Skip to main content
A Collection is a curated, virtual library of files that you assemble from anywhere in your catalog. Unlike Sources, which mirror the physical contents of a single drive, a Collection exists independently of any storage device. You pick exactly which files belong, and those files can come from any number of different drives and Source Groups. The Collection lives in your organization’s catalog and stays available to everyone it’s shared with, regardless of which drives are currently connected. Think of a Collection as a mood board, a project deliverable package, or a client-facing selection. You might pull a hero shot from last year’s archive drive, a few behind-the-scenes clips from a shoot drive that’s still in the edit suite, and a final logo lockup from a network share, and group them all into a single Collection called Brand Campaign Q3.

​
Collections vs. Sources

It helps to understand the distinction clearly:

Sources

Mirror the physical contents of a storage device. The files in a Source are determined by what is on the drive, not by your choices.

Collections

Virtual groupings you assemble by hand. You decide which files are included, regardless of which drive they live on.
Moving a file from one folder to another on a drive changes what the Source shows. It does not affect any Collections that file belongs to, the Collection references the file by its identity in the catalog, not its location on disk.
If a drive is disconnected, files from that drive are still listed in your Collections. Thumbnails and metadata remain available, but the original files cannot be opened or exported until the drive is reconnected.
You can also run an AI Image Search inside a single Collection. It looks through every folder in the Collection, including files from drives you can’t open yourself. See Search inside a Collection. Collections can be shared outside of the 1Archive desktop application using a web link. When you create a link, you choose who can open it. A Public link opens for anyone who has it, and a Password Protected link also asks for the password you set. Neither needs a 1Archive account or the desktop app. A Private link asks people to sign in, and only people with access to the Collection get in. This is useful for sharing selects with clients, presenting deliverables for review, or giving external collaborators a read-only window into a curated set of assets. Key things to know about Collection links:
  • One Collection can have multiple links. You might generate one link for a client and another for an agency partner, and revoke them independently.
  • Links are revocable. Once you delete a link, anyone who opens it sees an error page. The Collection and its other links stay as they were.
  • Links can expire. New links expire after one week unless you choose another time.
  • Visitors can look but not change anything. People who aren’t members can browse files, previews, and details. They can download previews only if you turned on Allow Downloads for that link, and originals only if you also turned on Allow Original Downloads. Members who open a link keep their role on the Collection.
Generate a new link for each external recipient so you can revoke individual access without disrupting others.

​
Who can see a Collection

A new Collection starts out private to you as its Owner. Other people see it once you share it with them, share it with a team they belong to, or share a folder that contains it. Sharing with a team helps with handoffs, because people who join the team later get access without a separate invitation.
Who can open a Collection depends on how it’s shared: with people, with teams, or through a folder that contains it. See Collection permissions for the roles and how shares combine.