# Is there a way to invalidate/delete the specific URL generated by the "Create File" action? (Security/Retention question)

**URL:** <https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721>\
**Category:** Ask for Help\
**Tags:** api\
**Created:** [December 15, 2025, 10:10am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721 "2025-12-15T10:10:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Alejandro\_Mendoza](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/alejandro_mendoza/32/88686_2.png) [@Alejandro\_Mendoza](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Alejandro_Mendoza)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 10:10am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721/1 "2025-12-15T10:10:32Z")

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Hi everyone,

I’m building a CSV export feature using the native **Create File** action. The workflow works great: it generates the file and gives me a URL hosted on `storage.googleapis.com/...`.

Exact URL Example: [https://storage.googleapis.com/glide-prod.appspot.com/uploads-v2/qhbXQPBIR7IDU4YIGyqy/pub/4xPmrTjtIrARtnpwIYW4/rides-export-December%201%2C%202025-December%2017%2C%202025.csv](https://storage.googleapis.com/glide-prod.appspot.com/uploads-v2/qhbXQPBIR7IDU4YIGyqy/pub/4xPmrTjtIrARtnpwIYW4/rides-export-December%201%2C%202025-December%2017%2C%202025.csv)

I have implemented a “burn after reading” logic in my app where I clear the column value immediately after the user downloads the file, so the link disappears from the UI. However, I am concerned about the lifecycle of the actual file on the server.

**My questions are:**

1. **Persistence:** Does the underlying URL generated by `Create File` expire automatically after a certain time (e.g., 24 hours), or is it permanent?
2. **Manual Deletion:** Is there a Glide API endpoint or specific action I can call to strictly **delete** or **invalidate** the file blob itself from the server?

My goal is to ensure that if a URL were to leak or remain in a browser history, it wouldn’t grant access to that export forever.

Has anyone managed to programmatically delete these assets, or do we just rely on obscurity?

Thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![Lewis\_Parker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/lewis_parker/32/91147_2.png) [@Lewis\_Parker](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Lewis_Parker)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 10:20am UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721/2 "2025-12-15T10:20:17Z")

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Hey, this is taken rom their docs page ([Files | Glide Docs](https://www.glideapps.com/docs/files))

Uploaded files will eventually be deleted if they aren’t used for a long time.

“Being used” means that there is a link from your app to the file in a table. So as long your app links to a file somewhere in your table, Glide will not delete it (assuming your team is within your plan’s storage quota).

- If a Glide-hosted file is referenced in a row and that row is being used in an app—it will not be deleted

- If a Glide-hosted file is referenced in a row, but the team is affected by quota overages—it may be deleted after 21 days.

- If a Glide-hosted file is referenced in a row, but that table is not used in any Glide app—it may be deleted after 21 days.

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**Author:** ![Alejandro\_Mendoza](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/alejandro_mendoza/32/88686_2.png) [@Alejandro\_Mendoza](https://community.glideapps.com/u/Alejandro_Mendoza)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721/3 "2025-12-15T20:30:44Z")

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Thank you!

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**Author:** ![system](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/community.glideapps.com/system/32/53398_2.png) [@system](https://community.glideapps.com/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://community.glideapps.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-invalidate-delete-the-specific-url-generated-by-the-create-file-action-security-retention-question/85721/4 "2025-12-22T20:31:10Z")

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