Inboxes
Permission requirements
- Vault Files and Directories
- View their directories and their groups' directories
- Create directories (also needs “Add items to directories”)
- Inboxes
- View their inboxes
- Create inboxes, so people without an account can send them files
- Delete their inboxes
Inboxes are one of several data ingress methods in tiCrypt. For the full picture, see Data Ingress and Egress.
Access Inboxes
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- View a list of all the inboxes you have created.
Create an Inbox
Method One
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Click the Create inbox button in the top panel.
- In the prompt, enter the inbox name and select the parent directory.
- Next, set the inbox type to URL.
- Enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Next, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Select the new inbox, click the Open full menu button, and select Manage inbox.
- Click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the inbox URL.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
Method Two
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the My Files section on the left panel.
- Select the directory you want to turn into an inbox.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Manage inbox.
- In the prompt, click the Create new access point button in the top right corner.
- Set the inbox type to URL.
- Enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Next, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Once the access point is created, click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the inbox URL.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
- The Uploader is the external individual who uploads data into tiCrypt via inboxes.
- You can create a new directory and convert it into a new inbox.
- You may need to enter your password before creating an inbox. This happens when your private key timer has expired and the key is no longer held in memory. Any action that requires your private key will prompt for your password to decrypt it again.
Set an expiration date for all inboxes.
The inbox form
Create inbox appears on the Inboxes section when you have the Create inboxes, so people without an account can send them files permission. The form is titled "Create new inbox". From Manage inbox it is titled "Create new access point for folder" and skips the name and parent folder. Manage inbox is offered for one folder outside group folders whose project is active in your session, and needs the View their inboxes permission.
The parent folder picker lists only your own folders in My Files. tiCrypt creates a folder with the inbox name inside the parent you choose. If the parent already has a folder with that name, that folder becomes the inbox instead.
The following table describes the fields of the inbox form.
| Field | Rules and messages |
|---|---|
| Name for your new inbox directory | Required ("You must enter a name for the inbox directory"), at most 80 characters, without the special characters that folder names do not allow (see Create). The hint reads "A new directory with this name will be created inside the selected parent". |
| Type of inbox | URL (the default): "Files deposited through a web interface." and "A link will be sent." SFTP: "Files deposited through SFTP." and "SFTP credentials are sent through a link." |
| Enable password protection for this access point | URL inboxes only. Shows Password and Repeat Password, and the notice "The password set here will not be displayed after inbox creation. Make sure to write it down somewhere." See Create a Password-Enabled Inbox. |
| SFTP Server | SFTP inboxes only. The servers your administrator registered. Required ("You must select an SFTP server"). |
| SFTP Username | SFTP inboxes only. Required ("You must enter a username"), at most 20 characters, English letters only ("May only contain English letters"). |
| Expiration | Required ("You must enter an expiration date"). Any date from today up to the longest duration your administrator allows, 365 days by default. Earlier or later dates show "Must be after date" or "Must be before date". The access point stops working at the end of the chosen day. |
| Capacity (Bytes) | Required ("You must enter a limit for how many bytes may be uploaded"). A whole number of GB or TB: the total size the sender may upload through this access point. |
| Name of uploader (optional) | At most 20 characters. When left empty, the inbox name is used. The sender sees it on the upload page, and it names the folders their deliveries arrive in. |
| Message (Optional) | At most 250 characters, without <, >, { or }. The sender sees it on the upload page. |
Upload Files and Directories into an Inbox
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This section summarizes what the sender does. For the full description of the page the sender sees, including every message it can show, see Inbox Upload Page.
- An inbox URL has been shared with you.
- Paste the link into the browser.
- If the page shows This mailbox is password protected., enter the password you were given and click Enter inbox.
- Click Select Files or Select Directories, or drag files and directories onto the window.
- Review the staged list. To drop an item before sending, click the Remove file button next to it.
- Click Upload, which shows the number of staged files (for example Upload 3 files).
- When the page shows All files uploaded, close the tab.
- Select more files or directories at any time before uploading to add them to the list.
- The uploader can view the name and email of the tiCrypt user who opened the access point for them, the inbox expiration date, the message for them, and the remaining space for upload.
- Uploads cannot be undone by the sender: the page has no way to read back or delete files once they are sent.
The URL must be shared with the external individual through a separate channel, such as email.
Create an SFTP Inbox
Method One
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Click the Create inbox button in the top panel.
- In the prompt, enter the inbox name and select the parent directory.
- Next, set the inbox type to SFTP.
- Select the SFTP Server and enter an SFTP Username of up to 20 English letters. The sender logs in with this username.
- Enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Next, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Select the new inbox, click the Open full menu button, and select Manage inbox.
- Click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the SFTP link to share.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
Method Two
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the My Files section on the left panel.
- Select the directory you want to turn into an inbox.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Manage inbox.
- In the prompt, click the Create new access point button in the top right corner.
- Set the inbox type to SFTP.
- Select the SFTP Server and enter an SFTP Username of up to 20 English letters. The sender logs in with this username.
- Enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Next, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Once the access point is created, click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the SFTP link to share.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
SFTP inboxes are created by users, not administrators: anyone whose profile includes the Create inboxes, so people without an account can send them files permission can create one once an administrator has registered the SFTP inbox server. When the sender opens the link, they see the SFTP host, port, this username, and a generated password that stays valid for 30 minutes. Opening the link again after that issues a new password.
An SFTP inbox only receives files. Sending files out of tiCrypt over SFTP is a separate feature: it uses an SFTP bidirectional connection, and a Super-admin must first allowlist the destination server for you or your team. See SFTP Connections.
Create a Password-Enabled Inbox
Method One
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Click the Create inbox button in the top panel.
- In the prompt, enter the inbox name and select the parent directory.
- Next, set the inbox type to URL.
- Tick Enable password protection for this access point.
- Enter the inbox password twice, in Password and Repeat Password.
- Next, enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Then, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Select the new inbox, click the Open full menu button, and select Manage inbox.
- Click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the inbox URL.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
Method Two
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the My Files section on the left panel.
- Select the directory you want to turn into an inbox.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Manage inbox.
- In the prompt, click the Create new access point button in the top right corner.
- Set the inbox type to URL.
- Tick Enable password protection for this access point.
- Enter the inbox password twice, in Password and Repeat Password.
- Next, enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Then, enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Once the access point is created, click the uploader's name to view their message preview.
- Click Copy to copy the inbox URL.
- Share the generated link with the uploader.
- The uploader must provide the inbox password to upload files or directories into your inbox.
- When creating a password-based access point, the password cannot be changed or viewed once created.
- The password must reach a minimum strength. A weak one shows a suggestion such as "Add another word or two. Uncommon words are better."
The upload page lets the sender type at most 20 characters in its Password field, so a longer password cannot be entered there and the sender cannot open the inbox.
Change an Inbox Access Point
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the My Files section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox you want to manage.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Manage inbox.
- In the prompt, click the delete button on the right side of the access point you want to replace.
- Click the Create new access point button in the top right corner.
- Select the inbox type, then re-enter a new inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Re-enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
Manage Multiple Inbox Access Points
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- Once the first access point has been created, view the pop-up.
- Click the Create new access point button in the top right corner.
- For the new access point, select the inbox type URL or SFTP.
- Enter the inbox expiration date and capacity.
- Enter the uploader's name and a message for them.
- Click Create Inbox.
- Repeat this process to create additional access points as needed.
- Click Copy to copy the details of the appropriate access point.
- Share the details with the appropriate uploader.
- Once done, click Close.
Hover over the Link to share text to preview your full inbox access point link.
The Manage inbox dialog
The dialog is titled "Manage access points for folder". Each access point is a row with a link icon for a URL access point or a server icon for an SFTP one. The first line shows "user@host" for an SFTP access point, otherwise the uploader name, otherwise the expiration date. The second line shows "Expires date" or, on a red row, "Expired on date", followed by the free space, for example "• 10 GB free".
- Details: click a row (tooltip Check details) to show its message and, for a password-protected access point, "This access point is password-protected. The password cannot be viewed after creating an access point."
- Alternative URL share link: an SFTP access point also has a web link, shown in its details with a Copy button. Senders who cannot use SFTP can upload through it.
- Copy: the button next to Link to share or SFTP link to share copies the link and shows "URL copied".
- Empty state: a folder without access points shows "No access points created yet." and 'Click on the "Create new access point" button to start creating access points for this directory.'
Access points cannot be edited. To change one, delete it and create a new one, as described in Change an Inbox Access Point.
Where deliveries arrive
Each time a sender clicks Upload on the upload page, the files arrive in a new folder inside the
inbox, named after the uploader name and the time on the sender's computer, for example
fred-Fri-Oct-16-2026-11.09.05. Characters that Windows does not allow in file names, and spaces,
become "-". When the access point has no uploader name, the folder name starts with "inbox". Folders
delivered by older versions of tiCrypt keep their earlier form, for example "fred-Fri Oct 16 2026
11:09:05".
Deliveries are ordinary files in your Vault. If the inbox is tagged with a project, they take that tag. You can move them into a VM like any other Vault file, given the transfer permissions.
Links are tied to your key
Every inbox link names your public key, and the upload page checks it before it encrypts anything. If your key changes, for example after a key reset or recovery, links created before the change stop accepting files: the sender sees "The recipient's encryption key does not match this link." Create new access points and send their links.
Tag Inboxes to a Project
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- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox(es) you want to tag to a project.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Change project.
- In the prompt, enter or select the project name to tag the inbox(es).
- Click Classify.
- If Recursively apply the permission change. is ticked (the default when the selection contains an inbox or other directory), review the summary pop-up and click Accept.
You can tag only the inboxes that you have access to. Tagging an inbox classifies the inbox folder, and everything delivered into it afterwards inherits that tag: both the folder created for each delivery and the files inside it carry the inbox's project. Senders need no project access for this to happen. To classify a delivery differently, use Change project on its files after reviewing them.
Forcefully Tag Inboxes to a Project
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- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox(es) you want to forcefully tag to a project.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Change project.
- In the prompt, enter or select the project name to tag the inbox(es).
- Tick Use my permission to override rules, re-tag resources with any visible project, regardless of current project relations to override the project rules for inboxes that are not part of the project.
- Click Force change with admin privilege.
- If Recursively apply the permission change. is ticked (the default when the selection contains an inbox or other directory), review the summary pop-up and click Accept.
Only users with the Tag anything with any project permission can perform forceful overrides of project tags.
Untag Inboxes from a Project
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- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox(es) you want to untag from a project.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Change project.
- In the prompt, select No project (unlocked).
- Click Declassify.
- If Recursively apply the permission change. is ticked (the default when the selection contains an inbox or other directory), review the summary pop-up and click Accept.
Download Contents of Inboxes
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- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox(es) you want to download.
- Click Download in the top center panel.
- In the prompt, preview the structure of the inbox(es).
- Select the destination of your download.
- Click Download.
Downloading an inbox removes its tiCrypt encryption. You are responsible for securing the files after download.
Delete an Access Point in an Inbox
- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the My Files section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox you want to manage.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Manage inbox.
- In the prompt, click the delete button on the right side of the access point.
- Click Close.
The delete button acts at once, without confirmation. The task steps through "Contacting SFTP server" and "Deleting SFTP portal" for an SFTP access point, then "Deleting access point in backend". When you delete the last access point of an inbox, the folder leaves the Inboxes section and becomes an ordinary folder. If that step fails, the message "Failed to unregister directory from Inboxes branch" appears.
Delete Inboxes
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- Go to the Vault icon in the top left panel.
- Click the Inboxes section on the left panel.
- Select the inbox(es) you want to delete.
- Click the Open full menu button in the top center panel.
- Select Delete inbox.
- In the pop-up, click Yes to confirm.
Delete inbox removes all access points of the inbox and converts it back to a regular directory, so the delivered files stay in your Vault. Moving an inbox to the trash instead moves the directory and all its contents to the trash. To stop deliveries but keep the files, use Delete inbox.
You can also right-click an inbox folder in the tree and select Delete inbox. That pop-up is titled "Delete inbox?" and reads 'Are you sure you want to delete the inbox for "name"? This will remove all access points and convert it back to a regular directory.' It ends with "Deleted inbox for name" or "Failed to delete inbox for name".
Move an inbox
Moving an inbox folder within your own folders keeps its access points and links. Two moves ask first, because they delete every access point:
- To the trash: the pop-up is titled 'Move the inbox "name" to the trash?' and reads "Moving an inbox to the trash deletes all of its access points: their share links stop working, and the directory is removed from Inboxes. This cannot be undone." Click Move to trash to go ahead.
- Between your folders and a group's, or between two groups: the pop-up is titled 'Move the inbox "name" to a group directory?' or 'Move the inbox "name" to your own directories?' and explains that inboxes cannot be converted between these places, so the move deletes all access points. Click Move and delete access points to go ahead.
Cancel either pop-up to leave the inbox where it is.
Inbox deliveries land in your Vault. From there you can transfer them into a virtual machine like any other Vault file, provided you hold the transfer permissions. You do not need to delete the inbox or its access points first.
Configure External SFTP Inbox Servers
- Registering the SFTP inbox server is an administrator task, done once per deployment in System Settings. It needs the Change system settings permission.
- Users create their own SFTP inboxes afterwards; registering a server here is required before anyone can create SFTP-type inboxes.
- Go to the Management icon in the top left taskbar.
- Navigate to the Settings section.
- Click the System Settings in the left panel.
- In the top center, click the Servers card.
- Select the External Servers.
- In the right panel, under SFTP Inbox Endpoint Servers, enter the domain or IPv4 address to configure tiCrypt CORS.
- Click Add.
- Click Save.
Upload Large Files via SFTP Client
Download SFTP Client
- Go to the SFTP client website.
- Download the SFTP client locally.
Install SFTP Client
- In the installation prompt, review the SFTP client License Agreement and click I Agree.
- Set software availability to All users (recommended), then click Next >.
- Select the components to install, then click Next.
- Select the installation path, verify the space required for installation, then click Next.
- Select the start menu folder for the program shortcut, then click Install.
- Once installed, click Finish.
- Open the SFTP client.
- View the menu and available options to register your host.
Register Host in SFTP Client
- In the SFTP client, open the interface to register a new host.
- Go to tiCrypt and log in to your account.
- Navigate to the Virtual Machines icon in the top left taskbar.
- Click the VMs section on the top left panel.
- In the left panel, click the virtual machine to upload the large files to.
- Click the SFTP to VM card in the center, or select Open SFTP pathway from the ⋮ menu next to the virtual machine.
- In the pop-up, click the copy button next to each value to copy the username, password, host and port to your SFTP client.
- Go to the SFTP client host interface.
- Ensure protocols are set to SFTP File Transfer.
- Paste the host, port, user and password from tiCrypt into the corresponding fields.
- Connect to the tiCrypt VM via SFTP.
Transfer Files via SFTP Client
- In the SFTP client window, find the local machine directories and the remote virtual machine directories.
- Drag and drop files from the local machine into the remote virtual machine via the SFTP client interface.
- Once done, navigate to the Virtual Machines icon in the top left taskbar.
- Click the VMs section on the top left panel.
- In the left panel, select the virtual machine you transferred the files to.
- Click the File explorer option in the center.
- View your transferred files in the drives and access directories of the virtual machine.