Sandvox Help
Index

# File Download

A File Download is used to host a file on your site. Visitors click on a link to the File Download, and depending on their web browser and the file type, it downloads immediately or opens for viewing in their browser.

Ways to create a File Download:

- Click the "New" item in the toolbar and select "Choose…" at the bottom, then navigate in the Finder window to the file.

- Choose "New → Choose.." from the Insert menu, then navigate in the Finder window to the file.

- Drag and drop a file from the Finder or another app into the Site Navigator.

If you would like to make sure the file is going to be a download and not just viewable in the visitors web browser, first zip the file. You do that by clicking on the file, then control-click → compress, then add it to your Sandvox site. If you prefer to have visitors download the file as is and not a zipped version, you can instruct visitors to right-click the link to the file, and choose "Download Linked File" ("Save Link As... for other browsers).

## External Files

Sometimes, you may wish to allow visitors to download a file that isn't actually part of your site. In such cases, a File Download is not suitable. Instead, you should use either a link or an External Page.

- Use an External Page if you want the download to appear in an index, the Site Menu or the Site Navigator.
- Otherwise, just link to the downloadable URL.

## Related Articles

- A File Download appears as garbled text
- Adding a PDF file to a site
- Link
- External Page

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