> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cocoondata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Accessing secure content

To access secure content, you can:

* [View, print, download/decrypt](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-your-own-content) and/or [edit](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#editing-files) personally owned files you have previously uploaded and stored securely with [SafeShare for Windows](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-and-storing-personally-owned-content), including [SafeShare for Web](/3.5/user/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-and-storing-personally-owned-content) as well as SafeShare for OS X, iOS and Android applications. These actions can also be performed on files that [another user uploaded to your folder](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-content-to-share-through-another-users-folder) with any of these SafeShare applications.
* [View](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-content-shared-with-you) files which someone else has stored securely and shared with you using [SafeShare for Windows](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#sharing-secure-content), including [SafeShare for Web](/3.5/user/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#sharing-secure-content) as well as SafeShare for OS X, iOS and Android applications. You can only [print, download/decrypt](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-content-shared-with-you) or [edit](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#editing-files) these files if the people who shared the files have granted you permission to perform these actions. These actions can also be performed on files that [you uploaded to share through another user's folder](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-content-to-share-through-another-users-folder) with any of these SafeShare applications.

## Viewing/printing/downloading your own content 

**To view/print/download/decrypt securely stored content that you own:**

1. [Access](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#accessing-the-applications-folder) the `SafeShare` folder for your organisation.
2. Within the `My Secured Files` subfolder, locate the file/s or folder/s whose content you wish to view/print/download/decrypt.
3. Do one of the following based on the action to be performed:

   * *To begin viewing/printing one or more of your own secure file/s*, select and right-click on the file/s and choose **SafeShare > View**. A separate [SafeShare Content Viewer](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#read-only-content-viewer) window opens for each viewable file of your selected content.

     ![Viewing my own files using the pop-up menu](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/952bd39aa501-right-clicking-an-item-owner.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=87b66c72b429207ac7a515895a6decb3)

     **Notes:**

     * If one of the files you selected is not viewable, a message is shown indicating that the file's type is not supported by the SafeShare Content Viewer. File types which are supported are [equivalent to those in SafeShare for Web's content viewer](/3.5/user/accessing-secure-content.md#file-formats-supported-by-the-content-viewer).
     * The **View** menu item is disabled if the selected items *only consist* of folders and/or non-viewable files. Although this menu option is available if one or more folders have been selected *in addition* to viewable files, any content within these folders is ignored (and not opened in the SafeShare Content Viewer).
   * *To begin downloading/decrypting your own secure content*, either:

     * Select the item/s and drag\&drop/copy/move them to a location outside the `SafeShare` folder; for example, dragging and dropping them to your desktop: \


       ![Downloading my own files to desktop by drag and drop](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz/images/ca880cbed00c-downloading-my-own-files-to-desktop-by-drag-and-drop.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz\&q=85\&s=bd7ee6d438ae1a1ac59b8b3d5a1c4fd2)

       **Note:** Regardless of whether you copy or move items from `My Secured Files`, the secured items will remain in the `My Secured Files` subfolder. \

       *OR*
     * Alternatively, select and right-click on one or more file/s and/or folder/s and choose **SafeShare > Download** from the pop-up menu:

       ![Downloading my own files to desktop using the pop-up menu](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/952bd39aa501-right-clicking-an-item-owner.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=87b66c72b429207ac7a515895a6decb3)

       The **Browse For Folder** dialog box opens, prompting you to specify a location where your selected content will be download.

     SafeShare for Windows downloads the content (decrypting it on your computer) at the target location (e.g. your desktop).

## Viewing/printing/downloading content (shared with you) 

If files have been [shared with you](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#sharing-secure-content), then your ability to view and/or print + download/decrypt these files is based on the [permissions](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#selecting-a-permission-set) that were granted to you as a collaborator on these files. The content viewer is useful when the owner of a file (or a collaborator with **Manage** permissions on it) wants to share the file's content but not allow the content to be printed and downloaded.

**To view/print/download/decrypt securely stored content which someone else has shared with you:**

1. [Access](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#accessing-the-applications-folder) the `SafeShare` folder for your organisation.
2. Within the `Shared With Me` subfolder, identify/locate the folder of the Covata user who shared content with you. \

   **Note:** You can only download/decrypt a file within these types of folders if you were granted **Download** permissions (or greater permissions that grant the individual *download* permission) when the file (or one of its ancestral folders) was [shared with you](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#sharing-secure-content). If you do not have the individual *download* permission on a file, then you can only view its content.
3. Within this other user's `Shared By ...` folder, locate the file/s or folder/s whose content you wish to view/print/download/decrypt. \

   **Note:** To determine if you can view or print the content of a file or folder (i.e. by having the individual *view* or *print* permissions respectively on the item), right-click the item and choose **SafeShare > Show permissions** from the pop-up menu:

   ![Identifying a item's permissions](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/44a0e62e1d4a-right-clicking-an-item-collaborator.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=14c5253dd418552aeb53c9e5d0e005d9)
4. Do one of the following based on the action to be performed:

   * *To begin viewing/printing one or more secure file/s which someone else has securely shared with you*, select and right-click on the file/s and choose **SafeShare > View**. A separate [SafeShare Content Viewer](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#read-only-content-viewer) window opens for each viewable item of your selected content. \

     **Notes:**

     * If one of the files you selected is not viewable, a message is shown indicating that the file's type is not supported by the SafeShare Content Viewer. File types which are supported are [equivalent to those in SafeShare for Web's content viewer](/3.5/user/accessing-secure-content.md#file-formats-supported-by-the-content-viewer).
     * The **View** menu item is disabled if the selected item/s *only consist* of folders and/or non-viewable files. Although this menu option is available if one or more folders have been selected *in addition* to viewable files, any content within these folders is ignored (and not opened in the SafeShare Content Viewer).
   * *To begin downloading/decrypting secure content which someone else has securely shared with you*, either:

     * Select the item/s and drag\&drop/copy/move them to a location outside the `SafeShare` folder - e.g. dragging and dropping them to your desktop:

       ![Downloading a shared file to desktop by drag and drop](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD/images/5b3afb2741dc-downloading-a-shared-file-to-desktop-by-drag-and-drop.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD\&q=85\&s=f0807752a8d517aff372bb45ea20cb74)

       **Note:** Regardless of whether you copy or move items from `Shared With Me`, the secured items will remain in the `Shared With Me` subfolder. \

       *OR*
     * Alternatively, select and right-click on one or more file/s and/or folder/s and choose a **SafeShare > Download** option from the pop-up menu:

       ![Identifying a item's permissions](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/44a0e62e1d4a-right-clicking-an-item-collaborator.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=14c5253dd418552aeb53c9e5d0e005d9)

       The **Browse For Folder** dialog box opens, prompting you to specify a location where your selected content will be download.

     SafeShare for Windows downloads the content (decrypting it on your computer) at the target location (e.g. your desktop).

> [!NOTE]
>
> * If you downloaded a folder, either by dragging\&dropping/copying/moving the folder to a location outside the `SafeShare` folder (or via the **SafeShare > Download** right-click option), then all files within the folder (including its subfolders) are downloaded/decrypted, with the exception of subfolders on which you only have **View** permissions. If such a subfolder were to contain its own folder on which you had the individual *download* permission, then you would need to download this subfolder in a separate action.
> * If files were *moved out* of any `SafeShare` folder to a network drive location, then these files will only reappear in the source `SafeShare` folder following a subsequent SafeShare for Windows synchronisation event (with remote storage managed by the Covata Platform).
> * If SafeShare for Windows experiences delays in network communication, you may notice the following behavior:
>
>   1. The encrypted files are temporarily copied to their target location.
>   2. SafeShare for Windows decrypts these files from their temporary copies (created in the previous step) and saves them to the same location as their temporary copies.
>   3. The temporary copies are deleted.

## SafeShare for Windows' read-only content viewer 

SafeShare for Windows' read-only content viewer (also known as the *SafeShare Content Viewer* within the application) and the [content viewer](/3.5/user/accessing-secure-content.md#content-viewer) of SafeShare for Web are equivalent features.

The SafeShare Content Viewer opens when you view [your own](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-your-own-content) or [someone else's](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-content-shared-with-you) file with SafeShare for Windows.

**SafeShare for Windows' content viewer for image files:**

![SafeShare for Windows' content viewer for image files](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/3e208f686aa8-content-viewer-image.jpg?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=f19fdceeb9e5a732266c89f0b6798668)

**SafeShare for Windows' content viewer for document files:**

![SafeShare for Windows' content viewer for document files](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi/images/eb2e226cf6e2-content-viewer-document.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi\&q=85\&s=adf448e6a01705fd80715eab907342f7)

**Tips on using the SafeShare Content Viewer:**

* Click the 'Print' icon

  ![Print icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6/images/26ba53112420-content-viewer-print-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6\&q=85\&s=edef441a769959d3fd19e6febfd9a62d)

  to print the file's content. \

  **Note:** This icon will not be available if you are a collaborator on the file being viewed (see [Sharing secure content](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#sharing-secure-content)) *and* you were only granted **View** permissions on the file, which does not grant the individual *print* permission that allows you to print it directly from the content viewer.
* If you are viewing an image file, click the 'Print preview' icon

  ![Print preview icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/aedfe59120cd-content-viewer-print-preview-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=f80c292632b1f704d3c75e94208e74ec)

  to view a preview of the file's content (before printing it). \

  **Notes:**

  * Like the 'Print' icon, this icon will also not be available if you are a collaborator on the file being viewed *and* you were only granted **View** permissions.
  * The print preview feature has its own functional icons for printing and zooming.
  * Print previews can only be generated in portrait orientation. Landscape-oriented previews are not available through this feature.
* Click the 'Actual size'

  ![Actual size icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/487e147b64ed-content-viewer-actual-size-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=82f118a010000ffbc5e6cbeddcf15e6d)

  and 'Fit to viewer'

  ![Fit to viewer icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz/images/c6ed050d60e8-content-viewer-fit-to-viewer-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz\&q=85\&s=db9f2c3e90c544b1232f504e94d917a0)

  icons zoom to the native size of the content or the size that fits the viewer, respectively.
* Click the 'Zoom In'

  ![Zoom in icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD/images/5c80da4778f5-content-viewer-zoom-in-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD\&q=85\&s=d492a479827314dd568358b10ee9fcac)

  and 'Zoom Out'

  ![Zoom out icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz/images/c98b1d333e2b-content-viewer-zoom-out-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=_MzKWwAlmVvZNHNz\&q=85\&s=be384d9ff238c6b04780507d53fe9a7b)

  icons to zoom in and out of the content view, respectively. The adjacent drop-down can also be used to select an appropriate zoom level.
* Click the 'Download' icon

  ![Download icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD/images/5e4b272e74f7-content-viewer-download-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=nH8pbjLreDSHB6fD\&q=85\&s=fc77e4c70989a1c8f0e7af59127c7a98)

  on the content viewer to download the content of a file (belonging to [you](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-your-own-content) or [someone else](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#viewing-printing-downloading-content-shared-with-you)). \

  **Note:** This icon will not be available if you are a collaborator on the file being viewed *and* you were only granted **View** permissions on the file, which does not grant the individual *download* permission that allows you to download the file's content.
* If you are the owner of the file you are currently viewing, click the 'Share' icon

  ![Share icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/a66b740f9686-content-viewer-share-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=4bdfd523817ee0890bad2e4b2c614726)

  to [open the 'Share' dialog box](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#share-dialog-box), which allows you to add new collaborators and/or modify existing collaborators (including their permissions) on this file. \

  **Note:** This icon will *also* be available if you are a collaborator on the file being viewed *and* you were granted **Manage** permissions on the file (which grants the individual *share* permission).
* If your content consists of multiple pages, you can navigate to different pages by:

  * Clicking the 'Next Page'

    ![Next page icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/bb5aec5cf4d2-content-viewer-next-page-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=65cac72e383dc4475471e304ca63600b)

    and 'Previous Page'

    ![Previous page icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/99da56fdf7eb-content-viewer-previous-page-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=267f4c15b207ed37df2b1936a87a65d3)

    icons to respectively move forward and back one page at a time.
  * Clicking the 'First Page'

    ![First page icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n/images/323e3d5f5ee5-content-viewer-first-page-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=he5RKKcj9W7Dcv1n\&q=85\&s=ff5ac269852bd25945519b3099fd5c9f)

    and 'Last Page'

    ![Last page icon](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/XFCH1-fsOPTworsw/images/b4a096e1d1b9-content-viewer-last-page-icon.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XFCH1-fsOPTworsw\&q=85\&s=4023c583511cb1286a5fdb24f8e1acdf)

    icons to respectively jump/go to the first and last pages of content.
  * Typing a page number in the 'Current Page' field (followed by the 'return/enter' key).

## Editing files

**To edit one or more securely stored files which you own (or someone else shared with you):**

1. [Access](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#accessing-the-applications-folder) the `SafeShare` folder for your organisation.
2. Locate the file you wish to edit either within:

   * the `My Secured Files` subfolder for a file you own, or
   * another user's `Shared By ...` folder (within the `Shared With Me` subfolder) for a file that someone else has shared with you.
3. To begin editing:

   * *A single file*, double-click the file to open the file in its default Windows application. \

     *OR*
   * *One or more files*, select and right-click on the file/s and choose **SafeShare > Edit** from the pop-up menu:

     ![Downloading my own files to desktop using the pop-up menu](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/UCzlmDjgVturBxhL/images/952bd39aa501-right-clicking-an-item-owner.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=UCzlmDjgVturBxhL\&q=85\&s=87b66c72b429207ac7a515895a6decb3)

     Each of the selected files opens in its own default Windows application window.

   Regardless of the application that opens the file/s, this action immediately sets the file/s into ['edit mode'](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#accessing-files-in-edit-mode), where the number of files in edit mode is indicated under the **Sync now** link on the application pane:

   ![Files in 'edit mode'](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi/images/f633ce80a34a-application-pane-editing-files.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=PII5vWTBhNvVAbCi\&q=85\&s=575b60750cc90e4e52ec7b376b987530)

   **Notes:**

   * The default Windows application is the application currently configured in Windows to open the file (based on its file name extension). \

     This behavior is equivalent to downloading and decrypting the file from a `SafeShare` folder to another location (using one of the procedures above) and then double-clicking the file to open it. However, opening the file after downloading/decrypting it outside the `SafeShare` folder, does not set the file into 'edit mode'.
   * Files in edit mode are stored by SafeShare for Windows in a local folder (managed by the application). Although these files are stored in a decrypted state, they are only intended to exist temporarily - see [below](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#accessing-files-in-edit-mode) for more information.
   * Be aware that the default Windows application used to open your file may not be well-suited to editing this type of file, or this application may not be your preferred one for editing this file type. In such circumstances, either:

     * Download and decrypt the file to another location outside its `SafeShare` folder (using one of the procedures above) and then use Windows open the decrypted copy of this file in your application of choice.
     * Use Windows' own operating system features to change the default Windows application used to open the type of file you wish to edit. Doing so will allow you to set and access these types of files in [edit mode](/3.5/windows/accessing-secure-content.md#accessing-files-in-edit-mode).
4. If you edited the file outside its `SafeShare` folder, you can create a new version of the file by simply uploading the file (using drag\&drop/copy/move) back to its original `SafeShare` folder (which either [you](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-and-storing-personally-owned-content) or [another user](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#uploading-content-to-share-through-another-users-folder) own/s). See [Managing file versions](/3.5/user/managing-file-versions.md) in the [SafeShare for Web](/3.5/user.md) User's Guide for more information.

**To access files in 'edit mode':**

1. Ensure that SafeShare for Windows has been [started](/3.5/windows/starting-the-application-and-signing-in.md#starting-the-application), you are signed in and if your Covata user account is a member of multiple organisations, that your [current organisation](/3.5/windows/uploading-storing-and-sharing-content-securely.md#changing-organisations) is the one through which you want to access files in edit mode.
2. Click the **Editing N files** link in the application pane, where 'N' represents the number of files you currently have open in edit mode, which opens the **Files open for editing** dialog box:

   ![Files open for editing dialog box](https://mintcdn.com/cocoondata/MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6/images/0fd47bedb7c9-files-open-for-editing-dialog-box.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=MnwEzgXdF2yy5sI6\&q=85\&s=4d977948a956bc17d12ed0424a5fbc6c)

   On this dialog box, you can click the following buttons on an individual file:

   * **Open** - to open this file in its default Windows application (for further editing). \

     **Note:** When saving any file in edit mode from its default Windows application, do so without changing the name and location of the file (which is a decrypted copy managed by SafeShare for Windows and is intended to exist only temporarily).
   * **Sync changes** - to save this file back to its original `SafeShare` folder, which uploads and stores the last edited/locally saved changes you made to this file back to its original location in SafeShare, thereby creating a new version of this file. See [Managing file versions](/3.5/user/managing-file-versions.md) in the [SafeShare for Web](/3.5/user.md) User's Guide for more information. \

     **Notes:**

     * If the folder containing this file was moved since the file entered edit mode, then SafeShare for Windows keeps track of the location of this folder and will automatically save the file back to the correct `SafeShare` folder. If, however, the folder containing this file was either removed or renamed (since the file entered edit mode), then SafeShare for Windows provides alternative options for handling your edited changes.
     * After clicking this button, this file entry is removed from the **Files open for editing** dialog box (and the locally decrypted copy of this file managed by SafeShare for Windows is removed).
   * **Discard changes** - to discard this file in edit mode. \

     **Note:** After clicking this button, this file entry is removed from the **Files open for editing** dialog box (and the locally decrypted copy of this file managed by SafeShare for Windows is removed). Be aware that you will lose any changes you made to this file since it entered edit mode.
   * **Save changes to desktop** - to save the last edited/locally saved changes you made to this file to the Windows desktop. After clicking this button, however, the locally decrypted copy of this file managed by SafeShare for Windows remains unaltered.

   You can also click the following buttons on this dialog box:

   * **Sync all changes** - to perform the same function as the **Sync changes** button (above) but for all files in edit mode listed on this dialog box.
   * **Discard all changes** - to perform the same function as the **Discard changes** button (above) but for all files in edit mode listed on this dialog box.


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