What are permission levels for shared files?
🕐 Read time: 3 min
Written By Clark Yuan
Last updated About 23 hours ago
Overview
When you share a Project in Stitch3D, you choose a permission level that controls exactly what the recipient can do with your data. This article explains each permission level, what it allows, and when to use it.
The three permission levels
Stitch3D has three permission levels, each designed for a different type of audience:
View only
View only gives recipients read access to the Project. They can open and explore the data in the viewer, but cannot download any files.
What a View only recipient can do:
Open the Project in the Stitch3D viewer
Navigate and explore the point cloud, raster layers, and media
View and create annotations and measurements
View attached accuracy reports and documents
What they cannot do:
Download any files from the Project
Edit, delete, or save annotations or measurements
Upload new files
Invite other users
💡 Tip: View only is ideal for sharing Project progress with a client during an active engagement. They can see everything as it develops, but nothing leaves Stitch3D without your permission.
💡 Tip: View only is great for sales & marketing on your company landing page, social media posts, conference presentations, and QR codes displayed in public settings where you want anyone to explore the data but not download it.
View and download
View and download gives recipients full access to explore the Project in the viewer and download any files they need locally.
What a View and download recipient can do:
Everything included in View only
Download point clouds, raster files, media, documents, and reports from the Project
What they cannot do:
Edit, delete, or save annotations or measurements
Upload new files
Invite other users
💡 Tip: Use View and download for final client deliveries where the client needs to take your files into their own software. For example, a surveyor or drone service provider delivering a LAS file to a civil engineer who needs to open it in AutoCAD Civil 3D.
ℹ️ Note: View and download gives access to all downloadable files in the Project, not just specific ones.
Editor
Editor is the highest permission level and is intended for teammates and trusted collaborators who are actively contributing to a Project.
What an Editor can do:
Everything included in View and download
Add, edit, delete, and save annotations and measurements
Upload new files to the Project
⚠️ Important: Editor access requires the recipient to have an active Stitch3D account. If the recipient does not have an account, they will be prompted to create one before they can access the Project. For recipients who don't want to create an account, share via public link or QR code with View only or View and download permission instead.
⚠️ Use Editor access carefully. Editors can add measurements and annotations to your Project. Only grant Editor access to people you trust to work directly in your data.
Changing permissions after sharing
You can update a recipient's permission level at any time without revoking and resharing.
For email invites:
Open the Project → click Share.
Find the recipient in the invite list.
Click the dropdown next to their name and select a new permission level.
For public links:
Open the Shared page from your workspace.
Click the My Links tab.
Find the link → click … → Edit link and update the permission level.
ℹ️ Note: Changing the permission level on a public link applies immediately to anyone who opens the link from that point forward. It does not affect files that have already been downloaded.
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