# Sharing
URL: https://usememos.com/docs/usage/sharing

Sharing in Memos has two layers: **visibility**, which decides who can reach a memo through the app, and **share links**, which create a standalone URL for a single memo.

## Visibility levels [#visibility-levels]

Every memo has one of four visibility levels, set from the editor before or after posting:

* `PRIVATE`: only you can read the memo
* `PROTECTED`: any signed-in user on the instance can read it
* `PUBLIC`: anonymous visitors can read it when the instance is in public mode
* `SPACE`: active members of the memo's assigned Space can read it

The `ACCESS` instance setting controls public or private access independently of `MEMOS_INSTANCE_URL`. With public access enabled, public memos can be discovered through Explore and public profiles. In private mode, ordinary `PUBLIC` memo pages require sign-in.

Placement and visibility are independent. Putting a memo in a Space does not change its audience: an assigned `PRIVATE` memo stays author-only, and an assigned `PROTECTED` memo remains readable by other signed-in users. `SPACE` visibility requires a Space assignment. See [Spaces](/docs/usage/spaces).

## Share links [#share-links]

Open a memo's detail page and use the **Share** section in the sidebar to create a public link for that single memo:

* **Open share panel** — create, list, and revoke share links. Each link can be set to expire **never, after 1 day, 7 days, or 30 days**.
* A share link resolves without sign-in, including for `PRIVATE` and `PROTECTED` memos, and signs attachment URLs so images and files load for anonymous viewers.
* The token exposes only the selected memo, its attachments, and its reactions. It does not expose the surrounding parent memo, comments, or relation graph.
* Revoke a link at any time to immediately stop access.

Only the memo's author can manage its share links; assigned memos also require active Space membership. The API can share a comment independently, exposing that comment alone rather than the parent or discussion.

`SPACE` memos cannot have share links. Revoke active links before changing a memo's visibility to `SPACE`. An existing share link is a separate grant of access, so switching the instance to private mode does not revoke it.

## Share as image [#share-as-image]

The same **Share** section offers **Open image**, which renders the memo as a self-contained image you can download and post anywhere — handy for chat apps or social media where a link would not render the content.

## What viewers can and can't do [#what-viewers-can-and-cant-do]

Anonymous public-mode viewers can follow the normal public memo page, including its readable discussion context. A share-token viewer receives the narrower standalone representation described above. Neither anonymous route allows editing, reacting, commenting, or managing shares.

## Safe sharing habits [#safe-sharing-habits]

* choose visibility intentionally before posting, especially for operational or sensitive notes
* review attachments before publishing a memo openly or minting a share link
* prefer time-limited share links over `PUBLIC` when you only need to share temporarily
* disable public memos entirely (Admin → Instance Settings) if your instance is private