Gallery Expiry and Archiving
Hosting galleries indefinitely eats storage and creates a false expectation that clients can download forever. Expiry dates set clear boundaries. Archiving keeps your dashboard clean without deleting anything.
Setting an Expiry Date
In any collection, go to Settings > Expiry:
- Toggle Enable Expiry
- Set the expiry date — a specific date or a duration from creation (30 days, 90 days, 6 months, 1 year)
- Choose what happens at expiry:
- Archive — the collection becomes inaccessible to the client but stays in your dashboard
- Delete — the collection and its images are permanently removed after a 30-day grace period
- Click Save
Expiry Notifications
creavio sends the client two automatic reminders before expiry:
- 7 days before — "Your gallery expires in 7 days. Download your images now."
- 1 day before — "Last chance — your gallery expires tomorrow."
You also receive a notification when a collection expires so you can extend it if needed.
Extending Expiry
If a client asks for more time, open the collection, go to Settings > Expiry, and change the date. You can also convert an expiring collection to "no expiry" if you decide to host it indefinitely.
Manual Archiving
For collections without an expiry date, you can archive manually:
- Open the collection
- Click Archive (or use the three-dot menu > Archive)
Archived collections:
- Disappear from your main Collections list (toggle "Show Archived" to see them)
- Become inaccessible to clients — the share link shows an "expired" message
- Still exist in your account — you can unarchive anytime
- Still count toward your storage quota
Storage Management
View your storage usage in Settings > Account > Storage. You will see:
- Total used vs. your plan's storage limit
- Breakdown by collection — see which collections use the most space
- Archived storage — how much space archived collections consume
If you are approaching your storage limit:
- Archive and then delete old collections you no longer need
- Delete uploaded duplicates from your media library
- Upgrade your plan for more storage
Recommended Expiry Timelines
- Wedding galleries — 1 year. Clients share with family over several months.
- Portrait sessions — 90 days. Enough time to download and order prints.
- Mini sessions — 30 days. Small galleries, quick turnaround.
- Corporate/commercial — no expiry or 1 year, depending on the contract.
- Events — 30-60 days. Attendees download quickly or not at all.
Communicating Expiry to Clients
Include expiry terms in your contract so there are no surprises. Something like: "Your online gallery will be available for 90 days from the delivery date. After that, images are archived and an extension fee of $50 applies." This is standard in the industry and clients expect it.