Use this to take a file that was shared too widely (or shared on a record) and pull it back so only the owner can reach it. The steps run from the file's detail page in Lightning Experience or an Experience Cloud site.
- Open the file detail page
Click the file in Files home, on a record's Files related list, or in a feed to open its detail page where the sharing controls live.
- Open Sharing Settings
Click Share File, then Sharing Settings, or click Show All on the Shared With list to see everyone and everywhere the file currently reaches.
- Click Make private
In the Sharing Settings dialog, click Make private. For a file that lives in a Salesforce CRM Content library the button reads Restrict access instead.
- Confirm the change
Click Make private again in the confirmation dialog. The file drops out of posts, related lists, and shares, and any share-via-link URLs are deleted.
Removes all outward sharing so only the owner (and Modify All Data users) can access the file.
The library-file equivalent; keeps the file in its CRM Content library but removes it from every other location.
Admin control that decides whether files uploaded on records inherit record access or stay restricted by default.
- Making a file private deletes its share-via-link URLs and makes shared content deliveries inaccessible, though the deliveries are not deleted.
- File metadata can stay visible to users who previously had access, so they may still see who follows the file even after losing access.
- Modify All Data and View All Data users can still find and view the file; Make private is not encryption.
- Uploading on a record does not produce a private file; the auto-created record link makes it Privately Shared from the start.