SaaS, marketing & ops

Password protected links and expiring links

Not every link should be publicly accessible forever. Gate links with a password, set an exact expiry date, and control what happens after a link is no longer valid - all on the same short URL, with no redistribution required.

Password-gated short links on your branded domain - clean prompt, no third-party gate page
Scheduled expiry with a branded fallback - old traffic never hits a broken redirect or a 404
Combine password and expiry on one link, then edit live without changing the short URL

Start for free All use cases

Protected link flow

Gate access with a password, set an expiration, and keep fallback handling branded.

Access controlled

Password gate

Shared link

brand-a.to/internal-brief

••••••••••

Unlock

Repeat access

Saved in browser session

Expiration control

Expires at

2026-06-30 23:59 UTC

Active nowExpires Jun 30

Fallback destination

brand-a.com/campaign-ended

Some links need a front door. An internal brief, a gated preview for a sales prospect, an early-access resource for a specific audience - these are cases where a public redirect is the wrong default. At the same time, putting a gate on a link should not mean creating a separate protected-link workflow, managing two URLs, or rebuilding everything if you need to change the password later.

Nimriz handles this with an optional password gate on any short link. Protection lives on the same link record as the destination, analytics, and expiry controls. Adding a password does not change the short URL, and removing it later does not either. Visitors see a clean entry prompt on your branded domain; everyone else stays out. Once a visitor unlocks the link, a signed browser-session cookie means they are not prompted again on the same device.

Scheduled expiration solves a different but related problem: links that should stop working after a campaign window, an offer deadline, or an event date. Without a fallback, expired links dead-end on a 404 or a generic platform error. With Nimriz, you set an exact expiry date and a branded fallback destination. After the deadline passes, traffic routes to the fallback automatically - a product page, a waitlist, a holding page - so visitors always land somewhere intentional on supported plans.

Password and expiry can be combined on the same link. You can extend a deadline, rotate a password, or lift protection entirely on a live link without the short URL changing. Because all redirect behavior defaults to 302, every edit takes effect immediately for the next visitor. Analytics continue running throughout, so you can see access patterns even while a gate is active.

Who it is for

Marketing: time-limited offers and campaigns

Needs links that automatically stop redirecting after a campaign window, with post-expiry traffic landing on a branded page rather than a broken redirect. Wants to extend deadlines or swap fallback destinations live, without republishing links already in email sends or social posts.

Sales: gated previews and prospect resources

Needs to share collateral - pricing decks, demo recordings, proposal attachments - with specific recipients while keeping those links off the open web. A password gate on the short link restricts access without creating a separate secure-file workflow, and the gate can be removed the moment a deal closes.

Ops: internal and early-access resources

Needs to distribute internal documentation, early-access invites, or partner resources to a known audience and close access when the window ends. Wants to manage all of this on the same link record used for analytics, without spinning up a second system for protected links.

What you get

Password protection

Gate any short link behind a password prompt without creating a second link object or changing the short URL. Visitors who know the password get through; everyone else sees the gate. Passwords are hashed server-side and never returned in API responses or dashboard views, so the plaintext is never exposed after it is set.

Scheduled expiration

Set an exact date and time when a link stops redirecting. Traffic that arrives after the expiry moment is routed to your configured branded fallback destination instead of hitting a dead end. Expiry is checked on every request, so extending or removing a deadline takes effect immediately for all future visitors.

Branded fallback handling

Choose where expired or otherwise inaccessible traffic lands: a product page, a waitlist, a holding page, or any URL you control. A clean, on-brand destination after expiry is far better than a 404 or a generic platform error. Fallback destinations can be updated on a live link without changing the short URL.

Live edits without redistributing

Extend an expiry, update a password, combine both controls, or remove protection entirely on a live link. The short URL you have already distributed in emails, social posts, and printed materials stays identical. Nothing needs to be republished, and historical click analytics are preserved from their original click-time values.

Browser-session unlock memory

When a visitor enters the correct password, a signed, link-specific unlock cookie is issued and scoped to that exact link. On subsequent visits from the same browser, Nimriz finds the valid cookie and redirects immediately without showing the prompt again. The cookie cannot be used to unlock any other protected link on the same domain.

Analytics on protected links

Click events are still collected for password-protected and expiring links, so access patterns stay visible in analytics even while a gate is active. Raw IP addresses and full User-Agent strings are never stored in redirect analytics; strict privacy also omits visitor hashes.

How it works

Access control with a clean visitor experience

Password gates and expiry windows are features of the same short-link record, not a separate protected-link workflow. Edits take effect immediately without changing the URL already in distribution.

Plan

A visitor clicks a protected short link. If no valid unlock cookie is present, Nimriz serves a password prompt on the short link's own branded domain rather than redirecting to a third-party gate page.

Publish

The visitor submits the correct password. Nimriz verifies it against a stored hash, issues a signed link-specific cookie, and completes the redirect to the destination.

Measure

After the link's expiry time passes, every subsequent request is routed to the branded fallback destination instead. No broken redirect, no platform error page.

Expiry is checked on every request, so extending or removing a deadline takes effect immediately for all future visitors without changing the short URL.
Password and expiry can be used together on the same link for maximum access control: a visitor must both know the password and arrive before the deadline.
Protected links still collect click events in analytics. Raw IP and full User-Agent values are never stored, and strict privacy also omits visitor hashes.
Link-specific unlock cookies cannot be used to unlock any other protected link on the same domain - each protected link requires its own separate unlock.

Password and expiry controls Trust and privacy FAQ

Example

Protected short link

brand-a.to/q2-brief → password required

Expiry set

2026-05-31 23:59 UTC - brief window closes

After expiry

brand-a.to/q2-brief → brand-a.com/brief-closed

Live edit

Deadline extended - no URL change, no redistribution

Setup

1
Create or open a link
Use the link creation modal or open an existing link in the dashboard. Password protection and expiry controls are in the Security or Advanced section of the link form. Both are optional and independent - you can use either or both on the same link. See the password-protected links doc for full field details.
2
Add a password, an expiry date, or both
Enable the password toggle and enter the password visitors will need to enter. Set an expiry date and time (UTC) if the link should stop redirecting after a deadline. Combining both means a visitor must know the password and arrive before the deadline. Password protection is available on supported plans.
3
Set a branded fallback destination
Choose where post-expiry or otherwise inaccessible traffic should land: a product page, a waitlist, a campaign-ended holding page. This keeps visitors in a controlled journey instead of hitting a broken redirect. You can update the fallback destination on a live link at any time. See link protection for details on how fallback routing works.
4
Distribute the short URL
Copy the branded short URL and share it in emails, social posts, documents, or any channel. The short URL stays constant regardless of any protection controls you have applied. Visitors on supported browsers will not need to re-enter the password after their first successful unlock on the same device.
5
Adjust controls live without changing the URL
To extend a deadline, open the link and update the expiry date. To rotate a password, enter a new one and save - visitors who previously unlocked the link will be prompted again on their next visit because their old cookie is invalidated. To remove protection entirely, clear the password or expiry. None of these changes affect the short URL already in distribution. See the link creation and slugs doc for update mechanics.

What good looks like

Without link protection controls

Gating a link requires a separate tool or workflow - protected and unprotected links live in different systems.
Expired links dead-end on a 404 or a generic platform error page, leaving visitors with no path forward.
Changing access rules (removing a gate, extending a deadline) means creating a new short URL and redistributing it across every placement.
No visibility into who tried to access a protected resource because analytics and access control are separate.
Early-access or invite-only content either has no gate or is managed entirely outside the link system.

With password protection and scheduled expiry

Password gate and expiry live on the same link record as the destination and analytics. No second system, no second URL.
Post-expiry traffic routes to a branded fallback destination. Visitors always land somewhere intentional on supported plans.
Extend a deadline, rotate a password, or lift protection on a live link. The short URL you already distributed never changes.
Click events are still collected on protected links. Access patterns remain visible in analytics throughout the gate lifetime.
Password and expiry can be combined on one link for both identity-based and time-based access control.

One short URL, controlled access, a clean post-expiry journey, and full analytics throughout.

Frequently asked questions

What does a visitor see when a link is expired or disabled?

Visitors are routed to the branded fallback destination you configured on that link. This is a URL you control - a product page, a waitlist, a holding page - not a 404 or a generic platform error. If no fallback has been set, behavior depends on your domain configuration. Setting a fallback per link is recommended for any link with an expiry date.

Can you extend an expiry or re-enable a link after it has expired?

Yes. Open the link in the dashboard and update the expiry date to a future time, or remove the expiry entirely to make the link active again indefinitely. Changes take effect immediately for all subsequent visitors. The short URL does not change, so nothing already in distribution needs to be updated.

Can you change or remove a password on a live link?

Yes. Update the password field and save. The new password takes effect immediately. Visitors who previously unlocked the link with the old password will see the prompt again on their next visit because their browser cookie from the old password is no longer valid. If your link is actively shared, communicate the new password to your intended audience after rotating it.

Can password protection and an expiry date be combined on the same link?

Yes. You can enable both controls on the same link record. A visitor must both know the password and arrive before the expiry deadline to reach the destination. After the deadline passes, the link routes to the fallback regardless of whether the visitor has a valid unlock cookie.

Do analytics still work on password-protected or expiring links?

Yes. Click events are still collected for protected links so access patterns stay visible in analytics while a gate is active. Raw IP addresses and full User-Agent strings are never stored. Click events still capture referrer host, country, device category, and bot signals, and strict privacy also omits visitor hashes. See analytics and privacy for more detail on standard and strict privacy behavior.

How secure is a password-gated link?

Password protection is an access control layer, not encryption-grade security. It is appropriate for restricting casual or unintended access to internal documents, gated previews, and invite-only resources. Passwords are hashed server-side before storage and are never returned in API responses or the dashboard. Unlock cookies are cryptographically signed and scoped to one specific link, so a cookie from one protected link cannot unlock any other. Do not use password-gated short links as the sole protection for highly sensitive secrets or regulated data. Nimriz does not make compliance certification claims for this feature.

Which plans include password protection and expiry controls?

Password protection is plan-gated and is currently available on supported plans (Pro and above based on current product configuration). Scheduled expiry and branded fallback destinations are available on supported plans. If the password option is not visible in your dashboard, your current plan may not include this capability. See the pricing page or contact your workspace administrator for plan details.

Does unlocking one protected link give access to other protected links?

No. Unlock cookies are scoped to the exact link using its unique ID, domain, and short code. A visitor who has unlocked one password-protected link on a domain has not unlocked any other protected link on that domain. Each protected link requires its own separate unlock.

Related use cases

Campaign links

Add expiry windows and fallbacks to time-limited campaign links.

Document sharing and tracking

Gate shared documents and assets with password-protected short links.

Multi-brand operations

Run protection and expiry controls across multiple branded domains from one workspace.

Deeper reading

Link protection: passwords, expiry, and fallbacks Branded links and domains Analytics and privacy Password-protected links doc Analytics and privacy doc Glossary: password-protected link Glossary: expiring link Blog: password-protected links

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