)
* [Blog](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/blog/)

== Getting started with this file management plugin ==

Installing and getting started with organizing your files is super simple when you are using Shared Files plugin. Let's see how!

Start managing your files right inside WordPress admin with 2 steps:

1. Add some files and documents from WP admin > Shared Files > File Manager.
2. Insert one of these shortcodes to any page or post on your site.
    * [shared_files] (default file list)
    * [shared_files_simple] (simple file list)
    * [shared_files file_upload=1] (file list with frontend uploader)

That's it! The files are now listed for downloading.

== File Management ==

Shared Files for WordPress has a file manager that allows adding files by the following actions:

* Adding file name
* Choosing the file
* Setting the date for the file
* Setting the expiration date for the file
* Adding file description
* And many more

The plugin is extremely simple to use while also being scalable for a big number of files all thanks to a bulk of features offered by Shared Files plugin.

== Host local downloads – an alternative solution to Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive ==

Use this download manager plugin as an alternative to Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive to list the downloads directly on your WordPress site instead of an external service.

== Media Gallery ==

Create a media gallery of images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP and AVIF are supported formats) and allow users to upload their own images.

== File Manager ==

Use the file manager at WP admin / Shared Files / File manager to add the files. Then use one of the shortcodes listed at WP admin / Shared Files / Shortcodes to list the downloads anywhere on your site.

= Files of any type =

Shared Files is a file sharing solution for WordPress that allows sharing numerous types of files with ease, including

* PDF
* Word
* PowerPoint
* XLS
* Images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP and AVIF)
* YouTube videos
* Any file type can be activated from the plugin settings
* File folders - this is particularly important for big teams for effective collaboration

= File search =

What is the purpose of a file-sharing plugin if not allowing you to easily and quickly find the exact file you're looking for. This is what Shared Files plugin offers to it's users.

Powerful and fast file search functionality based on various defined categories, such as file name, description, and more makes it super easy for Shared Files plugin users to track and find the exact file/document they're looking for.

= Previewing files =

This file managing plugin allows a team to upload files onto the WordPress admin, collaborate with each other, and most importantly administrator and users can preview the files on the browser before going live to ensure the accuracy of the uploaded file.

= Download files =

The files you have listed on your site are available for anyone to download by default. It's also possible to manage, track and limit downloads by various settings.

= Document / file tags =

The best way to stay organized and seated with a bulk of files is to assign them tags. With a couple of tags, you can instantly categorize and label files for hassle-free searches down the road, and then find all of those files again easily.

Shared Files allows adding tags to files, either using the same tags as posts or a custom taxonomy.

= File management =

If your site is continuously growing there is definitely a need to handle the dozens of files and media you have out there. Luckily if you are using the Shared Files plugin, you don't need any other add-ons.

File managing solution Shared Files not only helps to upload and organize files, but it also performs the task of the media library and file manager allowing to store and categorize files and images without the need for other third-party solutions.

= Lightbox preview =

Shared Files plugin offers the feature of opening YouTube videos or image files in a lightbox preview. Lightbox previews offer a number of benefits including the ability to customize, add content and update it when necessary, flexibility in location placement, and most importantly high visibility.

= File upload =

An exciting feature of the Shared Files WordPress file-sharing plugin is the ability of users or visitors to upload files. So any of the users having access can upload files right from the front end having their own contribution to a vast depository of website files.

It is critical to allow both visitors and users to upload files/documents, particularly allowing to do it from the frontend as it requires the least effort.

= File sharing =

For a team collaboration or a group of developers working on the same website, it's crucial to be able to constantly share files and be able to preview the files others have shared.

The Shared Files plugin has thought of it. The plugin allows the quick and easy share of uploaded files with various users with access.

= FTP upload =

Using an FTP server is a common solution for businesses that want to keep their data safe. File manager enables the administrators and users to upload files using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). They can do it using a single-file or multi-file uploader.

= Statistics =

What is more important than having a statistics of your uploads! Shared Files plugin allows you to have constant eye on the uploaded files and documents by providing you with accurate file upload statistics and analysis.

== Shared Files FREE – a simple solution for file management and download tracking ==

* Fast search of all files targeting all the defined file/document categories, e.g. name and description
* Frontend file upload with tag support for logged-in users
* Wait for the Countdown page with a counter and automatic download when the counter reaches zero
* Any file type upload (audio, video, image, PDF, Word, file folder, etc)
* SVG icons of high quality for 25 various file types, plus individual custom icons for various file types
* Browser preview of the uploaded files/documents
* Lightbox view for images and videos (, YouTube, mp4, webm, ogg, mov)
* Functions as a file explorer, download manager, and file manager
* WordPress Multisite compatible
* A lead generation tool for WordPress

== Shared Files PRO – a full featured download manager and file management plugin ==

* Search filters based on categories, tags, and custom field data
* Users and roles with different file-opening permissions
* Downloads wait countdown page
* More features for the frontend file uploader
* Visitors/users can upload and add files to new categories
* FTP files can be uploaded and activated with a single click
* Upload multiple files
* Allow any user role to edit files from the front end
* Favorite files for both logged-in and non-logged-in users
* Activate Media Library files
* Sort files into groups
* Alternatively, specify an external URL for the file and track its loads
* When a file is downloaded or uploaded, you will receive an email notification
* Set a file's expiration date
* Limit the number of downloads for each file
* Display files in the site search results
* Log downloader's city and country
* City and country also in the search log

This product includes GeoLite2 data created by MaxMind, available from [maxmind.com](https://www.maxmind.com)

== Demos ==

* [Simple List](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/simple-list/)
* [2 columns](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/2-columns/)
* [Single file on page](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/single-file-on-page/)
* [List files from a category](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/list-files-from-a-category/)
* [Search only](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/search-only/)
* [List files by category](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/list-files-by-category/)
* [File upload 1](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/file-upload-1/)
* [File upload 2](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/file-upload-2/)
* [Accordion](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/accordion/)
* [Favorite files](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/favorites/)
* [Wait Countdown Page – an isolated download page for all files](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/shared-files/wait-countdown-page/)

== Additional resources ==

You can check more info about us on our website: [https://www.sharedfilespro.com/](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/)

For any support queries or feature requests regarding the free version, please contact us at [the support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/shared-files/).

Follow the [Shared Files blog](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/blog/) to stay informed about the plugin and its advancements.

Do you want to effectively work with a lot of files by managing them quickly and easily? The solution is one - Shared Files!

== How can I report security bugs? ==

Please see the [first FAQ item](#how%20can%20i%20report%20security%20bugs%3F) below.

== Installation ==

1. Activate the plugin from WordPress plugin directory or manually upload it to your site
2. See the Help / Support page for further instructions

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= How can I report security bugs? =

You can report security bugs through the Patchstack Vulnerability Disclosure Program. The Patchstack team help validate, triage and handle any security vulnerabilities. [Report a security vulnerability.](https://patchstack.com/database/vdp/shared-files)

= What happens to WordPress Media Library? =

Nothing. The Shared Files plugin works completely outside WP media library and doesn't affect how the Media Library works.

= Can I use the plugin to share files? =

Yes! The plugin's is main idea is to share files on your site. You can list files on any of your site's blog articles or pages by adding the appropriate shortcode there.

= Do I have to pay for using the plugin? =

The paid version of Shared Files has many features that might interest you, but you can use the Free version without restrictions as long as you want.

= Do you offer support? =

Of course! We offer support in the forums [here on WordPress.org](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/shared-files/) and if you have a paid subscription we offer priority email support [here](https://www.sharedfilespro.com/support/).

= Does Shared Files work with some other plugin? =

The plugin is widely tested with other plugins, but if there's any kind of compatibility issue with some other plugin we will do our best to solve the issue.

= Is this a download manager, file sharing plugin, media library or what? =

You can use the Shared Files plugin for any purpose that suits your needs. The basic idea is to present a user friendly list of downloadable files. :)

= Can the visitors or logged in users upload files? =

You may add the file upload form to any page on your site, and any visitor or logged in user who has access to that page, can upload files.

= Can I use FTP to upload files? =

You can use FTP in the paid version. There is a feature that allows you to upload files using FTP and then activate them for the plugin with a single click.

= Can I use the plugin only as a file manager in the WordPress admin area? =

Yes, you can use it as a file manager like that. You don't necessarily have to add any publicly available list of files on your site, you can just use the admin tools to manage files.

= Who can download the files? =

Anyone who can open the page which contains the file list is able to download the files. It is also possible to restrict the permissions in the Pro version of the plugin.

== Screenshots ==

1. List of files available for download
2. Frontend file upload
3. Files listed in 2 columns (more layout options available)
4. File manager in admin area
5. Edit a single file
6. Search from all files (Pro)
7. Display only 1 specific file on page, using shortcode in post content (Pro)
8. Opening a password protected file (Pro)
9. Opening a file that's download limit has been reached (Pro)
10. List files by category (Pro)

== Changelog ==

= 1.7.57 - 2025-12-12 =
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue related to deleting the featured image from the media library when deleting a file

= 1.7.56 - 2025-11-12 =
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue where the file size would show 0 after uploading / editing the file

= 1.7.55 - 2025-10-24 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.54 - 2025-09-08 =
* (Free + All plans) Update the `enshrined/svg-sanitize` package to `0.22.0`
* (All plans) There can now be multiple instances of [shared_files_categories] on the same page, just define a different embed_id for each shortcode: [shared_files_categories embed_id="my-files"]

= 1.7.53 - 2025-08-19 =
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue where changing the post / file status from draft to published, and from pending to published would make the file disappear from the post

= 1.7.52 - 2025-08-13 =
* (Free + All plans) File uploader tweaks

= 1.7.51 - 2025-08-10 =
* (Free + All plans) New version of the file uploader (WP admin / Shared Files / Add new file)
* (All plans) New setting: Don't add featured image when adding image files (plugin settings, first tab)

= 1.7.50 - 2025-06-11 =
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue where the additional file types wouldn't activate properly

= 1.7.49 - 2025-05-31 =
* (All plans) Fix: the file edit modal is now aligned properly
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.48 - 2025-05-12 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.47 - 2025-05-07 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.46 - 2025-02-28 =
* (All plans) Fix: multiple accordion shortcodes on the same page now work correctly when there are "overlapping" categories
* (All plans) Fix: solved an issue with allowing more custom file types for file upload
* (All plans) Fix: the parameters categories__or and exclude_cat now work correctly when "Choose category" is selected from the dropdown
* (All plans) Fix: setting "Featured image container width (px)" now works better with larger values, also srcset and alt attributes added to img tag
* (All plans) Missing text domain added to translatable strings

= 1.7.45 - 2025-02-11 =
* (Free + All plans) Improvements to the mime type detection in file upload

= 1.7.44 - 2025-02-05 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.43 - 2025-02-02 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.42 - 2025-01-27 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.41 - 2025-01-23 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.40 - 2025-01-13 =
* (Pro + Max) New setting for exact search: "Ignore file extension"
* (Free + All plans) Minor tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.39 - 2024-12-29 =
* (Pro + Max) Show all / Hide all buttons for accordion
* (Pro + Max) Fix: tags are now shown in the accordion file cards (unless hidden from settings or by using a shortcode parameter)
* (Free + All plans) Fix: the download button is now hidden from the file card also for images (if defined so in the settings)
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.38 - 2024-11-19 =
* (Pro & Max) New feature: city detector for download log and search log
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.37 - 2024-10-26 =
* (Free + All plans) Search log improvements

= 1.7.36 - 2024-10-23 =
* (Pro + Max) New feature: Send an email notify to users when a file is uploaded (files with restricted permissions) (see plugin settings, Email tab)
* (All plans) New feature: Set default expiration date to all uploaded files (plugin settings, first tab)
* (Free + All plans) New feature: Search log. It is now possible to log all searches made in the front end. Can be activated from the plugin settings, Search log tab.

= 1.7.35 - 2024-10-12 =
* (All plans) New feature: country detector (plugin settings, first tab). When the setting is active, download log will contain the downloader's country and there is also Top 50 list of countries in statistics.
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.34 - 2024-09-24 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks & fixes
* (All plans) New setting: Show file description in REST API query results (Custom post type tab)

= 1.7.33 - 2024-09-13 =
* (Free + All plans) Tweaks & fixes

= 1.7.32 - 2024-08-03 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.31 - 2024-08-02 =
* (Free + All plans) New setting: Show Delete button for logged in user's own files (plugin settings, File upload tab)

= 1.7.30 - 2024-07-30 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.28 - 2024-07-28 =
* (Free + All plans) Gutenberg block added: Shared Files (category: media)

= 1.7.27 - 2024-07-26 =
* (Free + All plans) Added support for WebP and AVIF images

= 1.7.26 - 2024-07-14 =
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue with PHP 8.3
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.25 - 2024-06-01 =
* (Pro + Max) Added an individual container class to subcategories in the accordion
* (Free + All plans) Updated Google preview URL
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue where the domain wasn't added to the preview URL

= 1.7.24 - 2024-05-24 =
* (Free + All plans) New settings for front end uploader: File title required and Description required

= 1.7.23 - 2024-05-23 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.22 - 2024-05-19 =
* Added compatibility for WordPress Playground

= 1.7.21 - 2024-05-19 =
* (All plans) New setting / feature: Only logged in users can open files (see plugin settings, first tab)
* (All plans) Filters added for restricted file list: [shared_files_restricted show_filters=1]
* (All plans) New setting: Include subcategories / subtags when using shortcode parameters ending __and + __or (see plugin settings, first tab)
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.20 - 2024-04-26 =
* Bug fixes

= 1.7.19 - 2024-03-31 =
* (Pro + Max) Restrict access for users and roles added for the front end uploader (can be activated from the plugin settings, File upload tab)
* (All plans) Fixed an issue where the external url was not properly saved when using the front end uploader
* (Free + All plans) Bug & layout fixes

= 1.7.18 - 2024-03-17 =
* (Pro + Max) It is now possible to search in custom fields in shortcode [shared_files_exact_search] (see plugin settings, Exact search tab)
* (Free + All plans) Fix: the minimum file card height now works correctly in multiple column layout and smaller card sizes
* (Free + All plans) Fixed an issue where the file preview url would get first part of path duplicated when WP is installed in a subdirectory
* (Free + All plans) New setting (File upload tab): Set the status of uploaded files to "Pending Review"

= 1.7.17 - 2024-03-07 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.16 - 2024-02-20 =
* (Free + All plans) New field for files: Filename. You can now edit the filename in the url after the file has been added.
* (Free + All plans) Fix: the filename in the url no longer gets "-1", "-2" etc. appended if a file with the same name exists in the same directory
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.15 - 2024-02-08 =
* (All plans) Featured image is now automatically added for synced image files
* (All plans) Fixed an issue where [shared_files_search] would not hide the files at first
* (Free + All plans) Fixed some layout issues on certain type of themes

= 1.7.14 - 2024-01-18 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes + tweaks

= 1.7.13 - 2024-01-14 =
* (All plans) New feature: search filters added for simple list (can be activated from settings, Simple list tab)
* (All plans) New setting (Layout tab): File type icon width, default file card (px)
* (All plans) New setting (Layout tab): File type icon height, vertical view (px)
* (All plans) New setting (first tab): Search input field targets filtered files rather than all files
* (Free + All plans) Layout tweaks & fixes

= 1.7.12 - 2023-12-26 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes + tweaks

= 1.7.11 - 2023-12-13 =
* (Pro + Max) Fix: the search form now targets all files in [shared_files_restricted] instead of the files on the current page (when using pagination)
* (Pro + Max) Fix: users with multiple roles can now successfully open the files with restricted roles, targeted for also their additional roles
* (Free + All plans) CSS tweaks

= 1.7.10 - 2023-11-30 =
* (Pro + Max) Fixed an issue where [shared_files_exact_search] would not work with certain database engines / versions when the setting "Search whole words only" is active
* (Free + All plans) Minor CSS tweaks

= 1.7.9 - 2023-11-28 =
* (Pro + Max) Added permalink edit for single files when the setting "Enable single file page" is active
* (Pro + Max) Added the parameter categories__or for the shortcode [shared_files_restricted]
* (All plans) Fix: the external url is now correctly saved when using the multi file front end uploader
* (Free + All plans) Fix: the search results are now presented in the same amount of columns as the default file list
* (Free + All plans) Fix: when the search input value is removed, the default file list is now shown with the pagination, instead of all available files as search results

= 1.7.8 - 2023-11-02 =
* (Free + All plans) New fields for contacts / lead generation: name, phone and description (see plugin settings, Lead generation tab)
* (Free + All plans) CSV export for creating a csv file from all contacts / leads (WP admin / Shared Files / Leads)
* (Free + All plans) New PHP action shared_files_add_lead, fires when a new lead / contact is added

= 1.7.7 - 2023-10-21 =
* (Free + All plans) New feature: ask for an email address before showing the file(s) - add the parameter ask_for_email=1 to a shortcode to ask for an email address before showing the file(s) to the user, these emails can be found from WP admin / Shared Files / Contacts. See also WP admin / Shared Files / Shortcodes for details regarding the shortcodes.
* (Free + All plans) Number of top downloads increased from 20 to 50

= 1.7.6 - 2023-09-09 =
* (Pro + Max) It is now possible to set accordion layout using a shortcode parameter: [shared_files_accordion layout=2-columns] (+ 3-columns and 4-columns)
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.7.5 - 2023-08-16 =
* (Pro + Max) New feature for accordion: Show only subcategories under this category and as separate clickable elements, [shared_files_accordion base_category="category-slug"]
* (Pro + Max) New feature for accordion: Show first category open by default, [shared_files_accordion first_category_open=1]

= 1.7.4 - 2023-08-07 =
* (Free + All plans) Added the CSS class shared-files-card-12345 to all file cards (the list item, "li") in all shortcodes, where 12345 is the file id
* (Free + All plans) New setting for simple list: Show download counter
* (Free + All plans) New setting for simple list: Title for download counter

= 1.7.3 - 2023-07-25 =
* Compatibility for WP 6.3

= 1.7.2 - 2023-07-21 =
* (Free + All plans) Minor tweaks and fixes

= 1.7.1 - 2023-07-05 =
* (All plans) New parameters to be used with the shortcode [shared_files_simple] (see WP admin / Shared Files / Shortcodes):
    * Exclude categories (by slug)
    * Show files that belong to all of these categories (you can also hide the search form using the parameter hide_search=1)
    * Show files that belong to all of these tags (can also be used with only one tag)
    * Show files that belong to any of these categories
    * Show files that belong to any of these tags

= 1.7.0 - 2023-06-30 =
* (Free + All plans) Various tweaks & fixes

= 1.6.99 - 2023-06-10 =
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.6.98 - 2023-05-06 =
* (All plans) New setting for file upload: make category selection required (see plugin settings / File upload tab)
* (Free + All plans) Bug fixes

= 1.6.97 - 2023-03-19 =
* (Pro + Max) Fix: if a logged in user has more than 1 role, additional roles are now also counted in permisson restricted file lists
* (All plans) New parameter to exclude files uploaded by front end uploader: [shared_files_categories exclude_files_uploaded_by_front_end_uploader=1]
* (Free + All plans) New setting: Prevent search engines from indexing files uploaded using front end uploader

= 1.6.96 - 2023-01-08 =
* (Max) Wait Countdown Page: Fixed an issue which prevented the file from starting to download
* (Pro + Max) New column "Restriction" added to file and category management that contains information of set permissions
* (Pro + Max) Accordion: Subcategories are now shown under the main category instead of the same level. It is also possible to hide the subcategories and their files: [shared_files_accordion hide_subcategories=1]
* (Free + All plans) New settings for download log: Log downloader user data, Log downloader IP, Log downloader user agent and Log referer url
* (Free + All plans) New action: shared_files_frontend_file_uploaded (fires when a file has been uploaded using the front end uploader), more information at https://www.sharedfilespro.com/docs/php-actions/

= 1.5.0 - 2019-12-09 =
* New licensing model (separate free and paid version)

= 1.0.0 - 2018-07-15 =
* Initial release