File sharing

The cloud ✕ "The cloud" refers to services and storage that run not on your device but on external servers on the internet. You can access them from anywhere. More in the glossary → ’s file-sharing feature lets you give access to a document or folder by generating a link, instead of mailing heavy copies. Whoever gets the link can view or, if you allow it, edit the content, and everyone always works on the same version. For security, good services let you protect the link with a password, set an expiry date and limit permissions to read-only. That keeps a forwarded link from ending up in the wrong hands. For sensitive data, it helps when the provider pairs these controls with end-to-end encryption ✕ Encryption turns readable data into unreadable code using a key. Only someone with the right key can read it again — the basis of secure communication and storage. More in the glossary → . Which secure-sharing options each one offers is covered in the best cloud storage comparison.