How to set up a client review link
To set up a client review link, upload your design, PDF, or doc to a tool that generates a shareable URL. Send that URL to your client. They open it in any browser, click the element they want to comment on, and type. No account, no extension, nothing to install on their end. The comments land in one place — not scattered across email threads.
Pick what you're sending for review
The format determines which path is fastest. A static image or PDF export (PNG, JPG, PDF) works in any tool. A live website or Figma prototype has more options but more steps. A written deliverable — brief, proposal, copy doc — works best as plain text or a rendered page, not a .docx attachment that renders differently on every machine. Decide the format before you set anything up: clients who have to download a file and re-upload it to comment are clients who send email instead.
Generate a shareable URL
Most design feedback tools give you a public link once you upload or paste your artifact. Markup.io, Pastel, and Approval Studio each let you upload a file or a URL and produce a link in under a minute. Figma has a built-in Share → Anyone with the link → Can comment flow — though it requires the reviewer to accept a Figma guest invite, which adds friction for non-designers. GoVisually and Ziflow are heavier tools aimed at agency approval workflows with versioning and deadlines. If you are sending a written doc, a shared Google Doc with commenting enabled and Anyone with the link → Commenter access set is the simplest path that needs no extra software.
Test the link before you send it
Open an incognito window and paste the URL. You are checking three things: the artifact renders correctly (no login wall, no broken images, correct version), the comment experience is obvious within five seconds, and the link is not already behind a workspace sign-in you forgot to change. The most common mistake is sending a Figma URL that still says Can view rather than Can comment — the client can see the design but has nowhere to type. Test as a stranger, not as yourself.
Send it with one line of context
Clients who receive a naked link without context click it, panic at an unfamiliar UI, and send an email asking what to do. One sentence removes that. Something like: Click the part you want to change and type your note — no signup required. That is enough. Do not send instructions that are longer than the task. If the tool requires the client to create a free account before commenting, say so upfront — finding out mid-review is the fastest way to get a phone call instead of written feedback.
Resolve comments and send a revised link
When you make changes, avoid sending a new URL. A second link means the client does not know whether to re-read the whole thing or just the parts they flagged. Version in place if the tool supports it — the same URL, updated content, all previous comments preserved. If the tool doesn't support versioning, at minimum mark each comment resolved once you ship the fix, so the client only sees open items on re-open. The most expensive revision loop is one where neither side knows what the other has already addressed.
If you're already done and just want to send the link now: drop your design or doc into Drafty, copy the URL it gives you, and send it. Your client clicks the exact element and pins a note right there — no account, no extension, no file attachment bouncing back over email. Comments land in one thread, anchored to the spot they meant. You reply, resolve, and push a new version on the same link.
Open a live demoQuestions
- Does my client need to create an account to leave comments?
- It depends on the tool. Figma requires a guest account — clients get an email invite and have to accept before they can type. Tools like Markup.io and Pastel let them comment as a guest with no signup at all. If you're setting this up for a client who's not technical, pick a tool that skips the account step entirely.
- How is a client review link different from a shared Figma link?
- A Figma share link shows the design, but commenting requires the client to accept a Figma invite and navigate the Figma editor — which most clients find confusing. A purpose-built review link is a standalone webpage: click the thing you mean, type your note, done. No design tool knowledge required.
- How do I make the review link private so only my client sees it?
- Most tools offer either a secret URL (a long, unguessable link that anyone who has it can open) or an invite-only mode (only email addresses you add can see it). For most client work, a secret URL is enough — it doesn't require your client to log in, and the odds of anyone stumbling on a random link are negligible. Invite-only makes sense if the work is genuinely sensitive.
- What if my client can't figure out how to leave a comment?
- The most common cause is that they're on mobile and the tool doesn't work well on phones. Test the link on your own phone first. The second most common cause is that commenting is behind a login you didn't realize was enabled. Open the link in incognito and try to comment before you send it.
- Can I use a client review link for a live website, not just a design file?
- Yes. Several tools — including Markup.io and Pastel — let you paste a live URL and turn it into a review board. Reviewers see the real site and comment on elements of it directly. The catch is that comments are attached to a snapshot, so if the site changes, older comments may no longer align to the right element.
- How do I track which comments I've already addressed?
- Mark each comment resolved as you ship the fix. Most tools have a resolve button that moves the comment to a done state, visible to both sides. If your tool doesn't have this, a reply like 'Fixed in the new version' does the same job. The goal is a single source of truth: both you and the client know what's open and what's done without a follow-up call.
Keep exploring
Stop emailing files back and forth.
Share one link. They comment on the exact spot — no account, always the current version.