ArDrive deleted the delete button. All data uploaded to ArDrive is permanent and indelible. It can’t be removed by you or by us or by any third party. Think twice before uploading a file you wouldn’t want your great-grandchildren to discover.  

However, only files that you make public can be seen by others. All files that you keep private will remain private unless you share them with others.

What type of things should I put on ArDrive?

ArDrive provides permanent data storage. It’s an ideal platform for storing photos, video, audio, Word documents, and other files you don’t want to disappear as technology changes. The permaweb changes the way humans keep digital data.

Many different verticals are already benefiting from permanent data storage.

• Family history

• Academic papers and research

• Legal papers and cases

• Architectural drawings

• Digital art

• Original music

• Journalists and bloggers

• Digital archives

What type of files should I not put on ArDrive?

Anything you wouldn’t want to be remembered for. ArDrive is about preserving essential archives, indelible memories and the best of human culture, not the worst. 

If you put a file onto the public portion of ArDrive, it will be public forever. Please do not upload: 

• Personal information that includes banking, social security numbers, phone numbers, passwords, etc. 

• Profoundly offensive or objectionable content

• Copyrighted materials

• Proprietary information

What kinds of files do you accept?

We accept a wide variety of files including video (mp4, mov, wpv), audio (mp3, wav), photos (jpg, png, tiff) vector (svg, eps, ai), documents (Word, Powerpoint, PDF) and more. You can even save some AR by uploading .zip files. If it’s currently on your computer, you can probably add it to ArDrive.

How do I upload more than one file at a time?

With ArDrive it is easy to upload more than one file at a time.

After you hit the ‘Upload File(s)’ button in ArDrive a browser will appear that allows you to select which files to choose from. Simply choose the desired files and then upload them.

Public Drive uploads are limited to available browser memory and private Drive uploads are limited to 100MB. See More: ArDrive Web Limits

If you accidentally choose the same file twice, ArDrive will catch this and ask if you really want to upload the same file twice. You will then have the option of declining the option to upload or proceed with the transaction.

If you want to upload a folder from your computer to ArDrive, there are two options:

1. Zip the folder and upload that to ArDrive.

2. Use the 'Upload Folder' option from the NEW button.

How long does it take to upload?

Upload speeds are dependent on your Internet connection. Arweave block times are 2 minutes and ArDrive waits for 15 confirmations to consider data properly seeded on the Network.

Need to upload quick? Give Turbo a try.

How long does it take to download?

Download speeds are dependent on your Internet connection. Permaweb data is cached and indexed by gateways & made retrievable just like downloading from the Internet.

Are there limits to the amount of data I can upload in one transaction?

No, public file upload limits are theoretically unlimited, private file sizes are limited to 100MB at this time.

See also: ArDrive Web Limits

Is there data size limits on accounts?

No, there are no data size limits on accounts.

Feel free to put as little or as much on as you like on the permaweb.  Whether you want to store 1 kb, 1 MB, 1 GB, 1TB or 1 PB – it is up to you!

Will accounts ever be made inactive due to non-use?

No.  You can upload a file onto the permaweb, and walk away from it for 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 years and it will still be there. You will never receive a message that your account is going to be closed due to inactive use or a missed payment.

Think of it as your safety deposit box of data that you only have to pay for once.  As long as you keep the key, you can always access it.

How do I share my public drive?

One of the great features of ArDrive is sharing Drives with others. Learn about Drive sharing

Are my public files given a URL?

Yes, all of your public files are accessible through the permaweb & it's unique transaction ID. Use the preview button to get the link to your data.

The public preview button will load or stream any compatible data right into your browser. This includes music, movies and PDFs.

When you click the public preview button, a new tab in your browser will open with the chosen file now as a web page. The web address for the file will be located in the web address box of your browser. You’ll see a long web address with arweave.net in the center. It may look like jibberish, but it works forever as a permaweb URL.

Learn more about permaweb URLs

Can I edit my files after they are uploaded?

Arweave is a permanent blockchain. Whatever you upload to Arweave becomes immutable & can’t be edited or removed by anybody. Thanks to the Arweave File System, you can edit the metadata (name & location of your files on ArDrive). ArDrive will allow you to save a revised copy of the same file, and you will be able to see the history of your changes. Remember, every file you upload to Arweave is a unique transaction.